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

-taff

Ours works out about twenty pounds a month but we pay twice yearly. There are two of us and we are light on showers and even lighter since we got the dishwasher and the water butts. OH always asks to use the pressure washer and I tell him no usually...

otb666

My hubby been flushing the toilet a lot because hes just been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 Now he is on medicine i am hoping it will reduce from 37 back to 32 pm

YorksLass

Yesterday I wrote:
I'd sent in meter readings on 1st July and received an interim bill that included their estimate of what we'll be paying over the next 12 months - based on our current unit rates (fixed plan) - but that we could save almost £1k per year if we switched to their SVR.  Of course I'd like to switch but I can't for love nor money find anywhere on their website to ask for this.  I'm guessing it's because we're not yet in the 7 week period where we can swap without paying any exit fees - although the fixed plan doesn't actually have any exit fees.  We'll reach that point mid-month but in the meantime I've sent an email to ask when is the earliest date we can change.  I also tried to phone this morning but the lines are busy.  Patient head is on.

Patient head is fast disappearing!  Still can't get through on the phone and I haven't had a reply to my email either.  What I have had is a different email saying our DD payment needs to go UP from August!  Currently paying £178pm, they want £245.  On the SVR we would - according to their own figures - be paying £150pm.  And that's before taking into account our credit balance of £330.     The mind boggles!

A while back I bought two packets of linguine that were on clearance.  We've eaten most of one packet but aren't very keen on the texture (prefer ordinary spaghetti) so I've broken up what's left into small pieces and put them in a screw top jar in the cupboard, to use in soups.  Tomorrow I'll put the other packet into the SM food donation box - it's still well in date (Oct 2024).

Lots of odd jobs done today, including ironing a pair of curtains, a job I've been putting off.  Dennis the Dyson is working much more efficiently after its thorough clean last week and has made a good job of the stair carpet.  Diana (the upstairs one) is on my To Do list sometime this week.  And I've remembered to top up my phone so I now have an extra £3 credit free.  All savings welcome.     

Dinner tonight is sausages in onion gravy with mash, swede and carrot.  Not sure about afters, probably some fruit.

Longwalker

Oh I love linguine , much prefer it over spaghetti , but we also love thick noodles. TBH I think it would be too thick for soup, esp if you already dont like the texture, but would be grand in a Mac and Cheese

Had a wee day helping out at the local family farm today., I get asked once or twice a month to help out for a few hours. Its great fun, young families and schools etc. Primary school age. I serve teas and Slushies And those wee children can be so sweet when you engage with them, I really enjoy it. Im thinking more about what work I want to go into now Im back looking. I thought I would end up a carer for the elderly but Im finding out in my old age, I quite like kids . At the moment my small pension is getting me by but longer term I need paid employment and  I may as well move into something I actually look forward to doing, so any ideas?  I dont need to earn a fortune , just enough to stay out of the poor house and enjoy a few treats . But after years of working in jobs Ive hated in the past I dont want my last working years to be the same 

Dead lucky this month, freezers are full so only fruit, veg and dairy required  - unless I see any complete bargains. Just boiled half a dozen eggs, cooked a pack of YS drumsticks and set a pack of couscous to "cook", thats lunches this week sorted. Mr L only works 3 days a week so plenty for him and mum - I rarely eat lunch. Since Ive been moving more and more to clean eating ( cutting the UPF as much as possible ) we rarely have a sandwich, which would have been the go to. Also a couple of kilo of yoghurt straining for the overnight oats , fruit topper, cake topper, pate base - you name it, it has my HM yoghurt in it  Making your own saves a bloody fortune, esp if you are confident enough to use it as a base for other dishes. As a fruit and veg avoider, Im actually really enjoying this seasons fruits. I got some strawberries last week, as big and as red as those Marks advert ones, for just over half the price, and they tasted of strawberries. Ive even had peaches and nectarines this year that taste more then soggy cotton wool 

I did have a bit of a blow out last week. I crochet for preemies, and the drop of point is a yarn shop ( I used to post till prices rose so much ) so off I trot, meaning only to drop of my makes - and Bang - £35 spent!!!  I need more yarn like I need a hole in the head but a pattern and yarn bought. Ive never read a pattern in my life !!!

