Hope is not an Effective Financial Strategy

A_Frayed_Knot

I'd say, time well spent then Well done :A Fantastic, any of the saving for the o/p pot ??

Kittenkirst

Great work SJ, I always forget what a great resource YouTube can be!

We have a toilet that keeps running so we’ve taken the lid off to stop it constantly flushing (it’s been like that a week, we have two other toilets so not too difficult to have it out of action) but will spend this evening looking up YouTube for how to fix it thanks for the inspiration!!

shangaijimmy

A_Frayed_Knot wrote: »

I'd say, time well spent then Well done :A Fantastic, any of the saving for the o/p pot ??

I've definitely wrestled with this...but given i haven't got the cash anyway for a new one whilst its post Christmas and a 5 family birthday month, I may well have to give it a miss this time. I may find the £13.50 that a new pump would have cost me..

Kittenkirst wrote: »

We have a toilet that keeps running so we’ve taken the lid off to stop it constantly flushing (it’s been like that a week, we have two other toilets so not too difficult to have it out of action) but will spend this evening looking up YouTube for how to fix it thanks for the inspiration!!

We had the very same issue with a toilet. I tried a few times to fix but with no joy. Plumber in the end to fit a new flush as the rubber seals had perished. I was half watching him and can definitely say that job would have been beyond me. Good luck trying though.

Up and at it this morning. First day back in school for the kids, thankfully! I have blood donation this morning which is a nice hour out of work on my first 11hr work day of 2019! We're counting down the days to Mrs SJ payday on Friday as current account is looking decididly anaemic.

Suffolk_lass

shangaijimmy wrote: »

Well the washing machine decided that it'd had enough last night and wouldn't drain...grrr... So we were expecting another expense on top of the car and new dishwasher from December. Today was always going to be a busy one for me as i was working in the morning and then had DS2 at a party in the afternoon, so before i could even look at it, and attempt to drain it, the time had gotten to 4.45pm. I had no chance of buying one today anyway.

So i took to youtube... and decided that the drain pump was either blocked or knackered. Now my theory was if i could get the pump off, cleaned out and put back on then i had 2 scenarios. 1. washing machine fixed. 2. washing machine not fixed but at least i know that I'm capable of replacing one. I looked at the cost of a spare and figured that for £13 off ebay it was worth a go (after all the washing machine wouldn't work anyway so i couldn't cause anymore damage). All in all some good research whilst sat at a trampolining centre with a load of mums for 2hrs!!

I am so smug to report that I found the pump in a terribly blocked and filthy state so after cleaning and replacing it the washing machine is like new! So £300 saved I'd say! We'll see how long it lasts but I am so pleased with myself for trying to fix it, rather than heading straight to the shops via the tip.

Well, inspired by your example I have just ordered the replacement outer door and handle for our tumble dryer - from whitegoods.co.uk - I use their forum to check things like (err) white goods minor repairs. My door separated last night, inner from outer and all the screws that attach the inner to the outer have pulled away, taking the little plastic housing tubes with them. I suspect the fact that I only use it for 20 minutes to remove the creases, rather than dry our washing, has contributed to this. Ho hum! A replacement dryer is £306 for the same model. If I can do it, the replacement parts have cost £65 - also cheaper than the whole door being replaced.

Suffolk_lass

shangaijimmy wrote: »

I've definitely wrestled with this...but given i haven't got the cash anyway for a new one whilst its post Christmas and a 5 family birthday month, I may well have to give it a miss this time. I may find the £13.50 that a new pump would have cost me..

We had the very same issue with a toilet. I tried a few times to fix but with no joy. Plumber in the end to fit a new flush as the rubber seals had perished. I was half watching him and can definitely say that job would have been beyond me. Good luck trying though.

Re Toilets - Following a similar experience I checked for how to stop limescale build up in our hard water area. I regularly take the top off my cistern and maybe once every 3 months I cover the flushing assembly with 100% limescale remover - it is blue slimy stuff so seems to stick and clear it. Then a week later I wash any residue off with water and then in between I chuck half of one of those big bottles of thin bleach (28p in Morries) in on the workings and it has the dual effect of cleaning and stopping any build-up in the toilet. It also smells gently of bleach but that is not a bad thing. You must not mix the two chemicals which is why I wash off any blue residue. The plumber recommended it to stop the assembly deteriorating but I don't think it would stop seals perishing (probably the opposite).

Youthgonewild

Hi SJ, just popping in to say I am enjoying reading your thread at night when my kids are in bed. However, I have a lotttttt of catching up to do as I am only up to page 10 :rotfl:

But I will look forward to seeing where you are currently up to and the trials and tribulations of reaching said point. Good luck attacking those banks!

KOKO

shangaijimmy

Youthgonewild wrote: »

Hi SJ, just popping in to say I am enjoying reading your thread at night when my kids are in bed. However, I have a lotttttt of catching up to do as I am only up to page 10 :rotfl:

But I will look forward to seeing where you are currently up to and the trials and tribulations of reaching said point. Good luck attacking those banks!

KOKO

Welcome inside. To have gotten to page 10 you are a brave, hardy soul, at least you have some assistance in going to sleep at night!

shangaijimmy

Well suffolk how did the tumble dryer repair go??

Kitten - how did your toilet repair go??

I appreciate how boring this has become but the washing machine saga goes on... After a few washes the pump has reverted to its horrendous whirring noise. So loud you can't here each other talk in the room next door! So new pump has been ordered, hopefully to be delivered today so i can fit tonight. If not tomorrow will be the day. As a result we now have 3 days worth of washing building up... 3 days from 5 of us so back log is starting already... As you are all gripped in the drama I'll keep you posted, but with 2 kids parties to pay for I'm really really hoping we don't have to pay out (the replacement house items fund hasn't replenished yet from dishwasher and car repairs in Dec).

Moneywise we are officially skint. Nothing left, at all! My asthma prescription and Mrs SJ antibiotics for a tooth infection this week has wiped us out. Thankfully Mrs SJ payday is tomorrow!

Suffolk_lass

I'm still waiting for the parts to arrive - they did say 7-9 days. With two of us, I have just turned the spin speed down and I am using the range (always on) and my GNU rail in the boiler cupboard to minimise the creases in the washing (wet clothes on a plastic hanger in the boiler cupboard - like something out of a 19thC view of a worker's cottage!

My boiler is not working properly now - off to investigate...

shangaijimmy

Boiler...uh oh. You dont need that playing up when we haven't yet had the bad winter weather. A few years ago ours packed in the week before Christmas when it was snowing.

A few positives... Firstly payday, phew. Secondly pump has arrived and been fitted. Took 20mins to do and washing machine now has a busy weekend playing catch up. DD has just added to the washing (as if we didnt have enough) by vomiting all in her bed.

Running has gone well this week as I've done 16 miles so far. Rest day today, and 10-11 miles planned for Sat/Sun. I am 3% of my way to target, with only 970.5 miles to go :rotfl: