Great Rural MoneySaving Hunt

Frugaldom

Thanks Harryhound, I didn't know that. :T

downshifter

Well at least the spammer encouraged me to revisit this thread!! So anyway fellow ruralees, how are we doing?

I reread my post about the downside of living a rural life and see that I spoke of snow back then, - anyone would think it had just been invented judging by the news!

In my case I decided to fork out (on credit card!!) for some oil only to discover the heating doesn't work, despite having had the boiler serviced not long ago, and no-one can get up here now to sort it out, so despite having a tank full of oil there's no heat! Just my luck. I'm using electricity and coal/log fire to keep warm in one room (but only a couple of days worth of coal left now) - though I wish I had a way of warming the bathroom too. Getting out of the shower or sitting on a cold loo seat is agony! As long as there are no power cuts - and round here wind seems to cause those, not snow or cold - I'll be warm enough but worried sick about the elec bill. I keep hearing politicians etc say not to worry about the bill but just keep warm, but with no great ideas about how to pay it eventually.

I haven't had post now (or bins emptied)since well before Christmas, hopefully I'll get all those cards in time for next Christmas, as well as some Amazon orders which will now have to go back - that's if they ever arrive - which were presents for people. I'm looking after a friend's animals while they're on holiday, normally a 5 min car drive away, but my car, a 4 wheel drive, is stuck! I realised that there is so much snow under it that a couple of the wheels aren't even on the ground. So I'm walking there twice a day, which yesterday involved battling against the wind. I put my hood up and look at my feet and daren't look up to see how far I've yet to go. I'm going to dig the car out today as I'm running out of cat and dog food for both me and the friend. Luckily a local farm sells farmers supplies - no bread or milk etc but at least I can get animal food, and I've got dried milk for me if I run out as well as good stocks of everything else. So I'll try and get my car down to them.

So off to trudge up the hill to feed the animals now. The sun is out, the temp has gone up to minus 7 according to a local weather station and yippee there's no wind! The sky is blue and so clear, being exposed on a hill means I can see for miles in every direction. It's absolutely stunning, I'm actually looking forward to the walk.

So how are you all doing?

DS

mardatha

How is everybody getting on ? How much snow did all the country dwellers have ? We had 4 FEET of the stuff and there's just nowhere to put it. The council dont grit up here and the village has to do it - my OH has cleared snow every day for 3 weeks and he's sick of it. They have started to chuck it into gardens because there's nowhere else
On the plus side, we've been really cosy with the stove belting out heat, we haven't had any frozen pipes ever in this house. (yet!!!) My interior walls are solid brick, and they're slighlty warm to touch, so I think having the stove on all the time heats the whole building.
But we've not been able to get deliveries for a while, I got one Asda guy shoved a pile of green boxes on a trolley up through deep snow & was so grateful I could have cuddled him, then the next one phoned from just off the main road for us to go down & collect it, so at least we got food. But I was thinking it leaves us (rurals) vulnerable to shortages & I have decided to stock up more. I do already with coal & calor, but will get in more food when I can afford it.
How's everybody else been ??

mardatha

:D I posted before I read your post ! SNAP!:D

mambury

well.....bloody cold here! Obviously!

We only have about 6 inches or so but as the roads aren;t gritted for about 3 miles and I live at the top of the hill..... I;m not going anywhere!

Kids are off school for the second day and with the forcast for a lot more snow at the weekend I can't see them going back next week either.

Luckily I am a bit of a hoarder with food with a massive freezer and fridge, cupboards stock to the gills with pasta, rice etc so we won't starve.

OH has been sent to Birmingham today so I hope he gets there okay.

Warm hugs and piping hot tea to all the other ruralees!

Mambury

mardatha

All roads in the Scottish Borders are closed today and no buses are running.

Lotus-eater

Boo, we had no snow yesterday or last night

The kids are well cheesed off to go to school when it's over the news that so many are shut.
Not looking forward to filling the oil tank, I see prices are going up again. Using the stockpile of wood up to lesson the drain on oil, but no way that's going to last the winter now.
We've loads of food though, even if we're not cut off. :rolleyes:

choille

elektra - Try keeping your kindling under your stove so it's really dry. A cheap candle, or candle stub wrapped in newspaper helps to light a fire if it's not going to go as does dried orange peel, birch bark.

The ice is still with us & animal feed is the problem & getting it at the moment. This has gone on so long now but surprised how much of our own food we have stashed in the shed & in the freezer, but the water's been frozen for weeks now.

But our cheapest Christmas ever as we couldn't get anywhere to buy anything. I think you do spend less on food as you have to make do, but if you can only get to the wee shop then it's very expensive. Normally you bulk buy for a few weeks, so don't have to go out as often, but ridiculous lately because of the ice.

rhiwfield

Had about 6 inches of snow and though the village roads are ok, we're on a hilly treacherous side road . We're well stocked with everything bar oil (!) so ekeing this out with the woodburner on all the time and spot leccy heating. Have ordered oil (46p a litre but unable to reach us at the mo ) but the best thing we've done is seal off the gaps at the bottom of curtains with wilko curtain rods on cup hooks.. works a treat on cutting out cold and draughts.

Only contact with garden is to feed the birds and fill up the runner bean trench with peelings and cardboard.

harryhound

choille wrote: »

elektra - Try keeping your kindling under your stove so it's really dry. A cheap candle, or candle stub wrapped in newspaper helps to light a fire if it's not going to go as does dried orange peel, birch bark.

The polythene "jugs" that supermarkets milk comes in, make pretty good fire lighters.
Smells like candle wax - burns like candle wax.