How much to live on

helensbiggestfan

Didn't know that about Wales. Excellent.  

MarzipanCrumble

Personally I love self checkout - I really only half understand why shoppers resist it.  Check the prices as you shop, pack as you want with no clucking about the time you are taking from the queue, loyalty card discounts automatically applied - what is not to like?

Don't want to go back to old fashioned way of doing things, tbh.  Chat boxes have their place, as does 'X' when dealing with companies.  AI will change our world yet again - exciting times!  Love it!

I play Bridge - the internet has absolutely opened up that world so that if you have mobility problems you can still play 24/7 and chat.  Clubs have their own 'closed' internet games, so you can play online against club members.

Love, love, love the internet - I remember being sooooooooo bored when a child.  But I did watch a lot of Sunday afternoon films on TV....

Alnat1

I think there would be a growth in members in our litter picking group if we could deposit all the cans and glass/plastic bottles into a machine and get cash/vouchers back. They are actually the bulk of our pickings.

Then again, I suspect there'd be a lot less of the said items being thrown on the ground if they had a value.

helensbiggestfan

tooldle said:

helensbiggestfan said:

  Textiles are now pretty much worthless, which is why they are such a problem, because so much fabric is synthetic and non biodegrable.  Fast fashion has a lot to answer for.  

I think some people are looking at ways to recycle textiles into insulation materials but not much progress so far.  Charity shops get paid around 40p a kilo for clothing they can't sell. But so often it just ends up being shipped to developing countries where it is supposed to be sorted and recycled but ultimately it often just gets dumped, polluting soil and water courses.  It's a growing problem with serious consequences.  

There exist now a number of clothing companies whose USP is their clothing is made from recycled materials. Some focus mainly on Nylon from a range of sources and others, offer a wider range of fabrics including cotton from used clothing. 

Yes there are improvements. People power!!  😂.  Apparently Gen Z are really into thrifting, recycling etc. it's all good news.  

A perfect summer day here. 🌞😎.  A real good to be alive kind of day. Even my finances are improving.  🤪

helensbiggestfan

Alnat1 said:

I think there would be a growth in members in our litter picking group if we could deposit all the cans and glass/plastic bottles into a machine and get cash/vouchers back. They are actually the bulk of our pickings.

Then again, I suspect there'd be a lot less of the said items being thrown on the ground if they had a value.

I think you're bang on.  People always respond to a financial incentive.  

helensbiggestfan

Marzipan.  

I know I joke about being a dinosaur but actually I do appreciate modern technology. I am old enough to remember life without it......boring Sundays included.  I wouldn't want to go back to freezing cold houses, no gadgets or gizmos to lighten the load. 

I appreciate my creature comforts.  😁   

And yes, I agree,  we do have to move with the times and embrace change.  I'm sure AI will be revolutionary. Like all new inventions and technologies it will be a double edged sword with both winners and losers but I'm sure it will be exciting.  

Right off to do soak up some sun.  

tooldle

helensbiggestfan said:

tooldle said:

helensbiggestfan said:

  Textiles are now pretty much worthless, which is why they are such a problem, because so much fabric is synthetic and non biodegrable.  Fast fashion has a lot to answer for.  

I think some people are looking at ways to recycle textiles into insulation materials but not much progress so far.  Charity shops get paid around 40p a kilo for clothing they can't sell. But so often it just ends up being shipped to developing countries where it is supposed to be sorted and recycled but ultimately it often just gets dumped, polluting soil and water courses.  It's a growing problem with serious consequences.  

There exist now a number of clothing companies whose USP is their clothing is made from recycled materials. Some focus mainly on Nylon from a range of sources and others, offer a wider range of fabrics including cotton from used clothing. 

Yes there are improvements. People power!!  😂.  Apparently Gen Z are really into thrifting, recycling etc. it's all good news.  

A perfect summer day here. 🌞😎.  A real good to be alive kind of day. Even my finances are improving.  🤪

I should also have said, it is now possible to purchase fully recycled sowing thread (Coates is the manufacturer). 

luvchocolate

Ordinary_Yet_Unique said:

I prefer checking out my own groceries. I especially like smartshop where you can scan and pack without having to unload the trolley and then pack it all into bags again! So much easier and no queues.

I've just started using this and it's so much easier. 
My Sainsburys is a 10 min walk so I use a shopping trolley...brilliant 

Murphybear

MarzipanCrumble said:

Personally I love self checkout - I really only half understand why shoppers resist it.  Check the prices as you shop, pack as you want with no clucking about the time you are taking from the queue, loyalty card discounts automatically applied - what is not to like?

Don't want to go back to old fashioned way of doing things, tbh.  Chat boxes have their place, as does 'X' when dealing with companies.  AI will change our world yet again - exciting times!  Love it!

I play Bridge - the internet has absolutely opened up that world so that if you have mobility problems you can still play 24/7 and chat.  Clubs have their own 'closed' internet games, so you can play online against club members.

Love, love, love the internet - I remember being sooooooooo bored when a child.  But I did watch a lot of Sunday afternoon films on TV....

Me too 😀. It’s a great way of keeping your brain active.  My first husband taught me and I was pleased when my current partner was an experienced bridge player.  

savingpennies

helensbiggestfan said:

Tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of my husbands death.  Always a bittersweet time for me.  Relieved that his suffering came to an end, but still miss him, more than words can say.  

The thing about losing a life partner is not just losing someone who meant the world to you, it's that your whole world changes.  Your future is not the one you had envisaged and planned for.  That is especially true when it comes to retirement.  I'm just glad he got to tick so many of the items on his bucket list. 

He had always wanted to go to China. One day I impulsively booked his dream trip without telling him. I just surprised him when he got home from work. His face was a picture.  That was 2002.  In 2005 he got sick.  If we had waited "just a few more years" he might never have made it. 

The moral of the story.......don't put your lives on hold, waiting for "when" because "when" might never come.  

This really resonates with me.  I lost my husband last year in September, so coming up for the first anniversary of his death.  Miss him terribly but, like you, relieved his suffering ended.  Your world certainly does change; I recently went to see the Rev.  Richard Coles and he talked about how when his husband died, he didn't just lose his life partner but his future as well. 
Like you, we ticked off a few bucket items - China, Peru, Southern Africa.  Last April, he had just finished planning our next big trip to NZ when he was diagnosed and we never made it.  Next year, my eldest daughter and I are off to NZ to fulfil the dream he never realised.   
We often think about how we will do things later, or assume that we have loads of time.  We always thought that we would have 10 good years health wise, once we retired, and then get decrepit. 

The time we have is now, enjoy it and live life to the full.