Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

Fortune_Smiles said:

Elisheba said:

Thanks, Fortune!  I had forgotten about the delivery charge which was £4 I think, so I think I will follow it up with them.  Collection was just round the corner so not much to claim there!

Don't forget there's your time and the inconvenience to you of having to pick up.

Fortune x

I've emailed Millets now, so we will see what they get back with!

Elisheba

Morning, all!

Well, its fairly chilly here this morning so I have a cardi on.  It looks from the forecast that there will be some days at 25 degrees next week though, so that'll be nice.  Hopefully the start of a long Indian summer! Would be great if it stayed like that over the next week for my backpacking holiday in Scotland!

Yesterday didn't end up a NSD as I needed to pay for my railpass for the Scotland trip, although it is budgeted for. 

I dug out my mooncup as well so I don't need to buy any period supplies, so that'll save a few pounds this month.  My cycle is all over the shop these day, so I think I can confidently say I am peri-menopausal.  Bit annoying as I am only just 43, but my Mum started fairly early as well, so there we are.  So far no other symptoms so far though - so that is a blessing and long may it continue! I'll be jumping on HRT if I need it but hopefully I won't.  I'm not sure when I need to start speaking to the doctor - my Mum has osteoporosis, so I want to try and avoid that (especially with my history of smoking).

I don't *think* I need to spend any money today.  Food plan is baked potato for lunch, and either egg, beans and chips, or spag bog for dinner.  I've got everything in for that so won't need to buy any food.

I got the washing hung up and downstairs hoovered yesterday, but didn't unpack the camping stuff as it was raining and didn't feel like getting wet! I've order my prescription early for my holiday, but they said I'd need to speak to a doctor to get my painkillers'.  Its only naproxen so not sure why it isn't on repeat, but will need to call at 8am on Monday to get an appointment to get it sorted out.  

I'm still dreaming of my cottage but no word as yet on when it'll become available.  It has a Flogas tank outside and I have googled and its hard to get an idea of how much that'll cost to fill, especially without knowing how many litres it is.  It does look like Flogas has doubled in price in the last few years, so that's just lovely.  And the cottage has a wood burning stove, and it is £120 for an XL bag of chopped wood from the local coal merchants .  Again hard to know how much I would need over a winter as I don't know how much a stove will burn - my open fire goes through wood like water, but I imagine a stove would use less?

I spent a lot of my childhood in an old farmhouse in Scotland without any heating but open fires.  We would have the electric heater on for a couple of hours in the morning until the fire got lit, and then the fire all day when when we were in.  I imagine in this case I would put the Flogas heating on for an hour or two in the morning to get ready, then maybe an electric heater in my office on and off to stay warm, and light the stove at night.  Not even sure if the stove in the cottage is multifuel or just wood.  Multifuel would be useful as could use anthracite which burns slowly and would end up cheaper. I only saw a woodstore outside though, so maybe not?

It also looks like the cottage is on a higher council tax bracket than my current house so I'll need to fire that into the s/s as well.  And again all this pondering could be for nothing.  Still got my fingers crossed though - surely not many people would be daft enough to want to move into a cottage with Flogas in the middle of a cost of living crisis??? Not sure if its on mains sewage or a septic tank either - something to ask when it becomes available.

That's all my ponderings for today.  I'm getting excited about the Scotland trip - only a week to go!  Hope everyone has a great day 

beanielou

Enjoy your Scottish break. 

SuzeQStan

Hey Elisheba - just thinking about this potential wood burning stove - I’d get in touch with a local tree surgeon as they usually run sideline wood supply business.  

As per Gov.uk you can legally buy this wood in ton bag size (or more) and you can also buy a moisture content meter(cheap) to check once it’s dry enough to burn.

If you have the space to store it this is a very cheap way to supply your stove.  

Hope you have a lovely trip xx

Cheery_Daff

I wouldn't be too worried about Flogas. They're just one of multiple suppliers of LPG - although you generally have to sign up to at year contract so I'm not sure how that works if you're renting (is it included in the rent??) 

