From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

VintageHistorian

We have a "dumb" TV but we plug a Roku into it and it turns it into a pseudo-smart one.

Greying_Pilgrim

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963185#Comment_81963185

…..Dashes off to see what 'Roku' is……..

ooooooo, learnt something again today. I knew of these 'sticks' but don't recall having heard of this brand. Isn't pr1me available in the same way? Or have I made that up - and is/wasn't n0wteevee along the same lines?

Mmm, thanks VH - I'll keep that in the mix - as there really isn't any need to ditch our current TV. And it's not like we could move it into the bedroom - I personally (and it's just for us, not a comment on what anyone else does) can't be doing with TV's in the bedroom, so it would just be given away, which is ludicrous when it still works. And half the time there isn't anything on. But LG did enjoy watching the series……..'Crookhaven' (?) on the eye-player. And whilst the TV in the van wasn't huge, it was bigger than a laptop screen.

Food for thought! Thanks hun. Greying X

VintageHistorian

Yes you can add various streaming platforms to it, including Prime. You can customise the landing page (for lack of a better term) to whatever channels you want, we've got iPlayer, 4OD and ITV Hub, but haven't bothered with Channel 5, nor do we have Netflix on it (we have Prime, Paramount Plus, and Disney Plus as I pay for that with clubcard vouchers). There's other free ones but we're not massive TV watchers a lot of the time so the half dozen we cycle through regularly are enough for us.

Jellytotts

We have used various plug in devices on our tvs in the past - DH loves a gadget. Always worth looking at your local C e x shop for 2nd hand (they test everything and you get a guarantee as you would if buying new). Our tv was on a unit that could never quite be in the right location/direction so we wall mounted with a double swing out arm, it now folds flat(ish) against the wall when not in use but can swing out so everyone in the room can see it….the advantage of it being higher means it’s at a more comfortable viewing level too. Bracket was £14 on the big river shop with all the appropriate fixings….was £32 in B and queue!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I have to say, and this is me thinking out loud, not a comment to anyone in particular - that we don't watch an awful lot of live TV. Sure, enough to make us liable for a TV licence (we have one), but hours per day of actual live TV are negligible. LG watches an awful lot of taped stuff, films etc on repeat. And whilst I think that 'casting' or broadcasting eye-player (or any of the other channels versions of it), on a TV would be good, I know that - for example - we would come under tremendous pressure to sign up to eg n3tfl1x from LG. Now, is there some good stuff on that channel? For sure, I'm not saying there isn't. But the radio DJ's in a morning, are always whanging on about the new 'must watch' series or they stay up to consume the whole series in one go. Now, if it gets to the stage where none of us can afford to leave our homes, and watching TV is all that is left, then I can see the value of satellite channels, but the over-riding issue with TV that i can see is, that there are 57 channels, with nothing on……….. LG likes the 'police, action, camera' type programmes, and there is usually an episode on 'somewhere', but it's about 5 mins of content, 10 minutes of 'what's coming up' or repeating 'what happened previously' and 10 minutes of adverts - which LG channel hops thru 🙄

Again, speaking entirely personally, and just 'out loud', not as a reply to anyone, I'm seeing our world shrinking at the moment, with rising fuel prices, we are already starting to curtail 'leisure' travel. And I've mentioned, having had the tow bar fitted on the car, we've yet to use it to take the bikes out on a trail. Circumstances change, it's no one's fault, and I'm not saying it is. But we seem to be losing our 'outdoorseyness' - because of a variety of factors, (DH's ongoing health issues are a part of that). Perhaps we've been able to keep hold of 'outdoorseyness' for longer than some (and some folk just aren't interested), but it seems like sitting in front of some sort of 'media' is all that is left - and it's not what I want for myself, and I'd hoped to encourage LG along for a little while longer. Although they did watch TV in the caravan, they did - pretty much - do everything (organised and spontaneous), that we'd slated for the week. The only time they got a bit tetchy, was towards the end of a long day - the hottest day - when I'd shoe-horned in a NT visit (because we were nearby). But DH got fed up that day too, so LG - being younger - can't actually be blamed for getting a bit grumpy.

That was just a brain dump - there's been quite a few moments where we've curtailed things, to make sure we've had fuel etc to do important visits/appointments - all the time whilst being passed by cars doing 100mph on the motorway, and having to listen to "for my holidays, I flew to mouse-ears-land, which for those of you who haven't been, is in the USA….." 🙄

I've put a towels wash on. There might be a drying opportunity this morning, although rain is forecast.

I will go shopping today. I have a tightly curated list, which will still cost in the order of £25 😬 And that's if I stick to it……must.not.spot.bargains.

I need to come up with something for tea, and make it, as LG has a dentist appt this afternoon.

