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It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

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  • coyrls
    coyrls Posts: 2,508 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sea_Shell said:
    Maybe this will be THE GREAT LEVELLER and we'll all be financially wiped out by this, if not medically.  
    Yes, levelling down looking more likely than levelling up.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 18 March 2020 at 4:55PM
    Locally we have been using a website called Nextdoor for the past couple of years. In our locality this has grown to some 500 households out of some 1,300. Up until now. Used primarily for items for sale, informing of local crime, local events, can you recommend a roofer etc, people selling services such as gardening. Politicial debate is effectively banned. The site is not a Facebook. Past week or so has enabled people to communicate very effectively. With many offering very basic things as lifts or running errands. For the isolated, lonely and vunerable in the neighbourhood. Bringing together people in a way that has been lost in more recent times. No longer me first. Extremely refreshing. 
  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 7,201 Senior Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    We have a couple of FB groups - one for the community and one that is a 'buy nothing' setup. We also have an email group for our road (we had big parking issues which united us). We now also have a whatsapp group for offers of/requests for help. We have a full range of ages on the street from quite a few in their 80s/90s down to families with babies. With so many now working from home, people are welcoming the excuse to get out the house if someone needs a prescription collecting or they have run out of formula.
    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.
  • crv1963
    crv1963 Posts: 1,495 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    shinytop said:
    The other side of this is that for the foreseeable future there's not going to be much spend money on.  No holidays, eating out, etc.  

    If this starts to affect essential supply chains due to staff absence, the early/recently retired might be able to help.  My professional experience isn't much use but I'm fit and healthy, have no kids to look after, no job to go to, plenty of time now and can drive a van and/or stack shelves as well as anyone.  Morrison's are trying to recruit a lot of extra delivery  drivers. I'm seriously thinking about looking into this both to help out and to give me something to do.  Anyone else? 
    By the sounds of it, it's going to be "All Hands on Deck". I'm currently self isolating on GP and 111 advice. I spoke with my Manager today- I expected to return to work on Friday as tomorrow would be the last of my 7 day isolation. She had rung me to tell me that I have to stay off the 14 days as per guidance issued on Monday, so the full 14 days for me.

    We spoke of the draft "Covid" legislation and in particular the bit about recently retired NHS staff returning to work without penalty- I guided her to it and we agreed that provided it becomes law (It doesn't seem that it is going to have a hard time passing through Parliament) I will retire 30 April and return full time plus any additional shifts I'm needed to work to provide cover on 1st May. So I may be tripping Mrs CRV up at the moment but then looks like I'll be absent from home for most of the time from 27 March onwards!
     
    CRV1963- Light bulb moment Sept 15- Planning the great escape- aka retirement!
  • Sea_Shell
    Sea_Shell Posts: 10,025 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Personally, I think currently there is a balance to be struck between not becoming part of the problem (staying home, limiting interaction) and then being part of the solution (volunteering).

    I'm not sure where we are yet.  

    We live in a fairly tight community (village) with FB pages, and all us neighbours get on well and have each others numbers, so i can see it being easier (logistically) to help neighbours over family in other towns/counties.

    It's such a fluid situation at the moment that it's hard to know what's best.

    I've had a knot in the pit my stomach for the last couple of days and I'll admit to some teary moments too.

    (Yesterday's Home and Away didn't help!!!)
    How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sea_Shell said:
    Personally, I think currently there is a balance to be struck between not becoming part of the problem (staying home, limiting interaction) and then being part of the solution (volunteering).


    Dog walking has taken off a large scale here today. With requests for help and offers of assistance. Some people are pleased just to have something to do. With their places of employment closed. 
  • shinytop
    shinytop Posts: 2,165 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Locally we have been using a website called Nextdoor for the past couple of years. In our locality this has grown to some 500 households out of some 1,300. Up until now. Used primarily for items for sale, informing of local crime, local events, can you recommend a roofer etc, people selling services such as gardening. Politicial debate is effectively banned. The site is not a Facebook. Past week or so has enabled people to communicate very effectively. With many offering very basic things as lifts or running errands. For the isolated, lonely and vunerable in the neighbourhood. Bringing together people in a way that has been lost in more recent times. No longer me first. Extremely refreshing. 
    Yup we had Nextdoor before we moved; it was mostly about lost pets and youths hanging around but I expect it's different now.  I'm sure there's one where I am now; I may have a look.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    shinytop said:
    Locally we have been using a website called Nextdoor for the past couple of years. In our locality this has grown to some 500 households out of some 1,300. Up until now. Used primarily for items for sale, informing of local crime, local events, can you recommend a roofer etc, people selling services such as gardening. Politicial debate is effectively banned. The site is not a Facebook. Past week or so has enabled people to communicate very effectively. With many offering very basic things as lifts or running errands. For the isolated, lonely and vunerable in the neighbourhood. Bringing together people in a way that has been lost in more recent times. No longer me first. Extremely refreshing. 
    Yup we had Nextdoor before we moved; it was mostly about lost pets and youths hanging around but I expect it's different now.  I'm sure there's one where I am now; I may have a look.
    Very low key.  Not a huge number of posts made. Handy resource. 
  • DairyQueen
    DairyQueen Posts: 1,855 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Locally we have been using a website called Nextdoor for the past couple of years. In our locality this has grown to some 500 households out of some 1,300. Up until now. Used primarily for items for sale, informing of local crime, local events, can you recommend a roofer etc, people selling services such as gardening. Politicial debate is effectively banned. The site is not a Facebook. Past week or so has enabled people to communicate very effectively. With many offering very basic things as lifts or running errands. For the isolated, lonely and vunerable in the neighbourhood. Bringing together people in a way that has been lost in more recent times. No longer me first. Extremely refreshing. 
    We also use Nextdoor website. Our's is a very rural area so our group includes several villages. The 'Covid-19 Action Group' appeared this week so the community is galvanising.

    I am torn between maintaining the integrity of parents' cocoon and offering my services. I can't see how dog-walking or popping into the village pharmacy a couple of times per week could increase my risk, could it?

    We are fortunate that our income isn't threatened. The economic impact on younger generations will be felt for many years.

    Heard today that the schools are closed from Friday and all exams postponed. I expect my neighbour's eldest (GCSE year) will be ecstatic. MallyGirl's daughter is probably feeling less thrilled given it's her A Level year.

    Anyone dared to check their portfolio recently? Trustnet helpfully (not) emailed me my monthly valuation this week. I haven't dared logon since the weekend. I couldn't resist the temptation to squint at the bottom line (oh ye Gods & little fishes!) and quickly closed the email. I won't be doing that again in a hurry.
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