make do and mend for tougher times

mardatha

We've got your weather Mrs C That food sounds so nice I want to come down and visit - I wish I could cook sometimes.
Re monthly heating bills, our coal is £132 and elect £20.

[Deleted User]

MAR - Is the RV so rattie cos you live close to the 'GROUSE' Moors

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Ducks and runs

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HE he he he he!!!!!!!!!! SORRY!!!!!

D&DD

I can't post properly so will just read for a bit as been relegated to dodgy iPad thing again :rotfl:
Will return later when I can see what I'm doing lol

greenbee

If you can cope with the fluctuations in spending from month to month, it's worth considering signing up for one f the tariffs where you give monthly meter readings and only pay for what you use. I've paid under £20 each for gas and electricity this month. I use a lot of electricity because I work from home and have had to use the TD due to the weather. I know it will be more in winter, but at least I don't have to deal with the constant worry that the DD may be set wrong, and I can't get behind. I manage my account online (my supplier also has a smartphone app for providing meter readings - including turning on the light on the phone if it is dark! - and to check consumption) so I know exactly how much of both I have used in the last 12 months as it is based on readings.

I am one person, working from home (so need heating during the day if it is very cold so I can think and type), 3 bed house, metal windows, hard floors, underfloor heating in bathroom, well-lagged loft, no TV and a reasonably new boiler, and used 768 units of gas and 1951 units electricity in the last 12 months. Knowing exactly how many units I've used allows me to compare prices accurately. We can never be sure how much we will use in the coming year as it depends on circumstances and the weather, but using meter readings is definitely the best way.

If you are trying to get to grips with energy usage, the imeasure site is a great resource.

kidcat

Pops - Please dont be offended but I do wonder if you really wouldnt be better looking for a much smaller place, if you dont use the downstairs and only use the bedrooms it would cut your costs dramatically. To my mind as you are housing assoc/council renting you would have a much better chance of getting a good small place now rather than waiting for the whole bedroom tax thing to hit - at which point I can foresee alot of people desperately trying to move.
I know you really wanted to stay where you are rather than be made to move but if you chose to move it may be much better and easier for you.

fuddle

Off to go look at imeasure.

British Gas sent us an electricity reading gadget a few years back but I can't set it up any more as can't find the box. If any one knows how to suss the BG Smart Meter out (old style digital on black screen) I'd be greatful.

I have the option to pay monthly for whatever we use with British Gas but I think I have to pay off the arrears first. I definitely want to go down this road though because I'm tired of worry about it.

monnagran

Missed reading over the w/e so have spent about an hour catching up.

Now, about my favourite subject - me.

I am 35 years old, slim, poised, impeccably dressed. My house is clean, shining and organised. My garden would make you weep with envy and I feed the two us on gourmet food for £5 a week.

In real life I'm 73 (possibly the oldest person on here - cue wrinklies coming out of the woodwork), like the little teapot, (short and stout), look like the bag lady's badly dressed sister and am an authority on every diet past and present. My house veers from clean and tidy on the suface to messy everywhere. My garden would just make you weep.

Happily divorced with 2 beloved adopted sons both in their 40s, 4 step grandchildren, One GD(16), one GS (10) who is autistic and gorgeous and one due at the end of September.

Live with a friend who is a Lady Vicar only in our church they are called Ministers, - think Vicar of Dibley. Thus I end up doing a lot of churchy things. Love cooking, knitting, writing (I edit the church magazine) and lolling about doing nothing in particular - fat chance of that ever happening.

Live on this lovely Island, aren't I lucky?

Would love to make cards, sew, quilt and have lots of bits of equipment but no time or expertise.

I do have talents. I can cut a straight slice from a loaf, make melt in the mouth pastry, tell a good story and produce a meal for an unknown number of people without more than the usual hysteria.

