It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

OrkneyStar

Double quote - cannot delete grey box!

tooldle said:

Spendless said:

I've just been to get DD some hair conditioner and could have quite easily cried at the prices. I went to get Aussie, £4.50 in Tesco or 3 for a tenner. I decided I didn't want to spend £10 as she moves away on Saturday and I don't know how much/which hair products she already has in, so though nip to Home Bargains instead which is a few mins car ride away. There the conditioner was £5.89. Never seen it as expensive as that before in there. I got her a hair mask instead at a more reasonable £2.99.

I'm glad I've already got her some toiletries to go away with and we're not having to buy every item. 

Lidl have a copy of the Aussie product, and it is considerably cheaper. I couldn't tell the difference.

I found the Lidl version of the Aussie product smelt different (not as pleasant, slightly unpleasant in fact) but that might just be me. I normally rate all of the other Lidl products though, and I am sure this particular one did the job of washing my hair fine too, it was just the odd odour!

wort

Aldi do a dupe for Aussie too.

dreaming

Wednesday2000 said:

dreaming said:

Wednesday2000 said:

My sister-in-law received her £150 PIP payment yesterday so just a few days after mine arrived.

She said she got a full £400 refund payment for her energy. I just checked our bank account (as I do every morning) and OVO are due to take out our normal amount. I thought they would have deducted the rebate from our monthly payment. I'm not sure when we will get the money, but I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it.

I am also with OVO and they state that if you pay by direct debit, the refund will be paid into your bank account once the DD has cleared. So I will be checking at the end of next week as my payment goes out on 1st, which is a Saturday, so I will start to look for it around Thursday/Friday.

Oh thanks. I just checked both our emails and neither of us got an email about it for some reason. I just read that we are £208 in credit with them at the moment which will come in handy when the dreaded heating switch on takes place.

Oh, there wasn't an email but the information is on their website, although you do have to look for it. I am also in credit and a low user so it is suggested I could reduce my DD to £48 per month (as of today - wonder what it will say tomorrow?). However I have been feeling the cold more this year - a combination of getting older and having an auto-immune disease - so although my first action is always to add another layer of clothing and try to keep moving as much as I can, I don't want to be too worried about putting the heating on if I need to, so will leave the DD as it is for now. As I said, tomorrow my account may show a different "suggested" amount so I will be checking over the next few days. Before I retired 9 years ago (at the age of 58) I got my 2 bed semi-detached bungalow as well insulated as I could afford at the time (and with the help of a government grant), bought thick lined curtains, and also had solar panels fitted. It was done more for environmental reasons at that time but has stood me in good stead ever since.

Onebrokelady

Spendless said:

My village fish and chip shop has always been quite dear and not too generous on portion sizes and the quality is ok but not amazing.  I can't remember the prices now of their standard and large chips but a cone of chips, the smallest size they do was £1.50 earlier this year - it is now £1.80.  Now that's probably still cheap compared to other areas of the country, but even the town centre chippy that I guess pays higher rates was charging less than my local, at £1.10 per cone at the beginning of this year. .

A short drive away about 6-7 mins we have both Maccys and KFC and their deals which include fries and a drink will work out more reasonable. 

My local chippy is £2.20 for a cone of chips 

YorksLass

TheAble said:

YorksLass said: Our energy supplier has deducted the first instalment of the £400 from our October DD (not due until the 28th) but I'm still waiting to find out how much the unit rates/daily standing charges will be under the EPG from the 1st Oct.  We're on a fixed rate that's over the new £2500 "average" so there should be some adjustment.  Once I have that information I can decide whether to stay on the fixed rate (no exit fees) or change back to the SVT.

Consider staying on the fix if not too much more expensive. You'll then have it to fall back on in case the govt pulls the cap for whatever reason. Could be cheap insurance.

You're quite right, the Government has reneged on so many things that's is always a gamble on what to do for the best.  I shall await the figures with baited breath!

