Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Do you have instructional manuals with your boiler or system generally? We do but there's not much in them:(.but I also discovered lots of useful information online on the boiler and timer manufacturers' websites.


Even OH leaping out of bed, probably with lots of chuntering, and stamping downstairs (we have an open tread wooden staircase) doesn't wake me up:j. The first I hear of it is next morning when he practically accuses me of being responsible for it happening:rotfl:. He thinks because I insist on the heating being on at all, ever, I'm responsible for it's malfunctioning even when it's supposedly off.

I expect we do have a manual somewhere but it has lots of small print .

redofromstart wrote: »

Depends on the boiler but the snowflake setting can be an anti freeze thing, so that the boiler comes on automatically if the temp drops below a certain level. May be worth googling for an instruction manual on how to change that level.

We had an old style timer that often got stuck CBC, it was £45 for a compatible replacement with the same wiring/size which gave us control back otherwise the hot water was sometimes permanently on. Paid for itself quite quickly.

That does seem plausible that the snowflake setting is an anti freeze thing. We rarely get a frost here so it hadn't happened very often before.

jwil wrote: »

How weird about the heating, I agree with CBC that google might have some answers - I always look up things about our boiler online.

We may find answers on the internet, if we can find time to check it out .

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

YouTube is often a brilliant mine of information. I haven't checked it for boiler/thermostat/timer issues but it's saved me a lot of frustration and money for other malfunction problems. Always good to see a video of someone actually fixing something:j

I'ts likely that You Tube would have answers.

beanielou wrote: »

Hope you get to the bottom of your heating mystery.

Thanks Beanie .

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull wrote: »

Very strange about the heating - hope you at least enjoyed the unaccustomed warmth!

This excellent habit you have of writing down things to do is not only a godsend when one is dealing with many other people whilst planning funerals, weddings etc, but on a daily basis I think it is a valuable discipline. And, of course, nothing so nice as crossing them off !

I'm not so organised outside of Xmas (where I am military!!), but I've taken to keeping a book of one-off or occasional things to do, and although I cross them off, and then the whole page, I don't tear the page out. It has been SO useful to see that I've actually done something (and the date) when I couldn't be sure to remember. I keep note of dental checkups and paper delivery payments as well.

Thanks Elizabeth . I do love a good list. They're a godsend when you'e genuinely busy, but when you're at a loose end you can make yourself feel like you're busy by writing yourself a list. This in itself can make you very productive and it is nice to look back and see what you've achieved in the past .

doingitanyway wrote: »

I agree with Elizabeth about your lists. I find I am so much more productive with a day plan, especially when I am feeling a bit adrift for whatever reason.

Have a good day HH

I think I'd procrastinate all day ever day without a detailed list .

HairyHandofDartmoor

badmemory wrote: »

I'm sure you'll find that there is something inside the boiler itself that says to come on when the input water temp drops below freezing & the frost has only just disappeared off my lawn.


They seem to programme all sorts of funny things into them. Eg, in summer when mine didn't come on at all for 2 months, every couple of days it came on (not the gas part, just the pump) & checked there was enough pressure in the system! If you wonder how I know, well I'm nesh & my heating is on thermostat & timer but never ever gets turned actually off.


ETA sorry folks who needed to google the meaning of nesh?


Nesh is an English dialect adjective meaning 'unusually susceptible to cold weather' and there is no synonym for this use. Usage has been recorded in Staffordshire, the East Midlands, Lancashire, North Wales, South Yorkshire and Shropshire.

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I didn't need an explanation of 'nesh':rotfl:. It was one of my Mum's frequently-used words. She was from the Peak District (Derbyshire) which I think is considered to be East Midlands.

MushyPeas wrote: »

I had no idea what it meant till I moved to the Peak District!!

Love the English language

I didn't know what nesh meant but it sounded like a Scottish word to me. Although I may be thinking of Ned :rotfl:.

