make do and mend for tougher times

prepareathome

Filthy kids usually means happy kids so a great sight to see:)

smileyt_2

Blimey you lot can talk! I come back from recuperating from my anti-government rant to find several pages of posts! Mainly about food and halogen ovens if memory serves me, and someone telling a joke about swatting flies with an i-pad lol!

Fuddle it's a good job you don't have a little dog or you would probably be hunting for a lost dog now because of those chuggers. All the chuggers I've met have been very young, so likely don't have children of their own and don't have any common sense. I've seen gates round here locked with a bike lock so the toddlers can't escape from front gardens if Mum has to pop to the loo, so that might be the way to go. Also chuggers won't be able to untie it!

Speaking of dogs .... Bhodie is lovely, I bet he is a big soft lump who thinks he is a lap dog ..... .

I've been trying to cut my anti-depressant meds down and I've gone a bit too far and I can feel the depression creeping back. The house is a mess and I am having difficulty concentrating and motivating myself and feel like bursting into tears. Have spoken to my GP and she has put my dose back up so hopefully in a week's time or so I should be starting to feel better. I've been on them for years and every time I try to come off them the depression comes back big time. You'd think I would have learned by now. I am worried because no-one seems to know the long-term consequences of the drugs. But then again, I wouldn't have much of a life without them so ..... *shrugs shoulders*. I feel a failure for not being able to cope with things, my best just doesn't seem good enough.

Teabags. I think I have ten boxes of Mr S basics. Hmmmm. Will have to pull my finger out if I'm to have any chance of winning teabag poker against Mardatha ......

DOH! Fuddle just remembered you do have a dog, Alfie the Wonderpup. Just as well he didn't make a run for it.

Popperwell

If you have enough room/food in the one in the kitchen and you can weigh up what you save in running costs against extra trips to the supermarket etc...and you find you can manage, do it! If you have more long life milk stored. You may again have a freezer that can be switched off but it is there for emergencies or times like Christmas perhaps...

You've already cut back using the slow cooker and halogen oven, if you have a microwave or George Forman type grill etc...all these are better for saving energy and time as you have also been doing regarding washing...

I suspect you have just about trimmed the cost of energy as far as possible and doing so probably allows you to use the CH, lighting, tv etc...at the best time of day...the early evening when it's dark and colder especially as Winter approaches.

I try to use less during the day but a PC, router and DAB radio are the three things I have difficulty managing without. In fact they are on most of the time. And of course the fridge/freezer.

Popperwell

It would be lovely to be medication free but if they are doing what they are supposed to...I know I'll not hesitate to seek help if I start to feel depressed but don't feel a failure Smiley.

Good heavens best part of the population are stressed or have anxiety with good reason and even if AD's seem an easy option they have their place in helping people cope.

And again you make a fair point as I did about Fuddle's dog getting out and lost...

fuddle

Alfie the wonderpup was too busy in the kitchen with me, ever hopeful I'd spill a slosh of milk for him to lap up. Where there's food stuffs.. there's Alfie Just as well.

I look around my house pops and it's scary what has to stay on all the time. The router, sky box, DH's [STRIKE]eyesore[/STRIKE] fishtank, fridge and freezer are two separate things taking up two lots of plugs. The smoke alarms are on all the time, mains connected. The burglar alarm that we can't use is always on, the boiler although not using gas is always on. The phone, is always on. The mouse sonic thing that helps keeps the mice away from DH's fishing stuff in the garage.. always on. I feel that I need to be so much more frugal with the electric but my hands are tied.

And I bet you're shocked I have sky. I wish I could get rid of it, even the TV as I don't watch it, catching up online on decent things but it's the DH's fault. Perish the thought he misses his fishing or hunting for Bigfoot programmes or Game of Thrones when the new series starts. :cool:

Popperwell

I had Sky until Mum passed away and I realise that I could afford it again for now(but for how long?)if they pull my benefits...like you I watch so little tv these days...Should I sign up again to find I have to cancel again. No, I don't think I will bother.

Mind, I never signed up for the sports or movies...you need some entertainment though especially if money is tight and at £1 a day approx what would it cost for a meal out? To go to the theatre/cinema? The pub? Cost of getting there and back. And so on?

I think the criticism thrown by people when they have a go at those on low income/unemployed/ill etc...if they have Sky is unfair as they assume everyone is paying for the whole package. But again having Sky sport is still cheaper than a season ticket.

prepareathome

What can I use lemongrass for, I have just had to cut the one tiny plant I put in ground last year that seemed to die off, now its branches(well soft stems) have grown out to 3ft and more and were stopping sun getting to pots on patio so cut it back,.......can I try it in dehydrator and use it in what? I have books and books I could consult but I prefer the experts all of you and am to blinking lazy to dig out herb books(they are in bookcase right by my bed about 2ft away from me, but as its more a shelving unit than bookcase books are piled up on their sides and I am to hot and exhausted to move piles of books......as I said lazy....)

It is boiling here sun is very hot and strong.....got first lot of bedding, my quilt out at last ( sophie cut her nipple and it reopened overnight so blood on everything so did a pre-wash and 40c - would like to do higher but its one of those with the beads that take heat away and cost me £190 for the duvet, mattress protector and two pillows (I know more money than sense but it is so comfy and hot enough in winter and cool enough on all bar hottest nights)so not going to chance damaging it with to hot a wash. Worth saving up for for those with hot flushes. I got mine last year from Duvet store in Scotland and wish I had got it years ago when they first started plaguing me. So mattress protector going through pre-wash and wash now.

I have tomatoes:j small and green so far, but was thinking was going to be like last year when I got about 6 and they never went red, so far have found about 2 dz and still lots and lots of flowers on both plants and bushes.......

Right going to go and inspect potatoes and see if they are suitable to be dug and and used or binned. Its a fortnight tomorrow since I was last in side garden ( out of front door turn right walk 6ft go up 4 steps and hey pesto you are there then 80ft to where potatoes are) you would think it was miles away with me taking so long.

Hugs and Lovexxxx

[Deleted User]

PAH - If your potatoes are like the curates egg 'good in parts' save what you can of the usable bits and cook and mash them. Pop into the freezer and you have instant pie toppings for the winter. Saves fuel when you do a big batch to freeze too. Lemon grass is used mainly in Thai cookery isn't it - could you use some to make a batch of curry or stir fry sauce, again to put in the freezer for the winter. Hope this helps, Cheers Lyn x.

fuddle

I think that freezer in the garage is costing me £1 a day to run

http://www.sust-it.net/energy_calculator.php

300w to run.

That can't be true can it? That is half my energy consumption every month

No, apparently we use our fridge freezers a median of 300 hours per month so it brings the cost down to £12.87 per month to run. That's a lot of money to save some pennies on milk.

halogen oven costs 17.5p per 30 minutes
electric oven costs 32.9p per 30 minutes

really interesting

Popperwell

Frightening...http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/what-is-overall-impact-of-cuts-to.html