2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

andromache_2

That's great bails! Sounds like a very sensible shopping trip

Just found out that I can get dental treatment at NHS rates through my university - at home we only have private - so I've booked an appointment. I did try sending off for the HC1 thingie at the start of the year but apparently I 'earn' £100 too much i.e. am going £100 too far into debt with the SLC to qualify

Hope everyone's well. Back to the essay... *sigh*

bails

Thanks Andromache! If you want a distraction from your essay, you could always tell me in great detail where you're going travelling, I'd love to hear! My sig used to have 'Asia Fund' in it til the end of last year when we decided to change our plans for the time being - we were saving to fly to India and then travel through Nepal, Tibet, China, Mongolia and Russia, overland through Europe if we had any money left Not for now but one day... We're also going to buy a van, do it up and travel round the whole of Africa (one we can do with the kids)...

Frugaldom

Bails, you'll be next for the diary publishing and, instead of it being 'Around the World in 80 Days, it can be Around the World in Frugal Ways. :T

I just received email with flight offers from £4.99! These are the reason I am NOT renewing my passport.

No signs of the storms here yet, so I've been out and potted my tomato seedlings, pepper 'sprouts' and planted some garlic chives. I've got onion seeds to plant and then, hopefully, the potatoes will be sprouted (chitted?) enough to plant. I only hope the landlord lets us stay on long enough to see the fruits of our labours.

I have had to switch on ANOTHER heater today, set at low all day. It's not because of the cold, it's because when I went to clean the windows this morning the wall behind the settee is really damp! If only I could light the fire! I'm seriously considering just dragging all the 'stuffing' from the downstairs fireplace and lighting a paper to see if it draws the smoke up or not. Upstairs has a huge open (inglenook?) fireplace hidden begind wooden boards at the moment. It seems such a waste of electricity heating the place when the fires could be lit! (I have also seen a really nice antique grate that would look fantastic in there!) I may blow the cigarette savings and buy it anyway, it surely won't go wrong waiting for a new house and, all going well, we may be able to use it here if LL lets us extend the lease. Oh, I don't know!... Must go and look at it again. Maybe not. Maybe... hmm... maybe I'll go see if it's still there and if it IS then I'll know it's been waiting for me, if it's gone then it wasn't to be... must dash!

Janey51

Ooooh nyk I would definitely be investigating those fireplaces. We discovered a lovely Victorian one behind a piece of plywood in one of our bedrooms.
Unfortunately there was rain blowing in the chimney making the wall damp so the chimney had to be taken down. But it makes a nice feature in the bedroom.
We are very lucky as we have lived in our rented house for 10 yrs and hope to be here for another 10. Rent has never gone up which is brilliant.
Has anyone seen the news saying that the Scottish Parliament are possibly going to propose doing away with Council Tax and go for local income tax? Our Council Tax (including water) is £152pm so that would be good. But what they would tax instead I can't imagine. Whatever it will be, I will aim not to buy it..unless its chocolate

It's sleeting pretty hard here at the moment so I will be closing the shutters soon. All 3 cats are in the room with us staking their claims for the warmest spot so I guess they know the weather is going to change.

DH is not a good patient and will not do as he is told :mad:

I am off to work soon.

Courtesy car coming Thursday so I hope its not a gas guzzler.

bails

Ha ha, I love that title Nyk, can I use it for a small fee? I was actually writing a book about Zimbabwe (had a publisher and everything) but had to be put on hold with the rest of life :rolleyes: It was more of a political thing (shh, don't reveal my identity to Mugabe ) but I also had a more travelly novel in mind for another region... one day (I say that a lot at the mo ).

My pepper seeds still haven't sprouted...hmm... Fireplace sounds lovely, and I sympathise completely with the rental situation; wanting to make a 'home' just the way you want it but not knowing how long you're staying :mad: Hope it's still there for you...

taka

Nyk , do you know anyone with a dehumidifier you could borrow or maybe try freecycle for one? In my old flat we had problems with the moisture levels at 1 end of the flat (northfacing, shaded...) and a dehumidifier did wonders for it.

taka

<<<<<<<Whats going on with my stars?? One of them has turned into a star shaped medal?? :eek:

slowlyfading

taka, i have no idea!

slowlyfading

oh gosh, mine have also changed!! :eek:

bails

Mine haven't, why not? Ooh, now they have!