Mrs McB's countdown to adventures with chooks (and Rock Gods)

Pippilongstocking

Karmacat wrote: »

:kisses3:Aww, Pippi. How lovely. Tho sorry you've been delayed and got frozen - still, it sounds like you're counting your blessings

Oh thank you I've worked hard today - but its been long and good.

And yes I'm grateful and reflective - nice to have some time to do that albeit unexpected.

And, mostly you'd be proud

I went to the airport desk instead of just shrugging and going home.

Explained about the meeting

Expected nothing and got told I'd get a full refund.

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T

Whilst its not their fault - they were very helpful.

£136 quid back to my charity for a meeting that didn't happen.

Pippilongstocking

Having got the BT bill for last month

94.29 surely mostly folks don't pay that much a month, we're not 'heavy users' we're just a sort of average (well kind of) family.

We really need to see what our options are.

The spend is all on internet with a tiny bit on phone. I had not really paid attention too much as dad lives abroad and the kids (kid) talks to him alot, but these days thats on skype. Although video which is expensive for bb usage.

Our package which is 'inclusive' is too limited for downloads etc for work/life/oh work/etc

I must shop around as 5/each extra unit is not fair.

We can't get cable internet packages but I know there must by NOW be better offers than the BT £50/month with certain restrictions that we have currently.

Now i know I know this stuff but reviewing what your options are seem to be crucial.

In most exciting news, I got 10 minutes with my saw, so I've free wood to burn again and so much more to chop.
I realise that this won't float many boats - but some saw action always makes me smile and a happy lady with a full wood basket. I'm a simple creature.

I wish I knew how my man upstairs night shift worked.

You'd think by now, I'd learn to review our spends more regularly.

I'd budgetted £50 for bb/phone a month - tis generally double this due to bb usage.

Pays to review things and see your options - hopefully I can find a package which isn't as horrendous as the one we're on.

I'm also paying well over £50 a month for electricity for a quite small house with oil water/heating and a wood stove. Somehow that seems alot too.

mum2one

what package are you on with BB - is it with BT, I have unlimited package got sold the infinity top range package - desperate for broadband so took it - £26 a month then phone line rental and I added £5 a month for unlimited calls, - my base bill is around £47 a month.

I was with AOL before, - I paid £10 per month for the broadband and that was unlimited.

May be worth looking at talk talk, - they seem to do good all in deals.

The elec seems a bit high, but if your working from home, and laptops etc being charged, lights on, sometimes its the little things that add up. xx

lucielle

Well done on all the payments. Hope the weather has settled down.
L

Karmacat

Pippi, that £90 a month mostly for internet useage sounds way over the top - I'm on £30 a month for phone and broadband, unlimited broadband, and unlimited calls to landlines if they're less than an hour in length. Its going up by £1 in February - still, its bleeping good value for all that! I'm with Virgin Media - they make it really difficult on their website to find the best deal, and round here they also seem to have local agents who add on their cut, but if you take it slow and steady, there *must* be better deals out there, thats horrendous.

Pippilongstocking

Thanks guys - I'm heading over to uswitch to find out what is avialable in my area - KC I don't think we get any cable deals like virgin. But I'll check.

M21 - we're on option 2 base of about £50 but the extra gig's are charged at a huge rate each - off to goggle options.

Lu - its slushy and calm here now - I guess that's an improvement.

Evening of wood chopping then fire one.



Having a bista tea with sushi bits (HM) and a few rakes from the freezer.

I also paid back £300 to part of a loan I owe an old person I know (the friendship is old, not the person - its a long story) whilst I could DO with paying the higher interest cc's first - they were in need and I do owe them it. On the positive more off the debt. On the negative I can't pay it to a card.

But its reduced the debt so must tot that up.

Pippilongstocking

Trawling bt comparison sites.

Talk talk
Plusnet

Seem to be the best option - checking out small print - only Plusnet doesn't appear to have connection fees.

Ponders.

I can't keep spending nearly 100 a month on stuff that costs others a lot less. I'm happy my geography limits my options but BT take the p'diddle if you ask me.

fannyadams

Delurks to champion PlusNet (even if they are owned by BT).
We rent a BT line (think it must be string as our internets out here in the wild and wooly midlands is pedestrian!) and get our broadband from PlusNet.
HWTHMBO works from home quite a bit as an internet maker so we have a 'business rate' but even that's not extortionate for what we get (it's just internets). I just wish the speeds would increase enough to stream movies via Netflix, though Boychild1 can skype his friends as long as HWTHMBO isn't working so there must be enough internets getting through.
We can't get cable - although MilknBeans is ALL cable, apparently it doesn't reach out here!

Pippilongstocking

Thank you fannyadams. That's really helpful too!

Milk and beans is the land of roundabouts isn't it. I went once, not sure I'd find my way out again!!

Pippilongstocking

DD bus money and nowt else transferred - she's on mum money lockdown just the essentials.

Paid 52.34 to credit card as this was the 'tail end' of the bank and my 'wine money'.



It all helps.

We've topped up on fruit/milk/bread for not much and got some treats (sushi rice) etc this weekend. Grocery spends £30 but not stressing as we've teas in til the new year and beyond.

Feels weird not to be xmas shopping I must say. But them's the rules. Holiday = no xmas spends on pressies etc we get a couple stocking things and that's it.

DS is now enroute to dads for the start of his holiday adventure.

two weeks til I see him.

Got a bit stressed today about money/university/life etc after here. I just need to believe that it WILL somehow all work out.

As NZ is still on cards for the kids dad, I've not a clue what that means for their university funds. So prudently (or control freakishly) thinking that now lies on my budget in its entire glory.

Plan for the worst and all that. Whatever happens we wont' starve.

That's for sure.

Killer yorkshires for tea - so if all else fails, chooks = eggs + flour = yorkshires.