Who doesn't have a stock cupboard

Popperwell

Well done Eoin,
Had Mum lived we could have managed but my income is now half what it was. Her meagre savings once out of probate means my help stops and I pay full rent, 75% CT, utility bills and food(and hope nothing needs replacing/repairing)as most have to. Then worry that when I reapply I will be entited to help(I have health issues)but like BB I think much of the help will be withdrawn, reduced or not available.

And next year for those in social housing that bedroom tax! Not much to look forward to. I feel it for those working for a pittance(most people)with the worry of losing their job. Those already in difficult situations(already without work or ill. Looking after a loved one...)

The UK in the 21st Century...frightening. And not helped by the way the media ignores or puts out mis-information and plays one section of society against another. As politicians do.

Yes, get those store cupboards built up whilst you can, buy anything you need that will make life easier for you and may not be affordable in the future and if it saves on the cost of electric or gas even better(microwave ovens, halogen ovens, slow ovens etc...)to save putting on main oven on for a long time unless you are able to cook a few things at once.

Maybe get used to simple meals that don't need cooking or where you perhaps mix ingredients. Example? Sliced meat with a portion of potatoes and veg which can be done on a hob or steamed. Gravy made from the water you cooked the veg in. Or steam the veg in the microwave. A lot of good old comfort food.

I'm sure you can think of other examples...Its good to be thrifty and frugal but its almost an obsession with me now...it has to be...I feel as though I have stepped back decades.

elona

pops

Would you consider a lodger?

Exchange of property or downsizing?

Depending on your age there are sheltered housing apartments that might be cheaper.

Is there anything you are knowlegable about / crafty etc that could sell on ebay, Amazon.

There is something called a Letts where you can trade skills etc and no money changes hands.

If something happens to DH first then income will halve and our savings get very little interest so we have been repairing house and getting as much as possible done to make life easier for the future.

Confuzzled

flippin36 wrote: »

What's the thing with loo rolls? Don't tell me the loo roll manufacturers are going on strike too? (They wouldn't do that during the olympics surely!) I have 22, will that be enough? TIA

last year the loo roll i normally buy increased in price from £1.19 for 10 rolls to £1.69 in a matter of 2.5 months! now it's at £1.89 this is the recycled stuff from lidl

don't know if anyones noticed but you can't get the big 12 packs of value toilet roll from asda or tesco anymore either! they were a tad more expensive but i bought the lidl because i preferred it

i'm gonna stock up agian i only have 3 extra packages spare, i bought 10 extra last year, saved me a fiver in total which i realise to some doesn't seem like much but when you realise that the loo roll had risen by 50p per package in a few months that's an increase of approx 42%

so that's why i personally stock up, with all this flooding all over europe it is possible that it could have detrimental effects on the trees grown to produce the loo roll, or they'll just jack the prices up anyway when all the foods go up due to loss of crops from the flooding...

with the money i save over the year i can add to my stock cupboard :T

GreyQueen

Pops, hope you don't mind me popping in on the strength of something in your post above. If you are below state pension age (I think so?) you will fall under the current capital rules which means capital of above £16k will take you out of entitlement entirely and £6k and under will be "fully disregarded".

For capital between £6 and £16k, they (calculating HB and CTB) will have to assume that you receive £1 interest per week for every £250 or part thereof.

Say you had £6,950 in the bank. £6k is fully disregarded, and of the £950, they will treat it as 4 units of £250 and dock you £4 a week. So, be careful to keep within bands of £250 as if you just slip into a band, it will be treated as if you have the whole £250 whereas you might just be £1-£2 into the band.

I have no idea how the Universal Credit will be applied but I cannot see it changing for the better. HTH.

On a storecupboardy note, I have started stashing the 19p Tesco tinned potatoes. They're long-dated til 2015 and I bet they won't be so cheap for long. You read it here first, children.