Still its for a light flowey type jacket/wrap thingy to go over a very old dress that I intend to wear at a wedding so as long as I make it - its a bargain

YorksLass

@Longwalker - Good idea to use the linguine for mac'n cheese that I'd happily eat, either as a main or a smaller side portion but I think DH would baulk at that!  I've done a big pan of minestrone type soup this morning with the addition of about one tablespoon and it seems fine.  If all else fails, I shall use it to make myself some pasta salad (akin to the ready made ones but much cheaper).

You have my sympathies when it comes to buying yarn.  I'm currently working my way through my stash and I reckon - if I stick at it - I might just clear it all by this time next year.     Yarn shops, be it physical or online, are dangerous places for the likes of us.  

The energy saga continues with another attempt at phoning this morning.  Got through, selected the option to speak to a real person, taped music played with no indication of where I was in the queue or how long I might be waiting so I abandoned the call after a few minutes.  Lo and behold, this afternoon an email came apologising that I hadn't managed to speak to anyone and did I know I could do blah blah via my online account.  Yes, I do, but not what I want to do!  Aargh!!!!

Money saving haircut this afternoon for DH (I cut it for him) and I'm now compiling next week's grocery delivery order.  I think it will be mainly F&V and milk.  I don't want to order too much for the pantry since our boiler service is due next week and this is when I take the opportunity to empty everything out, partly so the engineer has room to work (boiler is in the pantry) and partly so I can give it a good clean out and remind myself of just what's in there.  If the list isn't too long I might go in person on Friday and postpone the online order until the week after.

Longwalker

Found a tub of leak and turkey pie filling in the freezer and a pack of pasty so thats dinner for those sorted. Im desperately trying to shift another 2lb this week so Im having poached eggs and kippers Actually I prefer that. Im not a big eater and sitting down to a big meal fills me with dread so much that I never enjoy it

Spent the morning on the phone, getting cut off, getting the runaround and all the usual associated hell of ringing customer services, but worth it in the end - my car renewal was dropped by £100 and is now only £10 more then last year - a result  

Another call to the DWP, I needed copies of my sick notes returned, and straight away - agreed, no putting request in writing or anything, no problem, will pop them in the post today - another result. If only my GP surgery was as helpful

Its raining, theres thunder, its muggy. I need to clean the bathroom, a real rake out, grout and shower seals and all those horrible little places then get left when you just give a once over, but its just too dark and warm in there for me to feel the love I shall instead find homes for all the wee things that are lying about here in the living room and sort out the dry laundry - get that that doesn't get ironed put away. I may then feel more like getting the ironing board out

Trying hard to avoid the shops. Although the freezers are full, fruit and veg is walking out the door at the rate of notts and Im down to my last handful of coffee beans and no skimmed milk. Coffee beans are my treat, expensive, but I only have maybe 4 or 5 cups a week. Its a local speciality coffee supplier. I could get cheaper online no doubt, but this is an independent and their beans are so good. Id be feared of paying for something I couldn't try before I buy and wasting money. Im going to hold out till tomorrow, that way I can get enough to last over till Tuesday. I like to go Tuesday as Mr L works Wednesday to Friday so I can make sure he has enough there for his lunch box. 

euronorris

Gosh, it's been a busy week or so. DD's party went really well. Nice and smooth. Everyone had fun, no one got injured, they all liked their packed lunches. So all good. But my goodness, 17 6/7 year olds in one space is a bit.....erm....loud! I suspect the venue was glad when we left! lol

I had a day off on Wednesday and was catching up around the house. Including cleaning up a baby gate and getting that listed for sale locally. Sold and gone within a few hours. And £20 cash received for us. Started sorting through her play doh sets too, cleaning them up, pictures and listing. 2 sold for £5 each so far. So that's good.