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm so glad so many others rely on lists:T. I've always been an avid list maker. I still am using a notebook and pen or, more likely, any scrap of paper I have to hand. I can't cope with lists and reminders on electronic devices although I know that works well for lots of people.


During a recent clear out of old paperwork I unearthed all sorts of old lists written on the backs of old papers that I'd saved. I didn't intentionally save the old lists, I'm not that attached to them once they've served their purpose:rotfl:. I was astonished and embarrassed at my naivety shown in some of these old lists as many of them were devoted to money (or rather lack of:() and the ways I was planning to get through the next month or even week:o. I was so unrealistic and optimistic that I could manage my debts and re-reading these lists made me feel very emotional.

I have lists on my tablet, on my phone and also I have a paper notebook that I make daily lists in. Not that I'm obsessed with lists :rotfl:.

I found old lists of my attempts to save money too and I was amazed at what we used to spend money on. For example we used to have a milkman, a Radio Times subscription, a bank account with a monthly fee :eek:. Now it's milk from the supermarket, no magazine subscriptions, and a free bank account :money:.

Old lists can be a jump back into your past mind set and can bring back all kinds of feelings and memories of your past motivations and habits. I can see why it made you emotional. If only we knew then what we know now!

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've had a busy but spendy day :eek:.

In Mr T the weekly food shop somehow came to £87.82 which I was horrified by :eek:. I did buy a few extra items for the birthday dinner we're going to cook for DS2 on Saturday, and I bought two new dinner plates as DS3 has broken a couple :mad:. But I was still shocked at how much it cost today . We are certainly getting through a lot more food now that DS3 is home and I've noticed that the prices of food keeps going up.

Part of the problem is that my head is still in Christmas mode, which means I'm thinking about what do we need, rather than how little can I get away with buying. So I need to think very hard next week about every single item that I buy and decide do we HAVE to have it, or can we manage without it.

Then this afternoon DS1 wanted to go to the shops and I said I'd go with him as we haven't been anywhere just the two of us for ages. While we were out DS1 gave me his fortnightly keep of £40. But I still needed one more present for DS2, so £20 was spent on a book. Then I got a roll of birthday wrap in Cl!ntons for 99p (reduced from £3). Then I needed dessert for the birthday meal and anti histamines, so another £4.95 was spent. Then we stopped for a drink and I spent £5.75 on two coffees, then finally two bus fares home were £3.20.

So overall it feels like a very spendy day . The positives are that we have plenty of food in the house, I have finally got all of DS2's birthday presents and his birthday meal ingredients, and I have spent some quality time with DS1 :T.

I didn't manage to take up my jeans, so that job will have to roll over to tomorrow.

beanielou

Sounding organised for the birthday meal

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thanks Beanie .

I just wish I could stop spending money, but these January birthdays will be the death of me. I bought six birthday cards on Monday and I've used two of them already :eek:. DH and I have eleven nieces and nephews between us, although we only give presents to the under 18s, but it's still a lot of cards and stamps to buy.

Luckily I'm at school tomorrow so should only spend about 70p on a diet coke (my reward for working hard all morning). I need to avoid shops after that and come home and take up my jeans!

daisy_1571

:wall::wall::wall::wall: take up those jeans already!!!! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: they've been on your list for toooooooooooo long :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Perhaps this year you could cut out birthday cards for nieces and nephews? Once they are beyond being children I'm sure they will cope without getting a birthday card :rotfl::D. Between cards and stamps that's 20quid saved. When you are in a situation where you cant afford to put heating on and your house is actually so damp its mouldy and therefore bad for health, i think you are justified in not sending birthday cards to adults???

Just a thought

Daisy xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

I know I know Daisy, the jeans have been on my list for soooo long, I'm really procrastinating over doing them :rotfl: :rotfl:.

It is a lot of cards and stamps, but I already feel guilty about not sending the nieces and nephews presents, and I am very fond of most of them . At least I got the cards for 49p each on Monday :money:. January is the worst month because there are five birthdays (including DS2 so we can't blame anyone else for that one :rotfl:).