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Preparing for Winter V
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Primrose said:
if you suddenly and unexpectedly shouted "POWER CUT NOW " at 7 pm on a dark evening and switched off all the lights, how prepared would everybody be?2021 Decluttering Awards: ⭐⭐🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 2022 Decluttering Awards: 🥇
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2025 Decluttering Awards: ⭐⭐7 -
daz378 said:I have a camping gas stove...but live on a block of flats...so would have to be very careful,. Loads of matches, lighters and a clicker ...would try to use another method tea lights plant pot etc6
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Good idea for a practice run Primrose. We knew where to find everything during Friday's power cut, but it brought it home to me to have all those things in one place (doh, why didn't I think of that) so they're now all in a storage crate under the stairs. Not that I'm wanting a repeat performance of course - but you never know!Be kind to others and to yourself too.4
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-taff said:You can make a kind fo homemade barbecue/cooker type thing with a good terracotta pot, an inset of an offcut piece of metal [to cover the hole] and a rack of some kind , whatever will fit and be sturdy, add your bbq coal, you've got a cooker. Woth remembering it's another cooking method [ for those who have access to gardens or blaconies etc...DOn't forget about your bbq too if you have one.
When charcoal burns it gives off killer-quantities of carbon monoxide, and continues to do this afterwards - think of those horrifying cases where people are found dead in a tent having put their thoroughly-extinguished little disposable-bbq outside the tent in the awning?
Personally I wouldn't risk using one even on a balcony - right outside in a garden, of course, yes, but not even "just outside the back door".
I worked in/around mortuaries for almost two decades and we saw FAR too many of these cases.
Burning charcoal is lethal - it MUST be done right outdoors, and the extinguished charcoal kept right outdoors.2025 remaining: 37 coupons from 66:
January (29): winter boots, green trainers, canvas swimming-shoes (15); t-shirt x2 (8); 3m cotton twill (6);
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2025 second-hand acquisitions (no coupons): None thus far
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2025 needlework- *Reverse-couponing*:11 coupons :
January: teddybear-lined velvet jacket (11) & hat (0); velvet sleep-mask (0);17 -
I have a relative who had her carbon mon oxide alarm go off in the house, a bag of bbq fuel was close by, in a sealed bag!!!! Once removed from the house it stopped ringing. At work we get told to keep bbq fuel well away from lights and any warmth sources for the same reasons.Focus on contribution instead of the impressiveness of consumption to see the true beauty in people.7
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YorksLass said:We knew where to find everything during Friday's power cut, but it brought it home to me to have all those things in one place (doh, why didn't I think of that) so they're now all in a storage crate under the stairs. Not that I'm wanting a repeat performance of course - but you never know!Be kind to others and to yourself too.6
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-taff said:I had a down duvet before the current one and if you ran your hand over it quickly in the dark, you could see little flashes of light from the static in the feathers..try it if you have one, it's freaky...5
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FrugalThymes said:I'd love your advice if you have any -
We have a waffle type heavy blanket and a faux fur throw, both are clean but they smell VERY heavily of the great grandparents' house. Lovely people and very missed, but towards the end they seemed to use a lot of smelly things around the house and even things stored away were permeated. It was a little overwhelming then and it's not a smell we enjoy having around BUT would love to get the blankets used over the winter now.
I don't want to pay to get them dry cleaned so I'm just thinking hang out in the sun over the next few weeks? Would that do it do you think?
I scrubbed and used a carpet cleaner and fabreezed and all the usual tricks. I thought the smell was gone (mostly) but flies would come in and always land on that bit of carpet. I put bicarb and soda crystals on it and left it overnight before vacuuming in the morning...the smell finally went.... I would try those if you're unable to wash it4 -
MrsCD said:I bought a spare camping stove from Blacks a while ago in their Summer sale for £15, but when my dad decided he should have one they'd gone up to £24 'on special offer'. I got one at The Range for £20 for him eventually. It's worth a little shopping around, but they are well worth buying.Live the good life where you have been planted.
Fashion on the Ration Challenge 2022 - 15 carried over. Fashion on the Ration Challenge 2023 - 6 carried over. Fashion on the Ration Challenge 2024 - oops! My Frugal, Thrifty Moneysaving Diary4 -
If all else fails try a company in Yorkshire, called Taylor McClure. They were the only company we could find with an enzyme based product to get rid of the dog urine smells ingrained in the floor of our daughter's house when she first bought it. I don't have any connection with them. I'm just a very grateful customer!2025 Fashion on the ration
150g sock yarn = 3 coupons
Lined trousers = 6 coupons ...total 9/66 used
2 t-shirts = 8 coupons
Trousers = 6 coupons ... total 23/66
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Sandals = 5 coupons ... total 38/66
Nightie = 6 coupons
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