Travelling On

Suffolk_lass

Not sure how much caulking you have done before (filling the gaps on top of the skirting board) - 3 tips from me (after resealing our campervan to make it watertight):

1. Make sure you have a good dispensing "gun" with an easy to operate trigger
2. Keep a small pot of dilute washing up liquid in warm water to hand, along with plenty of kitchen roll - when you dispense the caulk along the top of the skirting, use your universal spreader (finger dipped in pot of w/up liquid solution) to smooth it in and clear up any messy bits (then wipe the surplus off with the paper)
3. If you have leftovers, remove the "gun" from the tube and screw a screw into the nipple bit. It reseals it and stops it going solid, so you don't need a new one next time

Karmacat

This is good, SL, thank you!  I do have one of those guns, and I loaded up a cartridge I had, but its much too old.  I have another couple that I bought last year, still unopened, so I'll give those a try.

Loving the universal spreader you're so knowledgeable, SL, I must take a copy of what you've been writing on madvix's thread too.

I'm just watching Poirot at the moment, still waking up.  

Karmacat

Just checked the little private pensions I've got - two with Aviva, because they took over a place where I already had one - and one with another.  Hadn't checked the figures for a while, and they've gone up 10%.  Hurray  

Chat with sister accomplished, all's well there, and I'm off out for a walk now, half an hour or so.  Doing well.

Cheery_Daff

Hooray indeed! And glad you're feeling well enough for a walk 😊

Karmacat

Just checked the government personal inflation indicator that Cheery found  **waves at Cheery**

Some very odd things.  I put my income as £800 per month, roughly the state pension, and on that figure it gives:
£199 for food and drink, excluding alcohol No, I spend £130 or so
£27 on petrol   n/a
£18 on bus fares  n/a, and if I did use buses, I have my bus pass now  
£4 on child care  n/a
£66 on clothing and footwear  nonsense!  though I do need walking shoes and modern shoes I can wear with a dress
£86 on energy bills  My DD is actually £110
£4 on train fare  Nope, though now I have my railcard, I might spend a bit.
£89 on eating and drinking out   n/a I don't eat out - could be put to holidays, actually
£35 on holidays  bleeping sight more than this  
£528 total

Cheery_Daff

Are those the averages for what people on your income spend? Looks like you're well under average on food, eating out, travel etc, but over on energy and holidays! 

Did you put your actual numbers in the boxes? That's what tells you the percentages in relation to average spends.

I only checked mine against people on our income, rather than against the national average, might do that later too

themadvix

We were above for holidays too, and that’s without counting random nights away that we pay for ad hoc rather than from holiday pot!

Karmacat

Cheery_Daff said:

Are those the averages for what people on your income spend? Looks like you're well under average on food, eating out, travel etc, but over on energy and holidays! 
Yep, thats in relation to the averages for people on my income.  Very surprised my energy use is over - perhaps its to do with the chronic fatigue, and being at home more.  Doesn't surprise me the holidays are way expensive, I punch somewhat above my weight in terms of holidays, because I go on cruises - the basic amount for this Iceland/Greenland one was £2500 or thereabouts.

Did you put your actual numbers in the boxes? That's what tells you the percentages in relation to average spends.
I did that next - I'll list that below.

I only checked mine against people on our income, rather than against the national average, might do that later too

There's a few surprises for me - but I suppose there's bound to be, my *income* is state pension only, but my savings and private pension and investment apartment end up making me a bit niche.  Again 

Karmacat

themadvix said:

We were above for holidays too, and that’s without counting random nights away that we pay for ad hoc rather than from holiday pot!

That's good I don't do unplanned (or pots, actually  ) nearly everything is ad hoc for me  and as well as the cruise there's been a couple of AirBNB weeks, renting a whole property.

Karmacat

I did the individually-based items, and my personal inflation rate comes out at 13.8%, an increase of £98 in my monthly spend.  Most of the inflation caused by energy bills (surprise!) holidays, and food and drink.  

The most useful was the average energy spend for people on my income, my DD is over that - I've taken a note of SL's 3 minute microwave cake, I think that's going to be really useful.