In my previous life I was a teacher. So why am I not raking in a comfortable pension? I started my own small school for children who didn't like school. Wildly successful educationally, abysmal failure financially - I am no business woman. Hence total reliance on state pension.

My passion in life is the Drop-in centre we run for the homeless and anyone in any sort of need. Don't get me started, I can bore for Britain.

I'll let you all get back to the really important work of supporting each other and swopping useful hints and tips.

Thank you for listening.

D&DD

Fuddle great preserves there,well done they look very posh! :T

I can see what I'm doing now lol I need an old fashioned keyboard

Our dualfuel with EON is £109 a month which I think is not too bad at all considered we have stuff on all the time (teenage boys x 3) and I'm always cooking,we're a full quarter ahead somehow so at least I know we'd be ok for a bit if something happened to OH's wages.

Mar glad your leccy came back thats a bit early for powercuts isn't it?? There's been a few people reporting them around the country wonder why?

Popperwell

Pooky wrote: »

Pops - are you supposed to be drinking with those meds?

Got side tracked today and have started making some patchwork blankets for the sofa, using an old duvet as the inner it, making the covers removable for washing. Had a happy few hours planning the design and cutting all the bits. Just need to do the sewing tomorrow. It's all from CS bargain fabrics (mostly duvet covers and valance sheets - there's a lot of fabric in a duvet cover) the duvet was given to me, so for two lovely sized quilty throws it will have cost less than £3. :T

We pay £78 per month for gas and electric here (3 bed semi) but that was based on their estimate of what we will use. We hardly had the heating on last winter, I never had rads on in bedrooms and always sleep with the window open, we used the open fire to heat the living room/dining room and an electric heater in th e kitchen when the solar panels were generating. Last quarters electric bill was £19 because of the panels and the gas was £8 (have the water heating on gas once a day when cloudy, otherwise I turn the immersion on and heat it electrically via the panels) I did however pay £100 for coal last year (got £35 worth left) and £70 for a large trailer load of logs (got some left and have restocked with pallets and donated wood). I'm hoping to put the DD down to £50 this month, they wanted to see a years usage before they'd let us drop it.

All what you say gives me hope...If things were as they are now I probably could survive and absorb what is likely to happen in the future but it's the not knowing...and I have an appointment with CAB in the hope they can put my mind at rest but of course I may come out that meeting none the wiser or with bad news. I nearly cancelled but as I have the appointment I may as well go and talk things over.

As long as I will always have a roof over my head and am not made destitute...

Even though I don't have solar panels...I will keep rooms closed off and only heat the rooms I use mainly two bedroom and I'll close the doors to keep any heat in. Use my clothes, hot water bottles, duvet, fleeces etc...to keep warm if it's cold.

Don't drink that much, not every night and it's more like a tipple...I did ask if I could drink wine orginally at Christmas/new year and was told yes...

Also, the consultant is happy with the variety of food in my diet but prefers meatwise chicken and fish but if I eat lamb/pork, I eat smaller portions and pad it out other ingredients.

smileyt_2

RANT ALERT!!

Why do boys smell so much and/or create such powerful smells?

In the front room I have one poorly boy recovering from exhaustion. His clothes stink of cigarettes, and as he has no wardrobe, his clothes are also used by his four cats for bedding purposes, and I suspect also they have the occasional wee on them. He lives in a one-bedroomed flat which I can't visit due to my cat allergy and strong dislike of cigarette smoke - I would literally not be able to breathe in there.

In the back room I have one large boy smelling of strong aftershave, eating some disgusting takeaway thing that has completely turned my stomach.

So I have retreated to my bedroom with my dogs. Both windows are open and all I can smell is fresh air.

I think I am getting too stuck in my ways to have another boy. They are just too messy and smelly for me. It's probably made worse because it is 'that time of the month' for me and this month I am suffering from nausea and smells make this much worse!

Apologies to any male lurkers, and to Popperwell - but you gotta admit your average young male is somewhat lacking in the nasal self-perception area!!