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

Floss

CKhalvashi said:

Thanks!

That would (at a rough guess) be higher than the offered rates as we use E7 for EV charging, but encouraging to see in any event.

Hopefully more fixes will open up soon!

That's what has been offered to me, I'm not an EV driver so no indication of what E7 would be. The fix is slightly higher than expected July rates, but it is a fix based on the rate they are buying at on the day.

luvchocolate

otb666 said:

Another Shark hoover lover here Very easy to empty and good suction

I've had my gtec for 6 years...planning on replacing with Shark when necessary 

euronorris

Thanks for heads up regarding fixed rate for Octopus. The offer will vary slightly by region (same as with the default tariff). Ours was:

Gas - Daily charge of 27.47p. Unit rate 7.88p
Electric - Daily charge 56.64p. Unit rate 30.62p

This worked out £4pm more than what the default tariff will be for us come 1st July. It is expected to drop a little come October (but not guaranteed), and then increase again in January, so for the sake of some certainty I have decided to bite the bullet and fix for 12 months. It might end up not being the right decision, but the same could be said for sticking with the default tariff. For once, I'd like a bit of certainty.

Floss

Euronorris, I felt the same and fixed this morning, at least we know what we will be paying for the next 12 months!

euronorris

Yes, interestingly I tried out their forecasting tool as well, and without the fix they estimate that I would need to pay £10pm more than I currently am in order to breakeven over 12 months. With the fix, my DD will be £20pm cheaper than it currently is. It says their forecasting tool takes into account the Cornwall Insights predictions, among other things. 

Time will tell, but it's nice to know it's at least fixed for a little while.

Auntycaz

@CKhalvashi I can draw money out from the ATM at my local Waitrose. I will just have to go into the city when I want to send birthday money etc or I can try telephone banking. I just don't like online banking. It just seems a bit pointless having a banking van that only does withdrawal and paying in. If you're going to provide a service at least provide a good one.

CKhalvashi

Auntycaz said:

@CKhalvashi I can draw money out from the ATM at my local Waitrose. I will just have to go into the city when I want to send birthday money etc or I can try telephone banking. I just don't like online banking. It just seems a bit pointless having a banking van that only does withdrawal and paying in. If you're going to provide a service at least provide a good one.

I completely agree with you on this, they should ideally be offering a broad range of products akin to a branch or there's no reason IMO for the van to be there.

We are starting as a business unit to offer to third parties for the first time (in a specific licensed and heavily regulated industry). There would be no point doing this IMO unless the full range is on offer, and this has been made a contractual term in any agreements we've entered. Nothing else to me makes sense, despite the 'interesting' combinations that have started to appear from this in the few cases of sales that aren't really aimed at the UK. We've chosen EU regulation over UK for a number of reasons (including the cost of dual licensing but mainly due to the markets this venture is operating in and historic sales figures, there's 100 to 1 in terms of sales in some markets), so can't sell directly a 'full' service to the UK public, but can sell the service we sell to UK companies.

Putting this back to banking, opening/closing accounts, payments in/out with associated transfers and anything that can be done in a branch should be included for the vans to have any real value.

YorksLass

Following last week's eye test, the optician texted this morning to let me know my new distance glasses are ready for collection.  I'll need to ring first to make an appointment but it should only be for a quick 10 minutes to make sure the frames fit.  I can call in for a mooch round the CSs at the same time so I'll have to remember to take the donation bags with me, otherwise they'll still be sitting under the stairs.  

Retinal eye screening appointment today and, since I have optical hypertension, I didn't have eye drops put in.    The lady said the photographs look to be of a good enough quality for them to see what's going on and I should get the results in about 4 weeks.  If they're not good enough, I'll have to go back for another screening using a different machine.  Fingers crossed.

The appointment was in the city centre, somewhere I haven't been for well over 12 months.  Oh my, how things have changed - and not for the better.  Lots of betting shops, vape stores, gaming outlets, cafes with tables/chairs spilling out over the pavements and clothes stores - but hardly anywhere to buy essentials like food.    I did, however, find a Poundland and had a good look round.  I only bought a box of plasters and a packet of biscuits but made a mental note of the price of household stuff and toiletries.  I'm thinking it might be worth a visit every now and again (at least in the summer months) to stock up on these since they're much cheaper there - and I have a bus pass so there wouldn't be any travel costs.  Just need to work out the bus times that used to be every 10 mins but are now every half hour.  

SM delivery tomorrow, I wonder if there'll be any subs or out of stocks.  We'll see.

YorksLass

SM delivery arrived - one item out of stock and one item subbed (more expensive) but I'll get a refund for that.  Everything put away and listed on inventories - not that it took long since I'd kept it down to a minimum.     Normally I manage to have a bit of surplus grocery cash left at the end of each month but not this month.  It's all been spent.     Oh well, at least I haven't gone over budget.

Optician appointment made for Thursday to collect new glasses.  A bit more stuff has been sorted for the CS bags but I think I'll have to pause the decluttering for the time being.  I'll have to take it all in the wally trolley as it is!  I know I'll have a look round while I'm there but I'll be trying hard to not bring anything home with me.

Liver, bacon & onion casserole for dinner tonight and I think we'll be glad of it.  The weather today is so dull and wet and it's much colder than of late.

Dennis the Dyson (vacuum cleaner) has had a good clean today - dust cylinder emptied and cleaned out, all pipes checked for any blockages, filter washed (now drying) and a copious amount of hair, thread etc cut away from the brush bar.  It's supposed to be done every 6 months but I can't remember the last time I did it.  It should work more efficiently now - at least I hope so.     Next week I'll do the same with Diana, the upstairs one.

Now the July EPC has been announced I'll be looking to see if it's worthwhile changing from our fixed rate plan (finishes at the end of August and there are no exit fees) to the standard variable rate (same supplier).  If we did, we'd be paying more on the daily standing charges but less on the unit rates.  I'll have to dig out last year's bills to get an idea of how many units we use over the summer months and then do a calculation.  As yet, our energy supplier hasn't offered any new fixed rate plans.

London_1

Went to my Tuesday morning Dobbies for coffee and natter with friends mooched around the Waitrose food hall bit and snaffled a nice spicy beef stroganoff with wild rice ready meal reduced to 99p from £3.40 I already had a garlic chicken quarter defrosting in the fridge for todays main meal so the beef will divert nicely for tomorrow. I’m away on holiday on Friday and Thursdays mainmeal will be at my DDs so literally all that’s left in the fridge at the moment is a small bunch of grapes which will be finished off tomorrow. I have my pre-op appointment at the hospital tomorrow so I’m hoping when I return from my holiday I will have a date for my op. I’ll be glad to be rid of Dora the Drain as it will be 6 months this Saturday that’s it’s been attached to my tummy ☹️. But all being well I’ll have my gallbladder removed hopefully sometime after my holiday🤞🤞   JackieO xxx