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

euronorris

Oh Jackie. You've had such a time of it! I do hope you're fully recovered soon, and back firing on all cylinders! Xx

There are so many grocery items that have increased by more than 100%, it makes it so hard to keep up. I haven't had to buy olive oil in ages, but had to buy it on this last shop and omg! I knew oil had increased in price a lot, but it's crazy!

Keep well everyone xx

Longwalker

Ahh Jackie, Ive not been on here for a good while so didnt know you were back poorly and in hospital again.

Im wishing you a speedy recovery xxxxxx

For all those getting smit with covid - speedy recoveries all of you

We had it here just the once so far. We spent 2 years protecting mother, then she goes on a coach trip and the whole coach load had it and we caught it from her !!!! Couldn't make it up Still we were very fortunate, we all had very mild symptoms, mum said she had none other then she was tired but thought that was from the holiday, Mr L and myself were achy and tired but I was fit enough to do a half marathon the day after my all clear.

Mums had this years jabs already, mine are next week. I didnt get the last boosters but I will this year as the powers to be seem to be pretty concerned

So Im five weeks into my new job and after a bit of an unsettling first week, Im actually loving it. Its a stunningly beautiful  restaurant in a really old style family owned department store beside the sea. Our customers tend to be the older generation and its my job to make sure they have a wonderful experience with us whilst Im darting around clearing tables , so I spend my time chatting away to all and sundry , looking at photos, sharing recipes, talking about old times, making big fusses of grandchildren and great grandchildren Its rather like a real life version of Oldstyle. Already recognise the regulars, know their likes, where they like to sit etc. And all the staff throughout the store are really lovely. Most are middle aged and older, most worked there for decades. It really is a lovely supportive work environment. Pay is good, discount is HUGE , hours are great - shop doesn't open before 10 so thats my earliest start and it shuts at 5;30 so thats my latest end - I do four hours within those times. Just had my first appraisal - flying colours  - and am going to start Barista training. I did say my preference would always be the floor but Id like to be trained so I could step in and cover as and when needed 

Weight loss journey is still going strong, I passed my goal and decided I would take a bit more off. Its going really slow now, a pound off that week, 1/2 pound on the next, 2lb off the following, but its still coming off. The four of 5 miles a day I cover on the floor at work is really helping Im sure The new shoes I bought to wear there - split across the soles already - and I do only wear them in work lol

Dress I got for the wedding - which is in 2 weeks now - fits perfectly now - big knickers no longer required and a size 14, a size dress Ive not been able to wear for 12 or more years. A friend passed me on sandals and fascinator, I had to buy swimwear and a clutch and some dress jewellery but the whole skaboodle came in at less then £100 so Im more then happy with that. The dress is nearly identical to one I had seen in John Lewis , that was £250, this one is from next and a respectable £50

Son and bride to be arrive on Thursday, they are here with us for two nights. Her family are staying up the road - airbnb belonging to a friend so mates rates there. I dont have enough bedrooms, enough beds, but one bedroom here is a family room, does our daughter and two youngest, not quite suitable for an older family. So we have a family meal together one night and the morning they head onwards Ill be hosting breakfast here. Im getting off quite lightly actually, the original plan was we had to drive 150 miles to the other end of the country for a family meal there which I wasnt happy about , would have had to have found a dog sitter and have had sorted mum with meals 

So I've been busy busy busy. Still keeping on top of the housework, finally decluttered my wardrobe, it took 6 hours and absolutely piles of stuff for the charity shop to sell and piles more for them to rag. Ive clothes in that wardrobe that had never been on my back as bought, didnt fit, shoved in out of sight. Clothes from size 10 to 18. Clothes from when I worked for the NHS ( I left there in 1999 ) hell I even found a denim skirt from the very first Per Una collection - must be an heirloom by now lol. So just the glory hole which is the fitted wardrobe in the spare room to declutter and then the roof spaces and a journey thats taken three years will be completed.Mind those areas might take till next year

Budget has been non existent this year. If Ive had it Ive spent it, if I haven't we have gone without, that simple. Heating is a huge expense for us, oil is way up again and we use a lot. Just put an order in for £400 - will last till December with what we already have in the tank. Prices this year will mean we will be spending £2.5k on oil alone. Just gotten used to the near heart attacks when the Electricity bill lands. But it is what it is. We dont go out much at all now, certainly stopped pub nights, and cant mind the last time we ate out that wasnt a family thing which had to be done.. Mr L has his hobbies which are electric dependent , mum has to have the house warm. 

There are times when I wish I still lived in a two up two down mid terrace in London with mains gas and a combi boiler But then we no longer have a mortgage and our rates are a lot cheaper so its all swings and roundabouts. The pennies are stretched in different directions thats all  

Van_Girl

Longwalker said:

Just put an order in for £400 - will last till December with what we already have in the tank. Prices this year will mean we will be spending £2.5k on oil alone. Just gotten used to the near heart attacks when the Electricity bill lands. But it is what it is. We dont go out much at all now, certainly stopped pub nights, and cant mind the last time we ate out that wasnt a family thing which had to be done.. Mr L has his hobbies which are electric dependent , mum has to have the house warm. 

The price of oil at the moment has been giving me a headache. I had the chance to buy in May time, when it was down to 56ppl, but I put it off and then forgot. Just filled up at 80ppl. It's maddening, considering it's being artificially inflated by production cuts. My oil use isn't as high as yours Longwalker, but all the same, it's a big chunk out of the budget for a single person trying to run a household

Pennypincin

I've just found out that the bus fare is going up to £2.
I dread how much a monthly bus is going up to.
It's made it tough not having my freedom pass, it was due for renewal earlier this year and was told I 'appear too well ' for it to be renewed.
On top of that I'm having to appeal pip for similar reasons.
I really want to get back to work, but I'm not quite there yet.

