Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

However, never try installing heating in a canoe.

As the saying goes, you cannot have your kayak and heat it.

thriftwizard

What would be your ideal economic set-up, if you didn't have to work a day job? I'm not talking living in a tent in the woods eating mushrooms, since the amount of woods versus the amount of people in the UK is only every going to make it a minority lifestyle. Nor am I talking about life post-SHTF with a failed state and every person for themselves.

I'm talking about your choices in a recognisably-modern world with a mostly-functional economy like our own. What would you do? Where and how would you like to do it? Do you think your wishes are realistic and could remain viable as you age or perhaps commence family life?

Another one who would like similar-but-more-so... I'd like to move a little further West, to a specific smallish town a tad closer to the sea, which has a thriving vintage and foodie culture. Although I struggle with housework as it is, it'd be a slighter bigger house, with scope to be divided into several "units" for offspring unwilling or unable to live away to have their own space, and possibly my mother too, once she's widowed again. Which would also give the possibility of letting bits for income, but of course we wouldn't need to worry about that! There'd be a workshop/studio for me (and DD1, if still around) and a bigger garden, with scope for a "proper" orchard, a bigger pond and a polytunnel. I'm not talking acreage; something around a third to half an acre would be fine. Anything more & we'd need a handful of sheep to keep it under control!

Places like this do come up from time to time, and are still affordable (just!) if not poshed up to the nines, but OH maintains he needs to keep his job up here. I suspect we'd manage perfectly well on what the kids & I can earn, plus his pension and maybe a PT no-worries job.

It's only a whisker away from do-able, and I can't help feeling that IF there were a will, there'd be a way... but it's too far from Town for his Nibs!

[Deleted User]

Apologies if I've missed something, but what makes you think your mother will be widowed again?

Perplexed_Pineapple

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

However, never try installing heating in a canoe.

As the saying goes, you cannot have your kayak and heat it.

Very good! :T
I'd be very happy to stay in our current place if we could get a bit more land to go with it. A place down the road was sold with 2 acres last year - we weren't (and aren't) in a position to afford it but I think that would be about right and would allow us to embark on some longer term projects like a small orchard and some polytunnels to extend the growing season.
Some chickens would be good, too. That would be more than enough to be going on with....

thriftwizard

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Apologies if I've missed something, but what makes you think your mother will be widowed again?

My stepfather is terminally ill with asbestosis, Bedsit Bob. There's no sell-by date, IYKWIM, but he's getting frailer by the day and you can almost see clear through him now. He also has early-stage dementia. They are 88 & 89, so all bets are off & she could still drop off the twig before him, but apart from the recent ticker scare & insertion of a pacemaker, she's fighting fit & still sharp as a needle. But I suspect she'll be bored silly & rather lonely when he's finally gone, for all his forgetfulness drives her bananas.

[Deleted User]

Sorry to hear that.

craigywv

Very sad ,thrift xx

[Deleted User]

Just been on my local car boot sale.

Someone was flogging a rather battered and tarnished, single burner camping stove, with a price tag of £6. :eek:

You can get a virtually identical one, brand new, from B&M Bargains, for £8-99.

Perplexed_Pineapple

I thought this was interesting:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10932785/The-race-to-stop-Las-Vegas-from-running-dry.html
Quite possibly it's going to be the first example of human consumption outstripping natural resources with terminal effects in the western world.
I expect in a few years our grandchildren will study it at school as an example of environmental folly.

[Deleted User]

grumswifie,

Regarding charging your I-pad from the Camelion Charger.

£Land and £world have a variety of USB charging leads, for phones and the like.

Perhaps one of them will fit.

Also, £Land have the USB cigarette lighter adapter.

While I was in £Land, I got myself one of these.

I reckon I'll need it, if I'm to use my Notebook, during a power cut.