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

Elisheba

Evening, all,

Thanks @Moorviews. I've been looking at the Park4Night app today to see likely spots. I'll need to have a look at a proper map though in order to pick areas where there are things I want to see/do.

I decided today I'm going to go ahead with the camper car purchases and if I don't save some money with my friends wedding I have identified another area it can come from. There is no point have a big car specifically for cheap off grid camping if I can't go off-grid camping due to the lack of a few moderately priced items. I just need to find the best price for what I want now, and make sure it actually is what I want.

Felt absolutely rubbish all day. Pretty certain it's hormonal - cycle is all over the place which I think is probably the start of peri menopause, so can't be absolutely sure it's hormonal, but the fact I felt a lot better after chocolate and a big bowl of ice cream does point that way!

I got quite a few of the little tasks on my list done this morning before I completely gave up for the day. The bread in my breadmaker turned out wonderfully. I put a 1/4 teaspoon extra yeast in to compensate for the flour being out of date and this the gluten less stretchy, and it had the perfect rise so that was nice. Made vegetable soup with a bag of mixed veg, and chucked a couple of veggie sausages that needed using up in and some mixed herbs and Cajun spice - so it tastes a little unusual, but perfectly palatable. I really didn't feel up to dinner so I had the big bowl of ice cream I mentioned with half a tin of sliced peaches and some chocolate sauce 😳. Still, I feel a lot better after it so maybe I just needed some sugar 😂😂😂.

Ended up a NSD as I didn't get to the PO to post the present - must remember to do that tomorrow. I've had a good scroll through my libraries online book collection today, and picked a few so I might read in a bit. I definitely feel a bit better now than I did earlier. Some days are just duds I suppose, and we need to be gentle with ourselves when that happens.

Hope everyone is cosy and warm tonight, and snuggled up tight.

SuzeQStan

Had a similar reaction reading that work till 71 before pension news item as well Elisheba.  

Recently read another article stating that the average lifespan had been shortened by over 18 months from recent events.  It was completely shocking and heartbreaking to read.

so I do wonder why they need to increase the pension age - do they want us to die in our uniforms?

sorry am still angry thinking about it

Cheery_Daff

I didn't think anyone had suggested they were going to raise pension age to 71 so far, so don't panic just yet! From what I read, research showed that it would have to be 71 if we were going to keep the same number of workers per state pensioner.

That doesn't necessarily lead to raising the state pension age though, and it definitely wouldn't be a popular policy! 

Of course, it may well be 71 by the time I eventually get there 🙄 But it's not in the official pipeline just yet! 

WinterWarrior

I am another who is angry about state pension. My ex took half of my work pension when i divorced, so the combination of that and a later state pension hits me very hard. I feel like the government broke a contract as I signed up to a pension stating at 60 when I began paying in 😖 and then they moved the goalposts. 

The camping plan is a good one, get kitted out and you will reap the benefits. 

Elisheba

Evening, canny campers,

What a difference a day makes! It's like night and day - I've been filled with oomph today 😂. Honestly, hormones can take a long walk off a short pier 🙄.

I think I must have read the same pension article as you, @Cheery_Daff. Just an idea from a think-tank at the moment. The problem is, once it's out there in the ether, it's a much smaller step to it being implemented. When the retirement age has been 69 for a few years and times are tough after the government have trialled another ridiculous experiment and tanked the economy again, out it will come again.

The government of the day will talk of balancing book, paying  off credit cards and the country living beyond its means, and other catchphrases which don't actually apply to national and international economics, but which will help to sell a sow's ear to the general public. And it will be poorer people who suffer from it - those who don't have adequate private pensions and can't retire before state pension age, or people like you @WinterWarrior whose pension fund has been reduced due to divorce or other circumstances. And as you say @SuzeQStan people will be literally dying in their uniforms.  From reading your diary @Cheery_Daff I think I'm the same age as you, and we will be lucky if it isn't 75 by the time we are eligible for it 🙄.

Anyway, on to less annoying things. I remembered to post the birthday present today so that was good. And found a nice easy walk through some woods to add to my walking repertoire. I had a look at the camping stuff I need but am dithering over what chemical toilet size to get. Think I need to go out the the car with a measuring tape at some point soon.

