Keeping up appearances.......

[Deleted User]

HappyNow wrote: »

Hi Chev, what a good idea, I never thought of trying Freecycle. Our stoves can burn logs so I've just had a look on there. Sadly there's none on just now but I will keep checking back. Thanks for the suggestion .

Coal works better for us really because we have stoves rather than open fires and they stay alight better with coal, but wood is perfect for evenings when we can keep chucking it on.



Ouch - your car bill was even worse than ours. I hope that's the last bill for a while for both of us! At some point this year I think Mr Happy's car will have to be swapped - it seems to spend more time in the garage than on the road. We're in such a rural location though that we really need 4 wheel drives to have any hope of getting to work in winter, and they are so expensive to buy and run .

That's a massive vet bill too. I hope your animal made a full recovery to make it money well spent. Last year I opened a special savings account with the intention of building up a balance to cover vet bills. Unfortunately there is still not a penny in it, so I'm praying everything keeps well! I had a sick horse last year and the bills practically wiped me out - he's still alive and well though, and eating many ££££ worth of food each week!

Both cats needed dental work. Only just paid for their annual boosters the the week before... The vet does have the option of paying it up but don't want anything hanging over my head as no doubt another expense will be along shortly.

When we got the cats home they were still recovering from the anisthetic and it was funny to see the backend going a different direction from the front end when they were running around

We have one 4x4 and one car. Although the 4x4 fuel consumption is higher it never needs any money spent on it [other than basics] so is much cheaper in that respect...

Sorry to hear about the horse. We don't have horses but are loads around here and is nice to see from the window.

At least it is sunny today!!!

Cheers

PinotGrigio41

Mrs H , I am hosting a virtual Cocktail Party this evening , so am dropping by with a Piña Colada for you x :beer: it looks like a beer but I promise it's a cocktail ! X:D

Mara_uk7

Hello Mrs Happy, Just dropped by to say how much I admire your determination to kill that debt ! Now .. I work at an agricultural store, selling feed, Horsey stuff etc, and we GIVE away any broken pallets or packing to anyone who wants it for burning, Next time youre picking up feed, ask if they have any broken pallets for burning . Most pallets nowadays are non returnable and they will be glad to get rid of them. Also, If youre friends with any local farmers, ask them if they have broken fence posts they want rid of . ( I know hubby gives them away by the trailer-load ! )

HappyNow

poohbear59 wrote: »

We have had loads of wood given to us for our stove eg we were given an old kitchen to burn yesterday. Though I have bitten the bullet and bought some 10kg bags of coal just to boost the heat output. We definitely need it this week.

Our animals cost us a packet too. Does your vet allow you to pay over a few months? Ours did until he was robbed by someone and now trusts none of us to pay monthly.
The big dog has been limping but we think/ are hoping it is just salt in his paws. He isn't insured.

Hi Pooh, hope your big dog is OK. Our dog is the only animal we have insured and it's up for renewal on 7th Feb. We've never needed to claim so I'm going to look round for the best deal. I remember doing it last year and it was the most complicated insurance I've ever bought! The renewal has just come (Sainsburys) for £273, which is about the same as last year but we got £80 back via Quidco then, which of course we won't get if we renew. Hmm, that's my project for tomorrow. For the other animals, I've never even asked if we can pay monthly (part of my 'Keeping Up Appearances' paranoia!), I've always just shoved it straight on a credit card .

Have you read Mara_uk7's post just above this one? She suggests asking agricultural stores and local farmers for old pallets and fence posts so I'm going to give that a go - it might be something else for you to try .

HappyNow

jeepjunkie wrote: »

Both cats needed dental work. Only just paid for their annual boosters the the week before... The vet does have the option of paying it up but don't want anything hanging over my head as no doubt another expense will be along shortly.

When we got the cats home they were still recovering from the anisthetic and it was funny to see the backend going a different direction from the front end when they were running around

We have one 4x4 and one car. Although the 4x4 fuel consumption is higher it never needs any money spent on it [other than basics] so is much cheaper in that respect...

Sorry to hear about the horse. We don't have horses but are loads around here and is nice to see from the window.

At least it is sunny today!!!

Hi JJ, we have three cats. Theoretically they are farm cats to keep the mice down, but in practice they've hardly budged off the sofas since the weather turned cold, except to eat! I chuck them all out a few times each day to go to the toilet, but judging by the lack of footprints in the snow, they just sit on the doorstep until I open the door again - then barge in and use the litter tray! The local mice are having a lovely relaxed, stress-free winter!

We've really needed the 4 wheel drive this week and we're forecast more snow for tomorrow . Fingers crossed they've got the forecast wrong, but they've been spot on with it so far round here.......

HappyNow

PinotGrigio41 wrote: »

Mrs H , I am hosting a virtual Cocktail Party this evening , so am dropping by with a Piña Colada for you x :beer: it looks like a beer but I promise it's a cocktail ! X:D

Awww, Mrs P. By the time I saw this and rushed round to yours with my bottle of tequila it was all over! I gather you missed it too, due to your internet fail. Hope Granny, Piq and the others didn't trash the place

HappyNow

Mara_uk7 wrote: »

Hello Mrs Happy, Just dropped by to say how much I admire your determination to kill that debt ! Now .. I work at an agricultural store, selling feed, Horsey stuff etc, and we GIVE away any broken pallets or packing to anyone who wants it for burning, Next time youre picking up feed, ask if they have any broken pallets for burning . Most pallets nowadays are non returnable and they will be glad to get rid of them. Also, If youre friends with any local farmers, ask them if they have broken fence posts they want rid of . ( I know hubby gives them away by the trailer-load ! )

Hi Mara-uk7, thanks for posting and thanks especially for your suggestions . I will most definitely give them a try, and I've also mentioned it to Poohbear as she's in a similar postition to me. I hope you drop by again soon x

Honey_Bear

When Wickes closed and moved to another location locally, they left a huge pile of pallets outside with a note on offering them to anyone who wanted them. They were in a tiny retail park in the city centre, but I bet if you lived anywhere near an industrial estate or retail park piles of pallets would appear on an intermittent basis. It's a bit like Whoopsie hunting, I think - it's worth checking if you're in the neighbourhood. Happy hunting!

poohbear59

Thank you for the suggestion of pallets Happy and Mara. Mr Pooh has got some from a local farmer so we have a huge pile outside.He had spotted them piled up in a field so he asked and they were delighted to get rid of them. DD said to look on ebay as free firewood is offered on there too.

NewLeaf_2

hi Happy.. those unexpected expenses are a nightmare. I hope you are all well and keeping warm x