Floss

Pennypincin said:

It's made it tough not having my freedom pass, it was due for renewal earlier this year and was told I 'appear too well ' for it to be renewed.

I understood the Freedom pass was an age thing, not an ill-health thing? I think I would be renewing online if I'd been told that.

YorksLass

After reviewing my shopping list I managed to get the total up to the minimum spend for a free delivery that arrived yesterday with everything P&C, no subs.  There didn't seem to be a lot there for the money but I guess that's how it is nowadays, the upside being it didn't take long to put away.     I did get some lovely looking sprouts though - the first of the winter - and we'll enjoy some this weekend.

I've had a busy (and frustrating) day today.  First up was a walk to the pharmacy to collect DH's meds.  The pharmacy has been having alterations in order to fit in new consultation pods and, although the work has finished, it was chaos.  It's now a much smaller customer space and there's nowhere to sit if you're waiting any length of time.  I don't think I've ever seen it so busy or waited for so long.  Normally his tablets are ready for pick-up but I think they'd fallen behind, hence the long wait.  The back of the store didn't look at all organised and the staff looked very stressed out.

Then it was next door to the GP practice to make our annual long term condition review appointments (third attempt due to lack of appointments) and we're finally booked in for 2nd November.  I also made my flu vaccination appointment for 25th October but couldn't get one for a Covid jab as they've run out of vaccine, although they did say they would do it with the flu one if they get some more stocks in.  Otherwise it will be yet another appointment.  

From there I walked to the Co-Op (just missed a bus) for a few bits and bobs and unfortunately that coincided with the local schools coming out, so lots of extra traffic on the roads.  Got what I wanted and noticed the packs of cheese straws that I buy have gone up from 80p to £1.10 in the space of less than two weeks.      I think I'll go back to making my own.

When I got back home, DH announced his mobile wasn't working.  It's just a basic PAYG that he hardly ever uses and, as I suspected, because he's not made any chargeable activity for 6 months, his Sim has been deactivated.  I'll give Customer Services a call tomorrow to see if they'll reactivate it.  Fingers crossed.  If not, we'll just make do with mine.

Now feeling rather drained but at least I got done what I needed to do and, best of all, managed to dodge the rain!  I did take a brolly with me but I don't think it would have been of much use since it's been very windy with strong gusts at times.

Auntycaz

@YorksLass my GP is only doing covid jabs for housebound patients or people in care homes this year, but they're doing flu jabs which are available at nearly every pharmacy. I had my flu jab on Wednesday at the pharmacy next door to the doctors but the nearest place I can get a covid booster is over an hour away by bus in a nearby city. I'm booked in for my covid booster on the 17th as I already had covid on the 14th of last month and wanted to make sure I left at least 4 weeks before I had my booster. Hope everyone who needs the booster manages to get it booked soon as I found this new strain to be nastier than the one I had previously. 

elsien

Pennypincin said:

I've just found out that the bus fare is going up to £2.
I dread how much a monthly bus is going up to.
It's made it tough not having my freedom pass, it was due for renewal earlier this year and was told I 'appear too well ' for it to be renewed.
On top of that I'm having to appeal pip for similar reasons.
I really want to get back to work, but I'm not quite there yet.

Worth a complaint/ challenge? 

https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/transport-and-highways/443-transport-and-highways-news/54988-more-than-200-residents-of-london-borough-to-have-their-rejected-applications-for-freedom-passes-reviewed-following-ombudsman-investigation

Pollie

A local pharmacy does both flu and covid jabs so had mine at same time. You can check on the nhs website which pharmacies near you offer this service--look at the walk in section. I just rang the pharmacy to check which days they were doing jabs that week. Walked in an hour after opening time and waited for 5 minutes to be jabbed.

YorksLass

@Auntycaz - Our GP practice is also doing Covid jabs for housebound patients, but I'm not housebound (thankfully) so I'll just have to wait until they get more vaccine supplies which they've assured me they will - at some stage.  The pharmacy next door is only doing flu jabs and. like you, it's a long bus journey to one that's doing the Covid ones.

Yesterday's trying day continued into the early hours of the morning when the smoke alarm in the living room decided to go off at 2 am for no apparent reason.     Annoying, but better safe than sorry.  It's had a clean today and I've used the vacuum on it too to make sure there's no dust in it.   Then I was awake again at silly o'clock for a loo break and couldn't get back to sleep for ages, now I'm feeling like a wet dish rag.

I haven't had any success getting DH's mobile Sim reactivated - no email contact address for the provider and their website said I would need to ring Customer Services.  Easier said than done.  It was the usual performance of: listen to a recorded message, answer questions by pressing 1 or 2 etc then wait to be connected to an agent only to be cut off.  After 3 failed attempts I gave up and, since he uses it so rarely, we've decided just to use mine.  The house phone is on call forward to my mobile too so we'll not miss anything, although I will need to update DH's details with various people/organisations who might need a mobile contact number.  Maybe tomorrow.     

I was going to ask our energy provider for a refund of our credit balance today but am parking that for another day - I don't think I could face any more obstacles right now!

On a more positive note, the weather here is dry, brighter, warmer and not as windy.  Today's meals are quick and easy and I'm putting my feet up for the rest of the day.   Sadly, I'll not be watching Strictly tonight - I used to enjoy it but I think they've spoiled it and it goes on for too long - too noisy, lots of celebrities I've never heard of, life stories etc - I just want to appreciate the dancing.  And don't get me started on the return of Big Brother tomorrow!     If all else fails, I have plenty of reading material to fall back on.  

Other jobs done today include making potato cakes to use up some leftover mash and baking a coffee cake that just needs a chocolate cream filling and a coffee icing topping added.

Onwards and upwards - as the song says, Things can only get better!