It was so mild today I had the window open while I worked, and was able to sit out in the garden with only a jumper for lunch. There were so many little birds flittering about I felt moved to investigate birdfeeders when I came in. I have one sitting in my Am@zon basket, but haven't bought it as yet as I then started looking at bird seed and fat balls and I'm not sure where I can store them that will be convenient. I think it might have to be the garage for the bulk of them, and just have small amounts in the house for top ups. 

I wanted proper pizza for dinner, not calzone done in the Instant Pot. So, in order not to waste oven energy, I made a pasta bake as well. It has ended up massive, and there are probably at least 6 portions in there 😂. My pizza was very nice, and I have a third left for lunch tomorrow (I've tried to add a picture but not sure it's worked - if it has you'll see I like very well done pizza! If it hasn't worked ill add it as a separate post).

I'm at the the edge of the amber snow warning for tomorrow, but so far my forecast has gone from sleet to rain. They might have got it wrong but currently it just looks like it will be very wet. If it's just rain then I'm off into the office on Friday. Quite looking forward to seeing folk, even with the horrible commute.

Think I'll make a cocoa before bed, then head up to read more of my book(s). Currently got a murder mystery on the go, two about the history of certain plots of land, and a lovely one about hedgerow plants with lots of interesting information and pretty pictures. I read recently that Scots pines can be a sign of old drover routes, and I noticed a Scots pine just down the road from me, and one or two at a ruin half way up a hill to the north of me so wondering if that is an old drover route. Very often drover's didn't travel on the main travel roads - can't remember exactly why now - perhaps they were avoiding the turnpike fees, or considered rowdy and not allowed on them, and Scots pines would indicate to them places they were welcome.

Hope noone gets snowed in tomorrow, but if you do that you are fully stocked up and can survive until the thaw ☺️

SuzeQStan

Hear hear Elisheba 👏🏻👏🏻

They’ve revised temps upwards in our neck of woods - doesn’t even look like we will be below freezing tmoz now. 

Pizza does look on the rather well done side as you say 🤣 but glad to hear it was delish all the same 

Keep toasty x

Makingabobor2

Pizza looks great. Much prefer a well done one, to an undercooked one. 
Enjoy your book

WinterWarrior

Mmmm pizza. I think my trays match your placemats 😁

Elisheba

No snow here today, not even sleet. Just lots of rain and it was fairly chilly. I'm in the office tomorrow so I'm in bed already with a cocoa, ready for my 5am start. Think I've got everything prepared - packed lunch is made and in the fridge (I really need to do a shop as I'm low on basics. All I could put on my sandwich was some veggie ham I'd defrosted and some salad creme - not a tomato or vegetable in sight 😳). Clothes are looked out. Laptop and wireless headphones are packed. 3 alarms are set. Breakfast flask is filled with muesli just ready for hot milk. Cafetiere has coffee in it waiting for hot water. Phone is charging. I'll buy my ticket and parking (on the app with the correct registration number this time!) tomorrow first thing, when I know trains aren't cancelled at the last minute. 

A no spend day today. I think I've decided which chemical loo to buy for my car camping. Annoyingly the smaller model, which is the one I'm going to go for, is £30 more expensive than the bigger model. I guess because it's popular. However, space is at a premium so it'll need to be that one. I've also chosen the company I'll buy from, which is within a reasonable driving distance if a return is necessary.

 I *think* I'm going to leave the car shades for the windows for now, and try to fit some homemade cardboard ones and if they stay put I can buy some black covering for them.. The fitted shades won't give me full black out which is what I want ideally, and I'd rather try the cheaper option first. I tried velcro with black out material in the summer but it didn't work (it was fine in my old car) so I've been tempted by the fitted shades, but best to exhaust other options first if it'll save £90.

Other than that no MSE news to report. A wet lunchtime walk so not a huge amount of enjoyment there. Lunch was the leftover pizza, and dinner the pasta bake I'd made yesterday followed ice cream and tinned peaches. I watched some YT videos on car camping to try and get some inspiration. I think the next thing to save up for will be done sort of massive power bank like a Jackery, so I can charge things and use my 12v kettle without having to run the car engine. One thing at a time though.

Hope everyone is warm and dry tonight. I'm bored of Winter now. If I'm not going to get any snow then it may as well be Spring or Summer when it's fresh and pretty and warm.

Moorviews

Good luck with today’s journey. 

I have quite a small chemical loo in the camper van, it wasn’t very expensive at the time. I will try and have a look today to see what make it is and what the current prices are. As it needed to fit underneath a seat I had to find a low one.