Preparing for winter IV

Uniscots97

I've looked out the foil blanket to put back in the car. I was going to get shoes/boots re-heeled but the one in both the village where we are and the next one have closed down. Does no one get shoes repaired now?

rising_from_the_ashes

unixgirluk wrote: »

Does no one get shoes repaired now?

There's a key shop / shoe repairers in our Mr T - I was getting a key cut and the person in front was getting shoes re-soled/healed ... OMG I nearly fainted - it was nearly the cost of a new pair of shoes for me!

It's a bit like duvets - I have 3 currently needing washed, but it's around £14 at the laundrette and that's pretty much the cost of a new one .... very frustrating!

I've started ... sort of!

Anyone needing cheap walking boots / wellies, Al*di have some great ones - got proper walking boots for £14 a few weeks ago and managed to get a 2nd pair today :T (Wellies are £3.99 and they also had yard boots which I think were £12)

I tend to buy these new for wearing with jeans etc and then, when they get grubby, they go for dog walking boots - unfortunately only just got around to buying a "good" pair and my current dog walking boots have fallen to pieces :eek: (they are just under 2 years old and have been worn pretty much every day & covered many miles - well worth the £12 they cost me at Li*di:T)

So ..... now have 2 new pairs the same (and only came in the one colour) so will have to try to mark one so I know which is dog walking / good

Also managed to get a new waterproof jacket (current one 18 years old :T) again for dog walking. I like these to be huge so they go on over fleece & body warmer! Managed to get it reduced from £55 to £22:T

Also popped into Mount*ain Warehouse and they have quite a few bits on sale just now - got a festival kit for a few quid - been wanting mess tins & has the added bonus of a small cooker:T

Pets

Dog's food has been on offer (£22 instead of £36:T) so have bought 2 bags - with current bag, that should last her 6 months! Her wet food - I will need to get a bit but I've found a cheaper / good quality food that has been on offer & I can use in between the expensive stuff to help balance the books a bit (£1 / tray compared to £0.36 / same sized tin!)

Cats .... not doing as well with them will need to stock up on cat litter and dry but have been waiting for cut off date on visa card before ordering (it's tomorrow!)

Still loads to do ..... I've been trying to clear out cupboards today so I've room to put stuff

rising_from_the_ashes

bossymoo wrote: »

Hi to those prepping for winter for the first time! Last winter was the first time I consciously prepped, and started early, and this year, most of my finds are still useable (lots of fleece for curtains, hot water bottles etc) so it's making this year much easier - I can focus on consumables eg de-icer and bits for my store cupboard.

This is my .... third (?) year - the various threads have been absolutely invaluable for ideas / suggestions etc :T

To those starting - it does get easier, as Bossymoo says, you do have things that can be re-used year on year (my fleece linings are still up in both my lounge & bedroom - they actually really helped keep the heat out when it was scorching outside :T)

It's also about prioritising what is absolutely essential - and getting these things and maybe a few non-essentials where funds allow

I finally got some new thermals last year (I only had 1 top and 1 set of bottoms before that!:o) and caught myself eyeing them up in M&S the other day but when I thought through what I had ... I actually don't need anymore!:T

And .... a huge investment (for me anyway ) was finally getting a set of winter tyres They were a big outlay - however, I will have this car for at least 4 winters - AND it also means I won't have to replace my normal tyres as often so that should hopefully offset some of the cost .... ohhhh and you really can tell the difference with them on!


Summer duvets will hopefully start to be sold off cheap in the SM soon - several of these can be packed into one cover making thick tog duvets for pennies!

mrsow

First timer here - feel like I am a few months late to the party :rotfl:

This is our second winter in this house and I do not want a repeat of last year. We were putting approx £100 per month on the gas meter and the house still wasnt very warm.
Downstairs is open plan from front door to back door so we find it very hard to keep warm.

I have started to make a list of things that we need to do/buy (thanks to whomever posted that long list earlier in the thread :cool: )
I am also trying to make a list of meals for the winter months to make sure I have everything in stock.

Hope you dont mind me joining in - Im off to try and read a bit more of this thread

calicocat

mrsow wrote: »

First timer here - feel like I am a few months late to the party :rotfl:

This is our second winter in this house and I do not want a repeat of last year. We were putting approx £100 per month on the gas meter and the house still wasnt very warm.
Downstairs is open plan from front door to back door so we find it very hard to keep warm.

I have started to make a list of things that we need to do/buy (thanks to whomever posted that long list earlier in the thread :cool: )
I am also trying to make a list of meals for the winter months to make sure I have everything in stock.

Hope you dont mind me joining in - Im off to try and read a bit more of this thread

What post number is that huge list? I tried looking for it yesterday but couldn't find it?

Thanks in advance to anyone who give me this info.

rosieben

calicocat wrote: »

What post number is that huge list? I tried looking for it yesterday but couldn't find it?

Its Rainy Days great list in post # 4033 on the previous thread

kboss2010

unixgirluk wrote: »

I've looked out the foil blanket to put back in the car. I was going to get shoes/boots re-heeled but the one in both the village where we are and the next one have closed down. Does no one get shoes repaired now?

I was quoted £20!!!!!! By Timpsons to get ONE zip replaced in my Hush Puppies knee-length leather boots and it would've taken them a week because it would have been sent away - the boots cost me £60 so if the other zip goes I might as well have bought a new pair of boots.

My local cobbler/trophy-engraving shop charged me £8 and did it within 2 days.

I highly recommend the Lockfast trophy/shoe repair/key cutting place on George Street in Aberdeen near to the fancy dress shops. Much cheaper than Timpsons and the guy who served me was very friendly and helpful!

sammy_kaye18

Oh i do love the OS preppers.

Sat here at home feeling sorry for myself with Labyrinthitus and stumble across this thread - it always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling looking at all the prep work that you are putting in so now I am off to look at lists.

I actually came on MSE to see if any OS peeps had started blackberry picking yet so I will be very busy indeed the next few days

Confuzzled

well my daughter and i made the pilgrimage to worship at the temple of the goddess of organisation (aka Ikea :rotfl:) it was a harrowing journey fraught with peril and obstacles a plenty but we finally made it and were rewarded for our perseverence with much adored meatballs and lingonberry sauce and some inexpensive winter supplies as well

we stocked up on tea lights, and were pleased that these smell scrumptious (though i do worry they will make us eat more, everytime i smell one i feel hungry!) we also now have proper tea light holders and bought one of their tea light lanterns. i bought a few of their £1.60 fleeces for lining the upstairs bedroom curtains with too, they are a bit thin but huge and i can double them over for extra warmth and to block out a bit more light as the windows are wide but not that tall since they're dormer windows.

all in it was a fun day out for not too much cost and i managed to restrain myself from buying stuff unless i had a genuine need for it, that said i think that'll be our last 'pilgrimage' for awhile, it's at least 30miles from where we are but it takes a train ride then a long bus ride and a hike to get there and back so it's not a frequent event, probably just as well for my pocketbook

hollieinbloom

Afternoon, Been out this morning to get some bits and bobs on the list. home bargains sell 18 toilets rolls for £3.99 and I think I will have to stock up on those. We have a "stock room" which is supposed to be a study but me and OH just use laptops on the sofa in the living room and we don't have a desk. I've transformed the room into a stock room with some shelves and will add more when I can afford to. We thought if we buy a pack of loo rolls when whenever we are in town over the next month or so, we can save ourselves from ever running out over winter or having to go to our corner shop. No luck on candles yet though. Boo! xx