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It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!
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Ours is the original boiler, circa 1991, so we're happy to pay £75 p.a. to have it serviced. It keeps getting a clean bill of health, and our gas consumption isn't being compromised (I've been keeping log of usage since 2014)
Yes, it won't last forever, but from what I hear, new ones don't last 30 years!!
And, yes, the safety element is very important too.How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)0 -
Sounds like a bargain and you don't want to scrimp where carbon monoxide is involved. OH likes to insure against things so we have BG Homecall for boiler, electrics, plumbing, drains, the full works and it is £56 pcm. It's a big old house so if something fundamental does go it will be expensive but I would rather pay when that happens. I let him have this one, for now, but refused to renew the warranty on my car which was even more expensive than BG.
It was interesting that when we heard the announcement about the new energy saving grants that we both came up with the same priority thing to address (if it qualified) - downstairs single glazed sash windows. Maybe it is a sign that this is something we should sort out while we are still working whether we can get a grant or not.I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
& Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.1 -
MallyGirl said:Sounds like a bargain and you don't want to scrimp where carbon monoxide is involved. OH likes to insure against things so we have BG Homecall for boiler, electrics, plumbing, drains, the full works and it is £56 pcm. It's a big old house so if something fundamental does go it will be expensive but I would rather pay when that happens. I let him have this one, for now, but refused to renew the warranty on my car which was even more expensive than BG.
It was interesting that when we heard the announcement about the new energy saving grants that we both came up with the same priority thing to address (if it qualified) - downstairs single glazed sash windows. Maybe it is a sign that this is something we should sort out while we are still working whether we can get a grant or not.CRV1963- Light bulb moment Sept 15- Planning the great escape- aka retirement!0 -
Our heating system is broken again despite getting what was supposedly a quality boiler about 8 years ago and the repair companies refuse to cove it as they say it is sludge build up. Issue was probably that we got cheap bathroom towel rads and at one point the system was drained and they did not add inhibitor so cheap rads have rusted and rust sludge has blocked up the boiler heat exchanger that is a £600 part plus labour.
Solution is probably going to be new rads, power flush and new boiler or new heat exchanger and £2000-£3000 all because some dodgy plumber did not add inhibitor.
I think....1 -
When we moved into our current house all the neighbours got British Gas Homecare. I was happy to do that but British Gas Homecare didn't cover powerflushing. I wasn't sure if our system had enough inhibitor so I phoned up British Gas and said I would have homecare if they sent someone out to make sure our system had inhibitor in it. They made an appointment but nobody turned up. So I flushed it myself and added inhibitor. I didn't bother with British Gas. It turns out the builders didn't put inhibitor in any of the houses so the neighbours all paid British Gas Homecare and then paid British Gas a fortune for powerflushes. They are still having problems and mine is fine.1
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I ventured out to the hairdressers this morning and it was fine for anyone wondering how things are out there. I have to admit though I did not stop for a coffee afterwards or wander round the shop. They took my temperature, had sanitising gel and I had to wear a mask. Apparently they normally disinfect everything between customers but my husband was going straight after me so they did not bother.
Interesting talk about Apple products. I use a Dell laptop but have an iphone and ipad air(both a few years old now) and an ipod which is donkeys years old now. I like the interface and they all talk to each other so music downloaded on my phone appears on my ipod and same goes for photos etc. I would not pay for a Mac book though. We have used Dell laptops for about 10 years now (this is my second).
I am impressed by your controlled expenditure Sea shell and thought I would run a report on clear checkbook on what we have spent over the last six months. We had a Caribbean cruise holiday in February and a weekend away with my brother and sister in law in January and my 60th birthday in February so quite a lot spent prior to lockdown. We also have paid for some garden landscaping over lockdown and a new gas fire in January.
Direct Debits 3582.23
House Expenses 2903.92
Holidays 1329.12
Food 2001.96
Eating out prior to lockdown and some takeaways 1109.46
Personal spends for DH and me 1551.20
Gifts and charity donations 694.34
Cars and diesel and train tickets 887.76
Total expenditure from 1.1.20 until 9.7.20 14059.99
Total income from 1.1.20 until 9.7.20 18079.50
So £4019.51 surplus over the first six months of 2020 which has gone into savings.
You have also reminded me we need to organise a boiler and gas fire service. I pay £59 a year for the boiler and the same for the fire from a fantastic local plumber. The boiler was changed about 4 years ago and the fire was replaced this year so that is included in house expenses above.
I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£70001 -
We ate out for the first time for a while on Tuesday night.. There were four of us and it was fine. The staff were gloved and masked and there was an empty table between us and any other patrons. It was quite though, maybe 25% occupied. I'll definitely be going again soon, especially when the recently announced freebies come on stream.0
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Sea_Shell said:Everything is still ticking along here, and having finalised June's figures, we have spent £4,493 in the first 6 months of the year.
We've also had "income" of approx £800, so in effect we've only eaten into our funds by £3,693!
However, overall our "pots" are down £6,200 since the year end, which isn't too bad all things considered!! A net drop of only £2,500.
As for the economic fall out of another wider lockdown, well that doesn't bear thinking about!!I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£70001 -
shinytop said:We ate out for the first time for a while on Tuesday night.. There were four of us and it was fine. The staff were gloved and masked and there was an empty table between us and any other patrons. It was quite though, maybe 25% occupied. I'll definitely be going again soon, especially when the recently announced freebies come on stream.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£70000 -
bowlhead99 said:atush said:Iom. Now that NZ has been 're infected there are only a few vivid free places. Guernsey may be0
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