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

badmemory

Noella wrote: »

We're still well within our 18-month fixed tariff.

If you have less than a year left they are working their rolling year with the last few months on their highest rate. Don't you just love these energy companies. They are just marching headlong into giving Corbyn an excuse to renationalise! But as most of them are foreign owned I guess they don't really care.

elizabethhull

Noella wrote: »

My tumble-dryer has hardly been on at all and that's really the only power-hungry appliance that I have..

Agree about tumble-dryers being power-hungry.
When we couldn't use both settings (hot or cool) on ours, I made do with cool only.
When the door catch broke and we had to keep it closed with a tyre iron, that was still ok, but my need for it had plummeted since we no longer had nappies to dry.
Finally, it gave up the ghost altogether after ~35 years.
It is now outside doubling as a herb table - any minute I expect to find OH has planted something in the drum !!!

[Deleted User]

badmemory wrote: »

If you have less than a year left they are working their rolling year with the last few months on their highest rate. Don't you just love these energy companies. They are just marching headlong into giving Corbyn an excuse to renationalise! But as most of them are foreign owned I guess they don't really care.

Thanks for the information, badmemory:T. I didn't know they did that. It's never happened before and I've done several fixes over the years with this supplier (not nPower by the way:rotfl:) after seeking out the best deal with all the other suppliers of course(but only established ones that I've heard of;)).

[Deleted User]

elizabethhull wrote: »

Agree about tumble-dryers being power-hungry.
When we couldn't use both settings (hot or cool) on ours, I made do with cool only.
When the door catch broke and we had to keep it closed with a tyre iron, that was still ok, but my need for it had plummeted since we no longer had nappies to dry.
Finally, it gave up the ghost altogether after ~35 years.
It is now outside doubling as a herb table - any minute I expect to find OH has planted something in the drum !!!

I bet you've noticed a massive difference in your electricity bill, Elizabeth:beer:

Many years ago I got DH to take apart our dead washing machine before he took it to the tip. I wanted the stainless steel drum which was really nice and shiny with small perforated holes in it. I stood it upright, put a large circular glass top on it and it made a lovely occasional table. I got the idea from a magazine from the late 70s. Visitors all complimented me on it but it was a bit awkward as I didn't attach the glass, just placed it on top, and every time anyone brushed past it pushed the glass a bit. I was forever having to centralise it:rotfl:. The glass was the special thick toughened type, I didn't want to risk it breaking and causing an accident. I had to buy it and get it cut specially so it probably wasn't a particulary cost-efficient project:(.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Noella wrote: »

Meant to ask you before,HH, but did you get things settled with nPower and get your arrears paid off so you're free of them to negotiate a really good 'fix' with another supplier?


I was disappointed this week when I submitted our online 3-monthly meter reading to be told the monthly DD is to go up by £1 a month:(. I know it isn't much but we've been using a lot less since the weather has picked up. My tumble-dryer has hardly been on at all and that's really the only power-hungry appliance that I have. Just can't understand why I have to pay more so must study the usage figures carefully when I have some time. We're still well within our 18-month fixed tariff.

No we haven't paid off our arrears with NPower yet. We can't afford to at the moment unless we spend the EF which I'm reluctant to do. When the customer pays (hopefully at the end of May) we can assess then if we can afford to. I am fed up with them so I hope we can!

elizabethhull wrote: »

Agree about tumble-dryers being power-hungry.
When we couldn't use both settings (hot or cool) on ours, I made do with cool only.
When the door catch broke and we had to keep it closed with a tyre iron, that was still ok, but my need for it had plummeted since we no longer had nappies to dry.
Finally, it gave up the ghost altogether after ~35 years.
It is now outside doubling as a herb table - any minute I expect to find OH has planted something in the drum !!!

I try not to use the tumbler and don't use it at all in the summer, but sometimes have to in the winter having four/five adults in the house. I know it does use a lot of power so hate using it.

HairyHandofDartmoor

School was good today, lovely and sunny and I had a nice chat with some of the children .

Before I went I put some clothes on to wash and hung them in the garden when I got home. I also paid the council tax which is our third biggest bill.

I had to go and have a mammogram in the afternoon :eek: which I've been dreading for weeks . I was in and out in about fifteen minutes, so I'm glad that's over for another three years :T I felt sorry for the radiographer working in a gloomy basement on such a lovely day.

When I got home I emptied the kitchen bins which were both full to the brim. I'd been storing recycling that wouldn't fit into the main wheelie bin in our own small wheelie bin, so I was able to empty that today as the dustmen finally came!

I don't feel like I've got much done today, but tomorrow is another day. After volunteering and work tomorrow I'm hoping that I'll finally be able to start on my assignment. My tutor hasn't marked my last one yet and I'm wondering whether it would be rude to remind her :rotfl:.

I was able to draw out DS1's keep today, so I suggested me and DH have £20 each and see how long we can make it last. We did the same with DS2's keep and I won, until I put £40 of it towards the food shop yesterday :rotfl:. Mind you he's probably been buying petrol with his

I hope everyone is having a good Wednesday .

Sun_Addict

Glad the mammogram is done, they're never as bad as you think. It's the smears I hate - the nurse always tells me to relax, I mean honestly how can you relax :eek:

Online shop wise, I have no choice without transport but find I spend less as if I go over budget I look at what can wait until next week and take it out of my basket. I do small top up shops in real supermarkets and that's where the danger is for me. I tend to get all the heavy stuff online and then buy the fresh stuff as and when I need it. I also get sent a lot of money off vouchers for online supermarkets if I don't shop with them for a few weeks.

teafor2

Evening HHD Glad you've had a nice day, weather has been gorgeous hasn't it.

I'm not over keen on physical examinations these days either. They never used to bother me, but the older I get the more anxious I seem to be. I had an appointment this morning with the nurse and all being well, because of my age I won't need to go again for 5 years thank goodness.

Is your tutor usually quick at marking your assignments and getting back to you?

Good luck with the £20 challenge. I always think a bit of healthy competition is a good thing. Have a lovely evening. xx

[Deleted User]

Sun_Addict wrote: »

….. I also get sent a lot of money off vouchers for online supermarkets if I don't shop with them for a few weeks.

I get the same too, SA:j. That's one of the reasons I like to switch between online supermarkets. If they miss my business they try to encourage me back with vouchers:rotfl:. It's not as if I spend a lot on each 'shop' either but I suppose in these cut-throat times every customer is valuable to them. Sainsburys in particular but Morrisons too are brilliant for money-off vouchers. . Sadly, Asda never send me any but their stuff tends to be cheaper anyway and I don't suppose they can afford to.

beanielou

For me the Morrisons vouchewrs you have to spend way too much.