Greying X

greenbee

GQ - there has been discussion on the radio recently about data showing that since the advent of mass use of screens, human intelligence has been declining after a continuous improvement for decades. So avoiding screens (particularly if it's not your thing anyway) is no bad thing. And I know you haven't shared LG's gender with us, but boys seem particularly vulnerable to online influences during their teens - we've had a near miss with close family, which has been dealt with and the teen concerned is now focusing on sports in a big way to help them avoid screens (they admitted they were spending too much time online and it was affecting their friendships), while another friend is dealing with a teen who has had a breakdown and psychotic episodes which are linked to their time online.

As for 'outdoorsyness', it may be you're just out of the habit - and we are just coming out of winter into spring. So maybe make some plans for using the towbar in the summer. Even short trips to places a little way from home, for short bike rides with a picnic so they don't challenge Mr GQ's health problems too much might at least make you all feel you've been 'out' and 'done something'.

Greying_Pilgrim

That's the sort of thing I'm afraid of greenbee - again, not being gender specific, but there are classmates (and younger) children at LG's school who are already displaying very 'antisocial' attitudes which are lifted straight from online media. There is a really chilling display of misogyny already - and that impacts everyone in the school, including the staff. LG is having trouble with other kids (again), and it boils down to 2 things; that children have lost the ability to play together and work as a team, and that children don't respectively engage with others (children nor adults), and assume that everyone acts that way. The 'traditional' games of chase/tag (for example), are losing interest, because the same children never want to be 'it' and swap the rules or cheat to make it that the same children are always 'it'. And then if some of the kids get fed up of playing and walk away, these very same kids get all petty and stamp their foot in front of teacher, and claim 'X won't play with me'. It's bleeping pathetic.

Yes, out of the habit IS a big problem, and stems back to DH's ill health. No one can help being ill, but DH has always given everything to work, and has nothing left - particularly when feeling under the weather. It was OK when it was just us two, but it's become more of an issue now we have a child. And, I hate to say it, but DH is capable of getting a cough, and deeming it man-flu………….

I know we can plan more as the weather changes - I'm just (perhaps erroneously), keeping one eye on fuel prices which seem to only be going one way at the mo…… It's a shame, there is an event that DH would love, happening at the end of May (he's on leave), but it is as many miles away as our recent holiday, and I'm thinking we can't afford it. OK, that's the way of the world, there will always be things we can't afford, but with DH also saying he doesn't want to drive as far anymore (so much for miracle satnav making driving so much easier….🙄), I don't know whether we'll be able to visit in the future.

Anyhoo, I'm just thinking out loud. And not all social media/technology is bad. But we are seeing some negative effects - I think it's even more disturbing that it is really quite young children being like this too. I know I'm old-fashioned, I know I'm a luddite, but it's not just me seeing/thinking these things, society is changing and not all of it is for the better. BUT, again, by talking it out, I'm seeing that there is still some of this that I can keep in my sphere of control, and yes, making plans and executing them (ie saving fuel for trips) is still in my capability - even if, instead of going to a cycle trail 30 miles away, you go to one 10 miles away (for example).

Thank you for listening. Please never hear criticism of anyone here, I'm just working through things. And RL isn't sometimes quite as straightforward and logical and just plain 'nice' as it is here at MSE central.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Right, shopping done. And even at my advance years, I'm going to award myself a slight pat on the back, and say "well done" for sticking to the list. 🤣

I went to 3 shops; MrL, MrS and hB. No green boxes.

In total I spent £25.48. But I didn't get any ginger, and I didn't get any tahini (I misread the MrL promo, and it was on app price, not just 'Greek Week' price). I bought both types of tea (decaf and full strength) instead,and I bought some parsley, and had forgotten to budget for bananas (we've just finished the brown baggy ones).

I know I'm keeping to a very tight budget, and my shops are 'component/ingredient' driven, but there were no 'fun' foods in today's shop ☹️ I started to see empty shelves - our MrS was particularly bad in the 'winter' veg aisles. I don't know if it was just them - I haven't been in MrS for a couple of weeks, they weren't in abundance in our holiday locale. And it's difficult to tell with our local hB, as it has a bad stocking record anyway, so empty shelves are a much more common sight there.

It was very quiet in the shops, but that could well be down to school holidays - some schools only broke up on Maundy Thursday, so they're in their second week. Also, i expect everyone that can has hightailed it to the sun on the Costas! Bravo! 😁🏖️

Right, away to update my siggie figgie and GC report.

Greying X

badmemory

I watch so much TV that when the scaffolders damaged the input it took me 5 days to realise. I doubt I'll ever buy another one because I wonder how long it will be before they become obsolete like landlines are becoming. This is a bit of a problem here because the mobile signal is rubbish. Nothing like progress is there.

Watty1

I gave away the TV in the living area. I have one in the bedroom and that is enough for the amount we watch, although over the winter I did bring the projector from the office in and set it up so we could steam the odd thing and that has worked really well - and - we now watch a lot more than we ever did LOLOL