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

Longwalker

OMG the weather is CRAZY at the moment 

Frost and frozen window screens to roasting hot - well 15oC - and even with Babets presence , rain and strong winds, cold it is not 

However mum is feeling it and now the heating is well and truly on

Coal prices are shocking, last coal we got - well smokeless - £8 a bag, now its £19 - admittedly we didnt buy last year as we had plenty of wood , but we will have to buy this year as we didnt get any free stuff this past year, what we have been burning the past couple of years are the trees taken down during the first lockdown 

So whilst things were tight last winter, not as tight as they are looking to be this year, even though Im now back earning 

Of course the sons wedding has taken a lot of spare cash. Hotel in Dublin, flights to Pisa, 3 mights accommodation , wedding outfits,  (omg even the dry cleaning of Mr L's suit was £20 ), passports, taxis and train fares, a sizeable contribution to the wedding, hosting the wedding party from Oz here last week, money has been haemorrhaging. I "saved" a fortune by losing the weight so I have a wardrobe of clothes that fit , the outfit I fell in love with was £250 just for the frock, but we found nearly identical in Next for £50 and friends have rallied with sandal, fascinator , bag and some very very very cheap bling it looks the part. Ive dresses Ive not got into for years for the other two nights so Ill not be letting the side down  Still got to pay for hair colouring. I was going to do it myself, have the box here but chickened out and have booked in. I dont want to realise Ive missed a bit too late in the day  

Thankfully its pay day next week and Ive an extra 10 hours or more this month . And as Im not back to my real job until the 1st, Im doing 2 days at the tea room up at the farm for Halloween. Its not a lot but it helps and it keeps me in there for shifts next summer 

One thing I HAVE to do is restock the freezers. More has come out of them this year then has gone in where Ive been trying to keep the food shop down so a trip to the chicken factory is being added to our homeward bound journey. We are eating some right mishmash meals of late where Im finding one of those or 2 of those and bits of this and that , but we are getting fed and fed well which is the main thing and Mr L has finally got used to the left overs for lunch at work. In fact Monday there were none and I sent him in with sandwiches , and he was like " I really missed not having a proper meal " Before he would be " Im not eating curry at 10oClock" lol 

So yes I do have worries now about finances, more so this year then any other year. Fuel prices are the crippler , diesel is 160 and now I have a commute Im really noticing it

Siebrie

@Longwalker What a lovely event to look forward to! And a lovely country. You are very generous to your son; my parents had a budget, and if we had decided to go abroad, that would have taken from the budget, so they would not have contributed as much, or even been able to come!

sammy_kaye18

Morning. 
Sitting at a comfortable 15 degrees here in south wales this morning. 

Realized yesterday that I haven't turned the heating on yet but should probably check it to see if any of the radiators need bleeding and to make sure it all works.

The wind here has thankfully passed because it has been absolutely blowing a gale here for the last few days and patches of rain in between. I have been out there removing the temp greenhouse cover to try and keep it safe so my garden is officially closed down for the winter. I was going to try and grow bits over winter but living on top a coastal welsh mountain is proving difficult to do so. Thankfully we have a chest freezer full of veg but I do need to stock up on meat to get us through the winter.
I wish we owned our own house to have a wood stove but we are council so have to make do with the payment meters that are installed here but the only person in the house who has baths is my husband and everyone else prefers showers so I am hoping we will be OK for gas this year as my husband works from 8 - 6 as does my son and my daughter leaves for school at 7.45 and isnt home until 3.30. I can manage with blankets/jumpers/thick socks etc so Im happy plus I have 3 dogs as hot water buddies. 

Digging out the slow cooker today though so I can put it in the kitchen and use it more often to make soups /stews etc and Im hoping then it will take a bit of the chill off in our kitchen. I am sure our window in there doesn't quite meet up and there is gaps so I am looking for a way to fill that in and block the draft. 

Working_Mum

Ah the mention of flannelette sheets - I have a set of sheets from this company when it used to a market stall and shop! It's now online only but worth a look??

https://www.tonystextiles.co.uk/products/flannelette.html

YorksLass

@flipflopflo - Ah, the days of turning sheets - I remember it well and have done it myself in the past.  I've also cut down thinning sheets to make cot sheets for my DGCs.

@Working_Mum - Thanks, I've bookmarked this for future use.