Refund from Virgin, after moving broadband provider, finally arrived as well. And after chasing TFL for almost 2 months, I've been told today that my £69 refund has been processed and will be with me in next 4-5 days (a cancellation on the tube and some other issues led to a long delay, hence the refund claim!).

And....have put in my claim to my work health policy for my dental stuff, so should have £50 coming our way as well! Busy morning, but well worth it I think!

DH's friend also dropped off 2 bags of clothes/shoes for DD (that his DD has outgrown). Very nice. Washing machine has been busy this morning! And in there were a pair of virtually brand new pink converse trainers, in her size! So she is very happy!

Vodafone users - on the app today is a free strawberries and cream voucher for Morrisons. Worth up to £3.09

And O2 users, don't forget you can claim a free sausage roll/vegan roll today. And/or a hot drink. I think if you claim timing right for redeeming the hot drink, you can get both each week.

Oh, and I managed to get a few packs of the 100 flower bulbs from Sainsburys earlier this week for 1p per pack! I only got a few, for myself, MIL, a friend. I've seen pictures online of people filling up their car boots with them! 

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Wednesday2000

euronorris said:

And O2 users, don't forget you can claim a free sausage roll/vegan roll today. And/or a hot drink. I think if you claim timing right for redeeming the hot drink, you can get both each week.

Thanks, I didn't realise about that! We both just changed to O2 from Virgin.

Longwalker

Gave in and hit the shops, had too, no coffee but he gave me a good discount so Im happy enough

Only got fruit and veg and the Sunday roast but theres so much in the freezers to work through

Got the Pinch of Nom Enjoy cookbook from Amazon for just £3 and its got some smashing recipes, ideal for me as they are all SW friendly. Mind a pack of crochet hooks also fell into my basket. I only needed 2 sizes but ended up with 9 because they were a total bargain. If anyone knows their hooks , 9 clover soft touch for £30. Of course its Prime day next week so theres lots of bargains showing up already. 

Got home from the shops and the tax man had sent me a letter - £250 refund so thats claimed and will be in the bank this week

@euronorris, a very productive day for you there I keep forgetting about listing stuff so thanks for the reminder. Im working my way through getting rid of stuff slowly so if I can make a few pennies it all helps . And a brilliant find with the bulbs

Off to Park run this morning, blowing a gale out there but its warm enough 

YorksLass

I didn't get to the SM last week (waylaid by other things) so will be placing an order for delivery next week after all.  It's not a particularly long list but no doubt there will be some items crossed off to keep in budget.     

I did do my usual weekly Co-op trip though and on the way there donated another two paperbacks to the Little Free Library (just 4 more to go), deposited a bag of soft plastics in the Co-op collection bin and the packet of linguine in the food donation box.  For the first time ever I bought one of their freezer deals; I don't normally bother with these as it's usually something like pizza, garlic bread, chicken nuggets etc that we don't eat but this month's one appealed.  I got two battered fish fillets (probably pollock rather than cod or haddock but OK for a mid week meal), a bag of scampi (that we do eat), oven chips (useful when you're short of potatoes but fancy some chips), garden peas (another useful) and a box of Magnum ice creams (treat).  Bought individually these would come to £12.05 but the freezer offer costs £6, plus another £1 deduction for membership so I paid £5.  That will do us two meals and a desert each and there'll be a spare ice cream plus some chips and peas for another meal.  Not bad value.

The results of my recent diabetic eye screening came in this morning's post - all good, so that's done and dusted for another year.  Some time this week I need to make appointments for us both for our annual health screening.  Hopefully I can get us in on the same day/time - I can walk there and back but DH will need a taxi - as I want to make sure he gets his ears checked.  He sometimes has dizzy spells (earwax? change of blood pressure tablets?) and I don't want him falling and breaking his leg again.   I can also pop next door to the pharmacy to pick up his meds.

Not planning on going far this week since the weather forecast where we are is for thundery showers, light rain or drizzle at some point every day for the foreseeable.  We've had a downpour and rumblings of thunder earlier today.  It's a shame for Wimbledon and the cricket at Headingley.  Not my thing but there's plenty I can be doing around the house instead.