make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

My electricity standing charge is 16p per day. So that's £4.80 per month before I even use any electricity.

My gas is 30p per day so £9 per month before I've even used any gas.

Popperwell

D&DD wrote: »

Val how lovely to have friends like that my neighbours are great here but not really OS at all

Fuddle I think if you just tweak the way you shop and mealplan you can easily do without..just gutted for you losing all that food :eek:

I'm not bothered as such about neighbours behaving in a kind of commune kind of way but I wish they were more OS and that we could share food, ideas, recipes, give clothes and items to each other and again as I said elsewhere I wish we had something like a food cooperative where items are bought in bulk and then you could go and collect items of quality cheaper than in the shops...

I remember seeing something similar in an ITV documentary about Food Banks where some couple were running something like this regarding fresh produce but their home because of having food everywhere was a tip but the money being saved meant it was worth doing...what each town needs is some premises that is used for this and that is easy for people to get to or that could deliver very locally.

fuddle wrote: »

I suppose I am lucky that I have access to the coop. It will be interesting to see what my electric bill is in the coming months.

I remember growing up that there was a long strip of grass of the lawn a different texture to the rest. Apparently my dad dug our garden up to grow leeks and onions. Good bloke my dad. Wish he was around and my grandma - I'd know so much if they were here.

The problem is and it could come down to personal choice but as you suggest Fuddle, every SM does something better than another or you have to go into a few to get all that you need and that costs time and money. Not helped when income is limited.

And I can totally understand your last paragraph about learning from but having loved ones in your life...

smileyt wrote: »

I have good news. JSA have finally, finally, finally paid me! After 16 weeks. I haven't had a letter yet but when I checked my bank account there was money in there from them. It will go on paying off my credit card bill and I will not spend any of it on anything silly! (Well, I might treat myself to a craft magazine. And a flapjack when I meet up with some other forum users on Sunday. Last of the big spenders, me!)

I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I'm still nervous, though, that I will receive a letter in a couple of weeks' time telling me they want it all back. Although I have definitely filled my side of the contract and religiously applied for jobs every week, even though most of them I had no chance of getting, to be honest.

Speaking of which, I have to dash off as I'm due to sign on shortly. I will be asking how to sign off next week :T.

Smiley I am relieved for you but understand your concerns and I don't see your fears as unfounded...but hopefully all will be well, it's all any of us can wish for...:(

Popperwell

bupster wrote: »

most veg will last for ages in the fridge, and at worst might go a little bendy! Carrots in particular last forever, cauli and cabbage much longer than you expect. Broccoli the florets go a bit yellow but it's still edible and the stalk part keeps even longer (I love the stalk sliced thin)

Thanks for that, I have been known to throw some veg away in that state but now will still use it...

Popperwell

lisakay wrote: »

just a quick one, the aldi near me opened yesterday. mum tried to go to do her shopping this morning and couldn't even get in the car park. i have vouchers for it that expire on the 26th, so i'll try and get in on tuesday at some point before or after work.

Our's is built but so far no date for the opening it's not even mentioned on their website where new stores are publicised.

2tonsils wrote: »

Try wrapping fresh veg in cheap foil as soon as you bring it home from the shops, before putting it in the fridge, I have tried this with celery, cucumber and courgettes so far and they stayed much fresher for longer.

Just heard that Greece is going on rolling power cuts from wednesday next week...that is a worry as they are predicting 48 hours at a time with no power...we have other fuels and candles and oil lights but what about my freezers???? It also means no petrol from the station because of the pumps and no water because its pumped from wells here... oh dear.....

Will try that and thanks for the idea.

As for the powercuts, that's worrying and frightening and as you say what about freezers? Our basic lifestyles are breaking down...no point buying anything frozen if that's going to happen unless they say "Your area will only be off Saturday/
Sunday so you then only buy enough to use Mon-Fri and you know it will be on for that period.

It just gets worse...

Gardeners Question Time has just said you need approx 12 square metres of garden to feed one person for a whole year if growing vegetables but even they said choose certain vegetables and in some cases(Potatoes were given as an example)they said it it is just as cheap to buy them.

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

My electricity standing charge is 16p per day. So that's £4.80 per month before I even use any electricity.

My gas is 30p per day so £9 per month before I've even used any gas.

Think I pay about that(possibly more)but as many say if they scrapped the SC they'd put the price of the units of energy used. My duel power deal isn't bad but I probably did myself out of a better deal had I stuck with EDF's idea and it covered two Winters, I went with NPower and it only takes me upto October next year.

And it would appear that most of the deals of late that lock you into a prize freeze for a set amount of time to avoid price rises have or will ending soon according to the MSE website...

Hobsons_Choice

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2205975/Waitrose-Twitter-backlash-I-shop-Waitrose--I-dont-like-surrounded-poor-people.html

I found this SO funny....hope the link works!

kidcat

PAH - I have never been into an Ald! that accepts CC but completely forgot to mention it, most Lidls dont either. Our Ald! does do cashback at the till but not Lidl.
Rather than travel to that Ald! have you considered the Widnes store, its definitely nicer than the ones you will be going to.

Whenever we go on holiday (two years ago at least) I always find where the nearest Ald! and Lidl are and its reassuring to find they are all the same inside and usually similarly laid out. It makes for a quick shop

Visited dentist today and saw a lovely lady, my usual dentist is polish and whilst he seems nice, his english is not good and as I am stressed already I really struggle with understanding him. He is also very much a whip the tooth out kind of guy, rather than a lets see if we can save it. Today she was really nice and has given me more antibiotics, she says they may not work but they are the strongest she can prescribe, she thinks I have become resisitant to AB generally due to the pneumonia, she says she was always trained that giving someone AB more than three times a year led to difficulties - I pointed out I have three lots each time I catch it.

She told me that if the swelling got any worse to go straight to hospital - they give out the good stuff she said!! Then told me to go back for xray next week and see what we can do.

Managed a quick shop on way home and could not believe how busy the car park was, we queued for a space.

Mrs_Chip

Both the Lidl and Aldi in town take CC, so it's strange that they don't elsewhere. I wonder what the criteria are?

mardatha

Got to hosp then found the RV hadn't brought the letter from the doc - he was supposed to put it in the car . Explained to reception, they phoned gp, who faxed it through. Took 10 mins yaaay Then hit Tesco on way home for Liquid Iron, 3 for 2 so just got the 3 bottles. If I don't need them all then I can give to the daughter who's always anaemic.
Did you all see the Wartime Farm last night? I had it on but the bloody phone went all through it. I did see the Tile Machine and loved it Am reading a book of MO entries from 1939 and it could be us in here today. All moaning about hard times, price hikes, and job losses - and politicians! lol

Popperwell

Good luck Mardatha,
As for your observation...nothing changes, it's a case of history repeating itself:(or we haven't really made as big changes to society as we are told/believe...

Oh some things have improved medically and housing has improved, no outside toilets etc...but in other ways, no. I mean, what's the point of having as examples, greater choice of food in the shops if you cannot afford to buy it or gas CH and electric if it is too expensive to put on etc...

It's one thing to not be able to afford what might be seen as luxuries but another that what is seen as essentials to living such as heat and food are too costly and whilst cooking from scratch and doing a lot of HM comfort is great it is awful scratching around. The experts that are wheeled out in the media keep saying cheap food will end and prices will rise, even without the recent troubles but if they can sell own brand and value goods perhaps prices are too high and some of the branded stuff should be reduced in price by the big manufacter's not just the SM's...

Who knows if they sell more their profits may stay the same or actually increase.
Perhaps the problem is that they should reduce their profit margins...