Second Time Lucky

amycool

Well, we got 2 responses from the damp experts. One quoted £105 and another quoted up to £750 +VAT. We went for the first one.

He's coming next weekend and I wish it was sooner as a week of heating and dehumidifying has led to meter readings off the scale!

Meter Readings
Electric - 36 units
Gas - 19 units
Water - 1 unit

At least water use is under control.

The damp readings are much much better now, which is nice to see. From outside, it looks like there's discolouration of the bricks in that area. Or maybe I'm seeing things.

I've been pondering Credit Cards this week. For a whole year of spending on the Co-op card we got £7. However, now OH pays for his train travel and petrol direct (used to get a yearly pass), I worked out we'd earn about £120 a year with a Santander 123 credit card, and the fee is waived for the first year as we bank with them. Even with the fee, we'll still be in profit. So that's on the to-do list. We've also had a few mystery charges from the Co-op card.

The bedside cabinets arrived and I spent the morning making them. Oh it's so nice to have my cup at the right level and have drawers for all my stuff. They don't look amazing but they're certainly not horrible.

Still haven't finished the Christmas shopping or card writing. Shame on me. Did everything else on the list though.

Christmas tree is going up this weekend so my nephew gets to see it and there's a Christmas Fair at the local school to attend. Hoping it'll get me in the mood. We spent £4 on a tin of chocolates to go in the advent calendar too (and ate the remaining ones in one go!). The poinsettia I got as a gift is looking very ill so I need to research how to revive them.

amycool

I couldn't wait until the end of the month so I've gone a bit crazy and paid off £600!

in_need_of_direction

We had bad damp with brick discolouration. It takes a while but once it's treated, they do return more or less to original colour.

amycool

INOD - it's not too bad as it's at the back, but concerning to see!

I tried to apply for a 123 credit card but I need our yearly pay and I don't get a payslip automatically anymore so I'll have to log in at work and check the amount (didn't want to risk guessing and then getting in trouble!). I hate applying for things like this but it'll be worth it.

After a pay freeze at work for as long as I can remember (think I got an increase the first year or two) we're getting a 2.2% rise starting next year, but it won't be backdated from April. I think that works out at about £15 a month extra. £180 a year. Nothing to write home about but much better than pay cuts in real terms.

OH was paid today and even with £620 of overpayments we're still in the black! It has been an expensive few months so it's nice to see a positive number. Next month will be damp fixing month so that'll be a write off no doubt. I shall enjoy the increase in money whilst it lasts. :rotfl: It looks like OH has also had a pay increase by about £50, which is rather nice.

amycool

Feeling really ill today after a weekend of no sleep (pulled a muscle in my leg and it's incredibly painful) and have no energy at all to get anything done.

The Christmas cards are written and stamps bought but haven't actually adressed them yet (only actually posting a few).
Christmas tree is up plus some other decorations and we spent £5 on a wreath and about £5 on some candles yesterday.

Took my nephew to a school christmas fair at the weekend so that was about £7 spent. It would have been more but luckily he got distracted on the way to see Father Christmas by the library and we sat reading for 20 minutes instead! :rotfl:

I've all but given up on being frugal with the heating at the moment. I guess once the damp man has assessed the situation and it is all fixed we can get back on track. Although I've heard it can take months to dry everything out.

Think I'll search out some advent comps to cheer me up. I was a proper comper for about a year a few years back but then had 4 months of no wins and found it too depressing!

amycool

Just spent hours entering competitions! No expectations of winning any, but I really enjoy the ones with actual advent windows to open.

I have just received my energy statement for November and I am amazed!

Apparently, the average gas use for a similar house to mine is 2080kwh for November. Mine was 594kwh.
Average electricity usage is 688kwh and we used 117kwh.
How can anyone be using so much energy???
We've had to put the dehumidifier on all day every day, plus the heating, plus I've been using a running machine, and heated propagators, plus 2 laptops (mine is on a lot!) and a TV and modem and everything else. I am flabberghasted, but it makes me feel a bit better about my own usage.

Daily costs for November were 51p for Electric and 67p for Gas. So we're still in credit, which is nice. I could reduce the DD even more but as they pay 3% on any credit, I may as well leave it as it is.

Now I just need the bank to update my mortgage amount and then I'll be even happier.

amycool

A more expensive than expected week so far as travel chaos meant taxi fares earlier in the week.

Today was my work christmas meal and I had the set menu and tap water so less than £20 spent and had a really lovely time.

Meter readings this week:
Electric - 33
Gas - 21
Water - 1

Not long now until the damp man comes to sort us out.

Had the annual "Leaving the heating on all of the time is cheaper..." argument today. Of course it isn't!!!! And also it's apparently cheaper to heat the whole house than just one room. :rotfl:

amycool

Horribly expensive but lovely weekend!

First off...

Damp Patch News - the official verdict

We have spent £105 (not actually paid yet...) on an independent damp specialist and his verdict matched my guess exactly. The mortar is all full of hygroscopic salts. The solution? We need to remove the cupboard (built against the wall), remove all of the plaster, and then get someone in to replaster using special stuff. Just awaiting the official report and the suggestions of companies to do the work.

So today we made a start on removing the cupboard, which was difficult. One side is going to prove tricky as it has electrics inside, but the problem side is now gone, so although it looks awful, the damp issues are at least under control.

Christmas news

We have our first real tree! Everyone had recommended this little place nearby so we went along and I almost had a heart attack at the prices! £42 for a 3 foot tree is ridiculous! So, downtrodden, we tried the big garden centre next door. We weren't expecting much but they had "children's wishing trees" for £19.99 and amongst the tiny ones we found a 4ft high, 5ft wide one! I knew it would be too big for the room but OH had to have it! Also found a book of poems reduced from £15 to £5 so that's the last present bought.
The tree looks hilarious but it smells lovely and I love it. It's covered entirely in handmade decorations.

We started buying some food for Christmas week too - biscuits, chocolate reindeer, and pickled onions!

I've just totted up the food spend for November and it was huge! There were 5 shops in there I guess and we have been buying house stuff at Aldi.

All that's left to buy now is the ingredients for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The bad news is that I need new glasses before I can start learning to drive (I'm coping fine with my current ones, but I wouldn't want to risk driving like this). Apparently you can get free eye tests at Tesco, but could you then go to any shop to buy the glasses or would they insist you have another test?? Must look into that.

So, jobs for this week:

Apply for new credit card now I have our salaries,
Give out neighbours christmas cards (been too lazy so far),
Find hooks for a picture present,
Wrap last few gifts,
Clear dining room of mess and make it look lovely.

I have a week off the week after so I need to get all prescriptions and check to see if the bedding needs cleaning ready for guests.

greent

Hi amy - have read all of your diary


If you have an eye sight test at Tesc0 (or anywhere, for that matter) you can ask for your prescription (mine just give it but I don't know if all do) and go elsewhere for the glasses. Tesc0 usually have BOGOF on glasses, though - and every so often you can double up your clubcard vouchers to help pay for them x

amycool

greent - That's really helpful, thank you. Sadly no clubcard points to spend as you can double up at the moment.

I just checked out the website - £15!!! Super bargain!