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

SuzeQStan

Budget looking well thought out as usual Elisheba 😊👍🏻 everything 🤞🏻 that you get that well deserved pay rise xx 

wanted to tell you about a little experiment with heating we’ve done over the Christmas holidays this year -

we normally use the central heating for 1x hr in morning, 1 hr at lunch, 1/2hr in evening & 1hr water heating. This usage of gas typically costs us approx £4.50/£5.00 per day.

Then we pretty much exclusively use firewood in our log burner in the evenings which we source from local tree surgeon (and season/test for water levels) @ £40 per ton bag-  £750.00 to cover us the whole winter = 19 x ton bags! Per winter phew!! 🙀

my family have been visiting this year and are nesh and hate the log burner so the heating has been on solid 6:30am - 11:45pm every day.

We thought we would be in for paying around £25 a day with gas being on so long but as the boiler cuts out once it reaches temperature (21C - been boiling! 🥵) and the average gas usage has been just under £8 per day for 17hrs a day over the last couple of weeks!! Mind that doesn’t include 5% VAT or standing charge.

so our gas costs have risen of course over last 2 weeks (nearly doubled) but if you divide our annual £750.00 firewood by the average days we use heating then it’s actually cheaper for us to heat the home with central heating by approx £100.00 per annum once you take out our regular usage. 

Sorry for the novel - but we have decided to go ahead with GCH and move away from so much reliance on the log burner (do love a cosy fire tho! 🔥) 

MeandO

I’ve really enjoyed catching upon your diary today, Elisheba. I was shocked to hear of the manner in which a move was forced upon you but so glad to read that you have found somewhere lovely and you seem to be carving out a lovely life for yourself here. I say ‘here’ as I am also a resident of the land of dragons and daffodils (albeit a different part to you I believe) but am not a native, although I’ve been here for the best part of two decades now. It’s a shame we’re not closer as I could have lent you a wheelbarrow and given you a hand with those logs! Keep on with your lovely updates x

Elisheba

That is interesting, @SuzeQStan I know in my old house it was always cheaper to have the GCH on than use the open fire.  Coal is expensive, and it didn't heat much of the house.  I found having my electric fire on during the day in my office was cheaper than the GCH, as it cut out when it reached a certain temperature (and it was only that room I needed heated during the day).  The house was such a cold one that the GCH near seemed to cut out.  I remember even with the GCH on, and my heated hoodie on sometimes my hands would be so cold I couldn't type properly.

With my new house, it is just amazing how warm it it!  I can't get over it.  When I came back from being away over Xmas for a week the house was perfectly comfortable with a jumper on.  Unbelievable - after a week of no heating at all!  I've been putting the OCH on for an hour in the morning just so I'm not chilly having a shower and getting dressed, and with a jumper I am comfortable all day in my office with no heating on.  Then in the evenings I have been lighting the wood burner.  Last night though, as I was just going to watch TV I didn't light it, and with my new oodie from my nibling, I was perfectly comfortable - no cold hands or feet.  Amazing.  

So I might leave the woodburner unlit for a while, and save my wood until its colder outside.  Or at least only light it when I'm going to be reading, as it is so lovely so snuggle up with a book with the fire lit.  

I don't need to heat the water with the oil as the shower is electric, so only when I want a bath really.  If there are dishes that don't go in the dishwasher I boil a kettle.  I'm not sure how much oil I'm using with an hour's heating a day, but it can't be much!  At this rate maybe I won't need to refill for 2 years!

Elisheba

Awwh, diolch @MeandO, that's so kind of you .  I actually ended up getting a wheelbarrow and a Flymo for £20, but have still got the blooming trolley.  I need to make some time to see if I can get it fixed, before the deadline for returning it.  Any help with that wood would have been very welcome - its about the one time I missed having a partner around to help! Although if I'd still been married there is no way I would be in a house in the countryside - my ex husband was not a countryside person! Or have a dog - he wasn't a dog person.  Or be particularly happy, full stop .  On second thoughts, I'll stick to moving the wood myself   

The whole house situation was horrendous, but thankfully things seemed to have worked out well for me. Its a dreadful system though - I have a friend who was given 2 month's notice a month before Xmas, and her and her husband can't find anything.  Both of them are good earners and I imagine have good credit history, but in the current climate that doesn't seem to matter much.  Its awful that can happen to people.

foxgloves

It is awful, I agree. The housing system in this country is completely broken & excludes far too many people from a decent affordable home.
F

Crazycatlady2

Perhaps someone local has a teenage that might move wood etc for a bit of pocket money if you struggle. Sounds like you settling in well though which is great 

SuzeQStan

So glad you are toasty in your new place Elisheba 🥰 

Elisheba

Its only the housing system in England, sadly @foxgloves Both Wales where I am now, and Scotland have different rules and in Wales its a 6 month notice period as standard. Not sure about Scotland as haven't lived there in such a long time.  Without getting into the independence debate (which I try to avoid as it has caused a civil war in my family), one way or another England could do with having its own parliament like the devolved countries have.  Westminster just doesn't have enough time/resources for domestic matters as well as national/international, and all the devolved countries (well Scotland and Wales - I'm not sure about N.Ireland) all have much better social policies than England.  Its not fair on the English, and I don't think its all to do with the devolved countries being naturally more left leaning.

I'll keep an eye out @Crazycatlady2 although so far I've only met a couple of people who aren't retirement age in the village so think teenagers might be in short supply!

Thanks @SuzeQStan. Its so nice to be warm all the time after how cold my last house was.  So strange as they are both terraces, although the old one was Edwardian and this one is 1970s - probably makes a difference.

LadyWithAPlan

Delurking to say it all sounds great in your new place. I was also shocked to read about your sudden move (i am also a renter saving for a hse deposit but London so its taking a while for me and also to commit to a large mortgage)

Great budget for 2024.. I am now a couple months into Ynab as I couldnt be bothered with notion and I never updated my own s/sheets enough although I always had lots of virtual pots and a monthly budget  and I have to say ynab  is already changing my spending/savings rate  due to the ynab dashboard being so  strict so there is nowhere to hide excess spending inc on the cc.

Sorry re spotty cat, they live in your heart forever.  Your dog looks gorgeous - as a renter here I cant have a pet so its another reason to buy . At least you are fitter for having to move your own wood

Slowdown

Hi
Just popping in to happy new year and that I love catching up on your comings and goings. Your cosy new place sounds ideal and your bookcases look fabulous.

It’s wonderful to feel cosy on these wet and windy days and a basic need for everyone. I completely agree with those saying the housing situation in this country is completely broken. I have a 30 year old daughter who will be leaving London for Manchester this year due to house prices. Her work will remain in London and she will have to commute sometimes when not working from home but she and her partner simply can’t afford to buy down here.
Neither of my sons own houses and one of them still lives with us despite being 26 this year and working full time in a reasonably paid job. Sigh.

It will be interesting to see what happens to your energy bills in a much warmer place @Elisheba and hopefully you be able to save your pennies for some treats.