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

KxMx

Our energy estimates have risen in line with my expectations, from approximately £750 per year to £1050 (gas CH, electric cooker & shower). 

We don't have monthly payments set by provider, we pay the monthly bill on demand. 

I've applied to change from ESA to ESA & UC now instead of waiting until I'm forced, which will give me enough extra money to raise the amount I pay towards bills.

Mum's had her Work Capability Assessment, awaiting results 🤞🏻

I feel fortunate that I can in all likelihood cover this increase, but if they go up alot again in October that is the big worry. Even if we qualify for Warm Home Discount and Mum has extra UC for LCWRA we will struggle.
With us both having health problems we can't not turn on the heating. We already do extra layers, blankets & hot water bottles! 

LadyHarriet

My Remoska Grande arrived this afternoon - took my mind off the root canal treatment that I had today (I also have an abscess so ibuprofen and amoxicillin are on the menu). Looking forward to trying it out as with there only being two of us, it seems awfully wasteful to switch the oven on unless I'm batch-cooking or baking. It is by no means a cheap piece of kit, I know, but I'm fortunate in having a small legacy, though I'd far rather have the lovely aunt who left it to me, but I know that she would be glad to see that I'm using her generous gift to try to save money.

pelirocco

EssexHebridean said:

pelirocco said:

littlemoney said:

From what I saw yesterday there is no shortage of money and everyone can afford the increasing price of fuel. I have reached this conclusion after two 20 mile journerys along a dual carriageway. I travelled at a steady 50 mph to increase fuel economy and many cars and lorries came zooming past me doing 60 - 70 mph. No car or lorry stayed behind me for long.

No lorry was zooming past  you doing 60 - 70 miles per hour ,they are limited  by law to 56 mphb( in reality  the limiters not allow them to reach that )

Not quite true - yes what we would once have called "Heavy good vehicles" are limited to 56mph - and these days the majority *should*  be fitted with untamperable limiters, however in reality there are still ways and means of drives/operators getting around that. They will also run over that level when running downhill - 60mph is far from unliely, and even a little higher - but often a little beyond if they drop revs while going uphill as it's frequently difficult for a driver of such a vehicle to get the revs back up again to a level to get back up through the range on the gearbox. (And this is why you may have seen a truck driver get REALLY hacked off with someone pulling out in front of them and making them brake on a uphill stretch!). I reported a truck that passed us on a motorway in Scotland a couple of years ago - we were doing 68mph at the time (verified by both speedo and independent satnav - so while not 100% accurate probably no more than a mile or two out at that speed) and he sailed past us (undertaking, as well) as though we were barely moving - it was actually quite scary to see. 

Slinky said:

Spendless, I've got 2 thermos flasks, one of which has been used a lot for coffee in the past so you can't get the smell out. OH has a flask on his desk and my flask with water only gets tipped into the kettle to reheat, minimum amount at a time, to make my tea. Can't stand stewed thermos tea. I also put a small amount of water into the kettle after boiling it to take the edge off with the rest of the heat from the boiled kettle.

ETA the reason for using flasks, for us, is we have economy 7 so I fill them at cheap rate.

This reminds me, I need to go and take the soup I made yesterday out of the fridge for lunch.

This is exactly what we do on days when we're at home - as long as the kettle can be boiled first thing on the cheap rate at least. The first boil of the day is a full kettle, transfer the balance to the flask then next lot of drinks get made straight from the flask for MrEH's coffee, and a cupful back into the kettle for my tea. (At which point I have to remember I'm doing it as it boils SO fast if I'm not ready with the tea-bag I end up having to wait until the kettle will let me reboil it yet again!)

(For those banging the "just fill your mug and use the exact amount of water" drum - this doesn't work in very high-limescale areas as it's impossible to keep the kettle free of it. I have a bit of an aversion to crunchy tea-dregs... ) 

I own and run a transport company 
The poster implied many lorries were going that speed 
There are a few who probably have a tampered with their limiters  but on the whole very rare .We are constantly being monitored one way or the other the penalty is harsh

joedenise

I'd be lost without my Remoska Grande.  I've had it a few years now and it's worth it's weight in gold as you can use it to cook so much.  I've also got a halogen which includes a rotating chip basket, skewers and a rotating sausage holder so agin very useful.

The Remoska is what gets used most because it is such low wattage (600w) compared with the halogen (1200w) so definitely money saving.

Wednesday2000

I just revised my monthly budget today and it has increased significantly even with the cuts I've made. We also annoyingly had to get our fence fixed as the recent storm wrenched it off it's hinges on one side and now we have found out today that we are due to complete on our new house in less than 3 weeks time! Probably didn't need to get the fence fixed as it is a BTL man buying our house and he would have probably done it. Oh well.

Luckily, the fence man we used today is from the same neck of the woods that we are moving to so at least we know we have a reliable person there as we definitely need the fence done there too.

I took my coppers etc... to the local shop today to use it up.

