Dusty's Frugal Fortnights Return!

Floss

dustydigger said:

Katiehound said:

I wonder if it would be possible to use the volunteer car service one way and a taxi for the other- probably in that order because I know you can be waiting for ages & other patients to get the transport home.

....I am going to forget the whole thing till after Xmas,perhaps the family can help sort it out. I have enough on my plate sorting Xmas,cant focus! 

Would one of your family give you a lift there & you get a taxi home? I certainly didn't expect my pensioner mum to travel to her hospital appointments on public transport, either I or one of my brothers took her (she was widowed before retirement & did not drive).

dustydigger

Floss said:

dustydigger said:

Katiehound said:

I wonder if it would be possible to use the volunteer car service one way and a taxi for the other- probably in that order because I know you can be waiting for ages & other patients to get the transport home.

....I am going to forget the whole thing till after Xmas,perhaps the family can help sort it out. I have enough on my plate sorting Xmas,cant focus! 

Would one of your family give you a lift there & you get a taxi home? I certainly didn't expect my pensioner mum to travel to her hospital appointments on public transport, either I or one of my brothers took her (she was widowed before retirement & did not drive).

For the appointment tomorrow no one was available. One son is away in Scotland,the other is the only smart meter fitter in his company,he covers the whole of the northeast and is working insane hours,and is even on call at weekends.They even sent him to do jobs down in Wigan a few weeks ago! 

 Perhaps the situation will be different in January,the son working in Scotland sometimes has a week working locally. Too early to work out yet,we can sort things after Xmas.

dustydigger

So how is everyone getting on preparing for Xmas? I have sorted out everyone's goodie bags,but some are just in carrier bags till xmas bags I ordered online arrive. I have also ordered new blutack and drawing pins,cant find my old pins anywhere,and the blutack I have is hard and  useless.I am going to put up my tree today,the baubles,lights etc are all over the couch to force me to ignore my lethargy and get it done

Never did find those missing Xmas cards,so Mr Dusty bought family cards, spending a mere £10 . Ouch. Posted some cards but who knows when they'll get them with postal strikes.

My original plan of course was to have everything done by 1st Dec,but as ever things went pearshaped. At least I have delivery dates set for asd@,this wednesday,and next Tuesday, the 20th. Dont even have to strain to be frugal this year,because I am not making Xmas dinner for eight as I always did. DS1 is making our dinner,and and the tribe are congregating at my DS2s  house on Xmas Day. Thats a major saving,as I normally have 8 for dinner,then about 15 - 18 here all day till about 7 pm. Probably saving around £70 on food and drink. Feels odd though after years of doing the xmas day celebrations.

Muddy_Walker

Our shopping is done wrapped inspected by the dogs…moved away from the dogs 🫣 we have cut down again this year and I got some great bargains in Black Friday with a well known online store.
we are at BIL this year with all of us contributing which is fair. Last year I was in hospital over Christmas having major emergency surgery so it was very flat as you can imagine! Trying to summon up some enthusiasm to do the tree….

dustydigger

@Muddy_Walker

Well,at least you are not in hospital this year! I got out all the stuff for decorating tree/walls yesterday,meaning to guilt myself into doing it today. Unfortunately in the morning I was busy tidying and cleaning and cooking,at a snail's pace because of my bad back. Cant stand up for more than 10 mins or so. Then after dinner I wanted to get my sittingroom window cleaned,it was filthy. Managed it by 2.30 before it got too dark to see,and by then the back was rather annoying,I had to rest.Fell asleep of course for over an hour.. All I have done is get the tree unpacked and set up,put ornaments in piles ready to use,but since then Mr D has been back downstairs,wanting tea,or a snack,or proof that he doesnt start his next eyedrops still Thursday,not Monday.I wrote the start date onto the packet last month just for such a situation,he just gets suspicious of anything I say! So I havent got round to doing the tree after all, and have to make supper soon,so maybe tomorrow?

dustydigger

Just dawned that since Mr Dusty got our pensions this morning ,I should have done my budget. Half a brain is barely better than none,I'm afraid.

We got the dear old traditional £10 gift from the govt. When they started giving people that money decades ago,it was worth quite a nice amount,now it would only buy a takeaway - well,in the good old days. Now its gone into the energy savings binder!

dustydigger

Dusty's Frugal Fortnight #16  Budget for  12th December to 25th December

Part is online,part cash

online income: £79  pension ,£250 added to bank from our Pension Credit.making £329 in total in bank

Then £73 cash to HBB (Home Budget Box) 

Total income  for fortnight.-£402.

All bills paid online as follows(rounded up)

Water Rates - £36

Charity DDs - £6

Kindle Unlimited - £8

Life insurance - £20

Asd@ food deliveries (estimate)  - £140

total online bills - £210 To bank buffer - £119

---------------------

This is the easy fortnight,no big bills. Not very big asd@ cost either,since I got stocked up on usual items over the last few weeks,and am not having a horde of visitors to cater for.I would normally spend a LOT more!

got the budget down to a smooth easy regime. The excess this fortnight sits in the bank to help pay the bills in the next much bigger fortnight.

Muddy_Walker

I am hoping to have more decorations vibes tomorrow! Hope you have less pain tomorrow too Dusty xx

Auntycaz

You should probably have a cold weather payment coming soon too @Dusty if your weather is anything like mine.

dustydigger

@Auntycaz

Yep,the payment will go straight to the energy binder,which now has over £500 in it. .Last month they reduced my monthly payment by £20,and this is the first time in 8 months that my credit balance has gone down. It rose to an insane £804,but has gone down now to £768. Last year I used 18850 kwh,this year less than 14,400 units(with a fortnight to go of course).I am saving every penny for next year,next winter will be the worst for many people. We wrinklies will continue to get help,but millions are not going to get help,because,you know,austerity. The austerity policies after the credit cruch ruined all our public services,and it is an insane way to cope with an expected 2 year recession,so our society will be poorer than ever,while the rich get richer. sad.