We were worried about moving to a house with LPG too, but actually I believe prices are much more comparable to mains gas these days than they used to be (both are obviously more expensive, but LPG used to be a lot higher than mains - not so much now though). It usually just powers the normal gas central heating, which, depending on what you're heating of course, may probably be cheaper and easier than electric heaters and logs.

There's an LPG thread on the energy board here - they might be able to tell you about contracts etc if you're renting.

For comparison, we have a 2000 litre tank (looks like a submarine/throat lozenge) and it usually gets filled 3 times a year, at a rough cost of £7-800 a time, depending how empty it is - they come when they're in the area. We did fix a while ago at 50p a litre though so it will likely have gone up if there's not a fix. We're heating a very exposed detached old farmhouse with a lot of rooms - one of us is home pretty much every day, and we usually have the heating on from about 9am til the early hours of the morning in the depth of winter because we keep quite different hours to each other. Yours will likely work out quite a bit cheaper! There's a standing charge, but it's piddling compared to mains gas stading charge (ours is, anyway, about £70 year I think).

We just pay for each tank as it comes, but you can set up a DD to even it up throughout the year.

 You can theoretically shop around, but as I say, very often have to go into a 2 year contract (the rules are different with LPG to normal mains gas) - but I don't know how that works with renting. Might be worth checking with the estate agent whether the landlord has an existing contract that you'll just have to pay for or something.

Hope that helps/reassures you a bit 😊

Elisheba

Afternoon, all. 

Just getting ready for my Scotland trip - I leave after work this evening.  I think I am just about packed, but trying to fit everything including breakfasts into a rucksack is harder than I remember!  the plan for the week is all organised, accommodation booked, train passes bought.  Apparently no breakfasts included so I'm trying to work out how to fit a bag of muesli and a collapsible bowl into my bag - no joy as yet!

Still no word about the cottage although I phoned midweek to double check.  Its all a bit in the air as now there are rumours of restructuring and regrading at work, and I know I will be could be one of the first heads to get downgraded if that happens as I am on more than others in my team, although I think I would get a year's pay protection. No matter how I do the sums I can't afford a new house and the new car loan together if that happens.

The thing is, do I want a cottage with a garden more than the very nice new car I have just bought?  I keep doing sums on the s/s, and trying to work out if I should go for the cottage, and sell the car if I need to.  And it could all come to nothing.  Its a total headache to be honest.  

Right, need to do more work.  Thank you @SuzeQStan and @Cheery_Daff for your advice on wood and LPG. If the cottage does go ahead its very useful info to have!

Have a fab weekend, everyone!

fionaandphil

Have a fabulous holiday, long may the warm weather continue ⛱️

Makingabobor2

Enjoy your holiday. 

beanielou

Enjoy Scotland. 

Rather warm here at the moment ☀️

Slowdown

Hi there Elisheba

I hope you’re enjoying your Scottish adventure and realise you won’t be back on here just yet but thought I’d say Hi. 

I have spent the last 3 weeks working my way through your diary. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your journey and even found a few connections with you. 

I grew up just outside Carlisle and know the SW of Scotland a little. My mum is still there and I visit several times a year. It’s lovely to return to the rural life every now and again but DH is a city boy and I’d never be able to drag him that far away. 

Imagine my surprise when working my way through your diary to find a post by me! I asked you about the terracube many months ago and 

hadn’t realised it was you! As you didn’t like the camera I didn’t purchase one but have tried to be frugal by keeping the old phone and having a £9 Mr T SIM card. Total winner so thanks. 

Like you in Scotland I am currently interrailing around Spain with my backpack. DH is in his early 60s and I’m in my late 50s so we’re quite a sight with our rucksacks but we didn’t do it as students so…

So many things you talk about resonate with me politically, frugally, environmentally, mindfully that I am going to follow your story and I’m wishing you well with all aspects of your ongoing journey. 

Slowdown😊