Batch cooking tomorrow is on the cards.:)

Spendless

I'm another grateful for weather good enough to line dry yesterday. Have just put another load on. Came downstairs to discover living  room light left on all night, but could have been worse. I got up in the night hearing the dog bark to discover teenager still up, chatting on her phone having left the garden light on and the back door wide open. I will be speaking to her about why things have to be turned off and shut. 

euronorris

I wonder how long it will be until I utter 'it's like Blackpool illuminations in 'ere!' like my dad used to when I was a kid lol.

Meal plan coming into action now. Had jacket spud with some beans and a side salad for lunch yesterday, and then chicken fajitas for dinner (DD just had 'chicken wrap', which is basically the same minus the spice mix and onions *rolls eyes*). And I lifted out some mince beef from the freezer yesterday ready to make spaghetti bol tonight. Put it in the fridge overnight to defrost (means the fridge then doesn't have to work as hard - bonus). Have taken out of fridge now to finish defrosting.

I've got some cashback coming my way from the bank account as I earnt 5% cashback on my spends at Morries this month (which I didn't even realise at the time, so a nice surprise).

Squirreling away every extra penny I can. Eek it out.

sammyjammy

pelirocco said:

EssexHebridean said:

pelirocco said:

littlemoney said:

From what I saw yesterday there is no shortage of money and everyone can afford the increasing price of fuel. I have reached this conclusion after two 20 mile journerys along a dual carriageway. I travelled at a steady 50 mph to increase fuel economy and many cars and lorries came zooming past me doing 60 - 70 mph. No car or lorry stayed behind me for long.

No lorry was zooming past  you doing 60 - 70 miles per hour ,they are limited  by law to 56 mphb( in reality  the limiters not allow them to reach that )

Not quite true - yes what we would once have called "Heavy good vehicles" are limited to 56mph - and these days the majority *should*  be fitted with untamperable limiters, however in reality there are still ways and means of drives/operators getting around that. They will also run over that level when running downhill - 60mph is far from unliely, and even a little higher - but often a little beyond if they drop revs while going uphill as it's frequently difficult for a driver of such a vehicle to get the revs back up again to a level to get back up through the range on the gearbox. (And this is why you may have seen a truck driver get REALLY hacked off with someone pulling out in front of them and making them brake on a uphill stretch!). I reported a truck that passed us on a motorway in Scotland a couple of years ago - we were doing 68mph at the time (verified by both speedo and independent satnav - so while not 100% accurate probably no more than a mile or two out at that speed) and he sailed past us (undertaking, as well) as though we were barely moving - it was actually quite scary to see. 

Slinky said:

Spendless, I've got 2 thermos flasks, one of which has been used a lot for coffee in the past so you can't get the smell out. OH has a flask on his desk and my flask with water only gets tipped into the kettle to reheat, minimum amount at a time, to make my tea. Can't stand stewed thermos tea. I also put a small amount of water into the kettle after boiling it to take the edge off with the rest of the heat from the boiled kettle.

ETA the reason for using flasks, for us, is we have economy 7 so I fill them at cheap rate.

This reminds me, I need to go and take the soup I made yesterday out of the fridge for lunch.

This is exactly what we do on days when we're at home - as long as the kettle can be boiled first thing on the cheap rate at least. The first boil of the day is a full kettle, transfer the balance to the flask then next lot of drinks get made straight from the flask for MrEH's coffee, and a cupful back into the kettle for my tea. (At which point I have to remember I'm doing it as it boils SO fast if I'm not ready with the tea-bag I end up having to wait until the kettle will let me reboil it yet again!)

(For those banging the "just fill your mug and use the exact amount of water" drum - this doesn't work in very high-limescale areas as it's impossible to keep the kettle free of it. I have a bit of an aversion to crunchy tea-dregs... ) 

I own and run a transport company 
The poster implied many lorries were going that speed 
There are a few who probably have a tampered with their limiters  but on the whole very rare .We are constantly being monitored one way or the other the penalty is harsh

Could it be foreign lorries speeding or do they have the same limiter?  There are an awful lot of them on our roads.

EssexHebridean

Washing dried outside here yesterday and another load out this morning but by the time I got to work it was pouring with rain so it may be that lot won't be dry - it actually hangs under cover but it being wet on the ground often slows the drying process so we'll see. Heating turned down dramatically yesterday though with the promise of warmer temperatures overnight and today, and out electricity cost on the overnight rate in spite of WM, DW and a shower each this morning was under £3 when I looked before we left for work. Never thought THAT would be a good figure to see!  

Spendless

Not creating muck/mess/stains in the first place would be a help.

Several times already this morning I've gone outside bare-footed (I know, I'm an idiot!) and in doing so I've fetched 'bits' into the house onto the carpet that now needs the vacuum cleaner out.

I wasn't thinking because this was purely nip out to the washing line to add something and same with adding some items to the recycling (bin day). I will buy myself some slippers, as I don't currently own any plus a cheap pair of flip flops I think that I leave at the door. I'm going away later this month so will buy the flip flops/sliders for the dual purpose.