The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

kate1974

PRINCESSX87 wrote: »

I don’t often swear. But the energy price hike did reduce me into using some blue words. What gets me so angry about it all is the fat cats who decide these hikes are not effected. We’re on ppm for our electric here (No gas connections) and we put on £100 a month just to live in a 1 bedroom home. Its partly down to the fact the emersion heater is older than us and cost a lot to run every night. I know PPM are slightly more expensive but if we was to get a replacement heater or move to a newer build our bills would drop to £75pm Further more we keep hearing from our government “we’re in this together” & we’re really not!

If anyone is on Facebook at all. There is a women on there that has started a “s/c page” and Sunday made her entire family a roast in the s/c. if anyone would like the link just let me know.

Food banks round here are few & far between. Our local stores haven’t got one at all. People are snobs! Its easy for them to just turn a blind eye at the fact that a tin of soup could go so far for someone. But alas, I suppose they will only know when they fall on hard times themselves.

Slightly off topic,

Does anyone have a tip to get a hot chocolate stain out of white jeans? Stain removers haven’t worked neither has washing up liquid. I done this the other day and OH just put them in the wash. Therefore its more a stubborn stain iykwim.

POPS: You should really get yourself checked out. It might have just been an off day but its better than leaving it - for it to get worse!!

Hi Princess,
We're in Bristol and I know for sure that Asda in Cribbs Causeway has food bank not far from main entrance.
But I would be really cross if they don't accept non-branded food.In our family we have 4 jobs between two grown-up-however I buy a lot of smart price products and can't see the reason why should I buy more expensive items to donate them.

kidcat

Oh dear have energy price hikes been announced already? Thankfully my fix ends this month and I have signed a new four year deal to fix again.

Pops - I think it would be prudent to still get checked out, often there is a lull before the storm as it were and it cant do any harm to be sure.

Shegar - I agree about the cold weather supplements, I strongly believe the disabled should get help. I turned the heating on yesterday and it will now be on until May I would guess, DS9 just cannot function if he is cold at all, he walks around in summer with jeans on and a fleece blanket wrapped round him.

Pooky

Shegar - do you not recieve the "warm home discount" ? It's paid direct to your energy supplier (around £140 per year). You have to apply for it each year but all they need is proof of qualifying benefit (DLA etc). It's very helpful.

And check you're on your water companies "social tarrif" (or whatever they call it) if you're eligible. We're on a meter but as DHs issues come under their list of inclusions we get the water bill capped each year. It's nearly half of our metered useage so it's a huge help.

kidcat

We get our water bill capped as well, its a major saving with DS9 and his water features!! It is hard enough to clean up the mess from his floods, but to have to pay for the water as well would really hurt. Thankfully the cap means we pay a set amount each year, good job really as our metered water use was £1500 last year, so if we hadnt had the cap we would have been in major trouble

ginnyknit

Possession, lovely pinterest boards, saw lots of yummy things on there so am following you. I love pinterest you can spend hours wandering about and its free!

Im already freezing and now dreading winter, if they put ours up more I may as well send them my debit card and they can empty the bl**dy account every month :mad::mad::mad:

I didnt have a winter coat and as I have lost a good bit of weight I dont want to buy one yet. Thought I would wait a couple of months and invest ina really good coat that will last years, however we are off to Newcastle last week so was worried. OH got a little annoyed with me so he bought me a sort of fitted poncho from Mr S yesterday and its really snuggly so am hoping that will do me for a while.

Possession

Princess I'd be interested in that Facebook page please. I already get lots of good recipes from Slow Cooked Wonders on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/slowcookedwonders/?hc_location=stream
Ginny I've been so busy with other stuff I've slowed Pinterest right down but I still love it.

burtha

Hi everyone, good day today, so far...flipping freezing in this house today , so about to put the wood burner on, ...have been out this morning down to ikea and only spent £1.75 on a couple of glasses for the kids ..not to bad ...had my free coffee too... have to work out whats for tea as really dont know what in the fridge or freezer, so need to sort that out ....dh away today , till 7 ish ....feel like I am on count down till monday/tuesday , so not had any tears today, dont think I can cry anymore.., have spoken to dh10 school just in case , need to do the same with dd11 school, feel bad cause she just started new school in sept and really didnt want her to stand out in any way, but better play it safe, joy ! Anyway enjoy the rest of today and pops please go and get checked out, practice nurse or walk in centre , would see you, some Dr's surgery s may be open saturdays, as from this month, I am sure the are doing a trial of opening hours in the north east ...x

PRINCESSX87

https://www.facebook.com/SlowCookerRecipePage?fref=ts
There you go Possession x

cornishchick

Hi all, been lurking
pops i agree, go to the doc's, gosh all us women nagging you, you have to listen..:rotfl:
possession, I am following you as well, though I don'tneed much excuse to vvisit pinterest.
on the warm home discount, I have been on the phone to BG on hold for 15 minutes, every one must be worried, haven't rang them before because we wouldn't have qualified, but I hope we will now. Oh finally got through. Advised to wait for a few weeks until new hours come into force.
Rang claim line for CA told same info, could have to wait till wage slips show my reduced wages\HOURrS so could be 2 months before a claim went through. Lost my temper a little and said my husband could actually be dead before I can Claim?
Grr forgot to tell you outcome of meeting with my boss, I'm on sick for another 2 weeks, opted to go back to work on very reduced hours, over a third, as hubby is worried I won't be able to get back on the horse if i don't go back till after he has gone. This decision can be reviewed after 4 weeks, but everything has been put into place for when i need to be home full time.
okay rant over, thanks for listening, as you were toughie, get the kettle on:cool:

PRINCESSX87

Pooky wrote: »

Shegar - do you not recieve the "warm home discount" ? It's paid direct to your energy supplier (around £140 per year). You have to apply for it each year but all they need is proof of qualifying benefit (DLA etc). It's very helpful.

And check you're on your water companies "social tarrif" (or whatever they call it) if you're eligible. We're on a meter but as DHs issues come under their list of inclusions we get the water bill capped each year. It's nearly half of our metered useage so it's a huge help.

Didn't think you got the warm front grant if you claim DLA.