Fruball

My local c0op has 9pk loo roll for £2.79 and it's good stuff - I have 7 x 9pks now but I haven't stopped buying - will get some more tomorrow

Confuzzled

Popperwell wrote: »

Yes, get those store cupboards built up whilst you can, buy anything you need that will make life easier for you and may not be affordable in the future and if it saves on the cost of electric or gas even better(microwave ovens, halogen ovens, slow ovens etc...)to save putting on main oven on for a long time unless you are able to cook a few things at once.

Maybe get used to simple meals that don't need cooking or where you perhaps mix ingredients. Example? Sliced meat with a portion of potatoes and veg which can be done on a hob or steamed. Gravy made from the water you cooked the veg in. Or steam the veg in the microwave. A lot of good old comfort food.

i love my microwave rice cooker http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Microwave-Cooker-Litre/dp/B0001IWD7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342208135&sr=8-1

i put in the water, rice, veg, some spices and cook half way (how long depends if it's white rice or brown) then at halfway i stir in some tuna or some bits of chicken etc you can also add i nuts etc, finish cooking it and have perfect rice every time in 10 min for white (1cup) usually and 20 for brown (1cup) thereabouts, not a huge time saver compared to the hob BUT it's always right, i don't have to worry about it sticking and it's cheaper to use the microwave

plus i put it in, do some other stuff and come back, have to fuss more over rice if it's on the cooker :T

quintwins

I use lidl loo roll aswell, but i got 94 andrex for £20 on the amazon deal ages ago, i'm still using them but i noticed lidl loo roll is now £2.10 when i was in the other day, however i do think it a very big roll and we def use less so when i run out i'll prob still buy it, infact i may start stocking up soon.

i got 8 packets of peppercorn sauce in asda

Popperwell

elona wrote: »

pops

Would you consider a lodger?

Exchange of property or downsizing?

Depending on your age there are sheltered housing apartments that might be cheaper.

Is there anything you are knowlegable about / crafty etc that could sell on ebay, Amazon.

There is something called a Letts where you can trade skills etc and no money changes hands.

If something happens to DH first then income will halve and our savings get very little interest so we have been repairing house and getting as much as possible done to make life easier for the future.

If things stayed as they are it would be tight but I could just about manage but all the changes are out of my hands...I suspect I will be expected to downsize or be forced out. I have probably a year where things will be ok(I hope)I have neighbours who say I should be ok and cannot be moved but if income is chipped at bit by bit it may not be possible to remain.

No good letting it get to me, so many are in the same boat...

Popperwell

GreyQueen wrote: »

Pops, hope you don't mind me popping in on the strength of something in your post above. If you are below state pension age (I think so?) you will fall under the current capital rules which means capital of above £16k will take you out of entitlement entirely and £6k and under will be "fully disregarded".

For capital between £6 and £16k, they (calculating HB and CTB) will have to assume that you receive £1 interest per week for every £250 or part thereof.

Say you had £6,950 in the bank. £6k is fully disregarded, and of the £950, they will treat it as 4 units of £250 and dock you £4 a week. So, be careful to keep within bands of £250 as if you just slip into a band, it will be treated as if you have the whole £250 whereas you might just be £1-£2 into the band.

I have no idea how the Universal Credit will be applied but I cannot see it changing for the better. HTH.

Spot on with all you say GQ and that is roughly what Mum has in her estate...so I am "Stuffed" whatever I do, wherever I go, there is little difference if I move to a smaller property(few are available anyhow)and I have 12 years before I am retired(and if they keep moving the age back it could be longer)

And even if I was in a smaller property if these changes come in, I'll still struggle and be trying to keep a roof over my head...by jumping through hoops.

Not much to look forward to...

Popperwell

GreyQueen wrote: »

On a storecupboardy note, I have started stashing the 19p Tesco tinned potatoes. They're long-dated til 2015 and I bet they won't be so cheap for long. You read it here first, children.

I've been doing that!:)