Just realised, the text we got yesterday from PowerGrid didn't say a red weather warning, it was for severe weather.  It rained a lot overnight and was quite windy.  It's dull and dreary with drizzle at the moment but the worst is yet to come apparently.      Our Freeview TV reception last night was rubbish too - it could have been the weather I suppose, but it seems there's yet more work being done on the main transmitter for our area, plus we were prompted to do a re-tune which I did - three times - but it didn't help.  The picture was still pixelating on a lot of the channels and the sound wasn't much better either.  A bit miffed as I wanted to watch the last episode of Payback but it didn't happen.

Instead, I finished sewing up another cardigan I've been knitting, just need to seek out some buttons for it and then it's done.  I was panicking towards the end as I didn't think I'd have enough yarn but I did - just!  Only about 5 g left over.

We enjoyed the frittata last night and tonight will probably be egg & chips with some baked beans.

Asparklierblonde

My post just a page ago implored everyone to remember that kindness is everything. It’s upsetting to come into the thread and read hostility and rudeness. I’ll be steering well clear of this thread from now on. Look after yourselves everyone xx

DigSunPap

thriftytracey said:

I have started repairing clothes.  I looked on YouTube and learned how to turn up a pair of denim trousers without having to cut off material, so that saved about £25.  I sewed up a tear in a pillowcase, OK you can see it but saved it from being used as rags.  I sewed up some holes in various leggings and as they are dark colours you cannot see the repairs.  I've got a super king size cotton sheet to repair next.  It cost about £30 originally as it was Egyptian cotton high thread count.  I did try an iron on patch but that came off so going to sew it  It is quite a big tear but I don't want to have to buy another sheet.  I actually find hand sewing quite soothing!  I hated sewing classes at school and never finished anything.

@thriftytracey This is a great way of putting your craftsmanship to use. Perhaps could even be a small business venture? Repairing clothing for close family and friends could earn you an extra few quid each month.

Brambling

If you can't make a invisible mend especially on jeans try Japanese visible mending (also known as Sashiko) and make a make a feature of it

I spent years mending and taking up clothes for my nephews as my sister seemed to have missed learning how to do that  thank goodness they are both adults now and one of them as a OH who can sew.  I think she spent more time playing football outside when i learnt from my mother and older sisters.  These days i've noticed that zips don't seem to break as much as they use to I haven't replaced one in decades and TBH i'm not sure if i can remember how to now, that would be a youtube lesson   

KxMx

I live in an Eastern area which is NOT prone to flooding, it started this morning with schools and businesses being closed due to flood water, then this afternoon some bus routes and mobile library had to be suspended, flooded rail lines on multiple routes, train operator unable to move replacement buses into place due to impassable roads, plus we now have many regional river amber/red flood warnings and the more rural areas having flooded homes and impassable roads.

Not surprising then that a MI (Major Incident) has been declared county wide, and a do not travel unless absolutely essential warning has been issued. 

I know of both occurring before due to heavy snow and very strong winds, never flooding. 

YorksLass

Apparently we had heavy rain and gusty winds last night, or so DH tells me.  I didn't hear a thing!  Normally, I wake after a couple of hours for a loo break (one of the drawbacks of old age) but can get back to sleep fairly easily, plus I'm a heavy sleeper anyway.  Today it's still tipping down, windy and very dark to the point where we've had the lights on all day.  I think we're due a slight respite on Sunday and Monday - drier and sunnier - and then back to yet more rain.      I'm so thankful we're not flooded or cut off unlike Scotland and other parts of the country.  We've had another text from Powergrid as well who are obviously experiencing problems with power cuts/outages.

I'm glad I cancelled today's flu jab otherwise I'd have looked like a drowned rat by the time I got home.  I wouldn't normally cancel such appointments but I don't think it would have been a good idea for me to be out and about in this weather.

I haven't seen many people out today - hardly surprising - other than our poor postie who I saw this morning trudging along the road, somewhat later than he normally does.  He brought DH's letter about this winter's heating allowance, mine must still be in the postal system somewhere but it will arrive at some point.

Yesterday's grocery delivery arrived, all P&C, courtesy of one of the more agreeable drivers who's always cheerful and helpful, so we're well stocked up now with fresh F&V which is what I was getting short on.  I've yet to do a meal plan for the coming week but already have a half formulated plan in my head so it shouldn't take me too long.  

I had a delivery yesterday of some more knitting yarn that prompted an eye roll from DH but I know he doesn't mind really.  Nor does he complain when I present him with a finished sweater.    

Asparklierblonde said:

My post just a page ago implored everyone to remember that kindness is everything. It’s upsetting to come into the thread and read hostility and rudeness. I’ll be steering well clear of this thread from now on. Look after yourselves everyone xx

I hope you won't desert us!  I agree, a little kindness goes a long way, as does gratitude and thanks.