Tonight we're having a risotto for dinner - all kinds of oddments from the fridge and freezer to go in it so it's a win-win.  Cheap meal, bits not wasted and an abundance of containers emptied and returned to their storage box.  Oh, and more room in the freezer.  

CKhalvashi

Onebrokelady said:

Spendless said:

My village fish and chip shop has always been quite dear and not too generous on portion sizes and the quality is ok but not amazing.  I can't remember the prices now of their standard and large chips but a cone of chips, the smallest size they do was £1.50 earlier this year - it is now £1.80.  Now that's probably still cheap compared to other areas of the country, but even the town centre chippy that I guess pays higher rates was charging less than my local, at £1.10 per cone at the beginning of this year. .

A short drive away about 6-7 mins we have both Maccys and KFC and their deals which include fries and a drink will work out more reasonable. 

My local chippy is £2.20 for a cone of chips 

I don't do chip shops here any more (fish and chips was about £19 for 2 portions a few months ago and I really can't justify to pay this), but we had a large shawarma (enough for 2 people when cut) and a box of chips (which was also huge) for 31zl (just under £6) in Poland on Monday, which I think proves margins can be too high on some products somewhere in the chain.

Interestingly though, Milka bars in Sainsburys a few weeks ago were actually cheaper than in Biedronka in Poland, which really surprised me. I did buy some chocolates and a few packs of coffee out there though as they definitely are cheaper.

Onebrokelady

CKhalvashi said:

Onebrokelady said:

Spendless said:

My village fish and chip shop has always been quite dear and not too generous on portion sizes and the quality is ok but not amazing.  I can't remember the prices now of their standard and large chips but a cone of chips, the smallest size they do was £1.50 earlier this year - it is now £1.80.  Now that's probably still cheap compared to other areas of the country, but even the town centre chippy that I guess pays higher rates was charging less than my local, at £1.10 per cone at the beginning of this year. .

A short drive away about 6-7 mins we have both Maccys and KFC and their deals which include fries and a drink will work out more reasonable. 

My local chippy is £2.20 for a cone of chips 

I don't do chip shops here any more (fish and chips was about £19 for 2 portions a few months ago and I really can't justify to pay this), but we had a large shawarma (enough for 2 people when cut) and a box of chips (which was also huge) for 31zl (just under £6) in Poland on Monday, which I think proves margins can be too high on some products somewhere in the chain.

Interestingly though, Milka bars in Sainsburys a few weeks ago were actually cheaper than in Biedronka in Poland, which really surprised me. I did buy some chocolates and a few packs of coffee out there though as they definitely are cheaper.

Wow £19 is astronomical 🙀

YorksLass

CKhalvashi said:

Interestingly though, Milka bars in Sainsburys a few weeks ago were actually cheaper than in Biedronka in Poland, which really surprised me. I did buy some chocolates and a few packs of coffee out there though as they definitely are cheaper.

You've just reminded me to look in Sainsburys for boxes of Mieszko Marcepan and Cherrissimo chocolates, currently £1.60 but usually on promotion for around £1 pre-Christmas.  My favourite (occasional) treats. 

Florenceem

No spending here again today. I was getting short of fruit but the local gleaners had given large boxes of apples to SA. We put the apples outside for food bank folk to take and I had some of the leftovers.

Toonie

sammyjammy said:

Toonie said:

I've been sorting out the winter bits and pieces, so blankets are now laundered, and chunky dressing gowns are being done tomorrow. We've not yet gone back to a duvet here (still just with a sheet) but have noticed the chill first thing so may chuck a blanket on the bed for cooler nights.

My goodness Toonie where do you live?  I have my wool duvet on the bed and had to add a fleece blanket last night!

I live in London and we're in a terraced house, so it takes quite a while for the air to be cool around here. Added to that both my partner and I tend to not feel the cold as much, so even in winter we only have a 4.5 tog duvet.