The "Grand Plan" - Phase One well underway!

SingleSue

StuartGMC wrote: »

LOL a great picture that creates; the question is did you change it round just in front the hotel

Lol missed this earlier....

I rather deftly nipped into the loos just outside the function room and turned it the right way round. :rotfl:

StuartGMC

Oh, I'd thought you'd have done so in the car park....

Actually reminds me of getting to a wedding many years ago; should have taken 4hrs drive, so we allowed 6 and as it was summer (if you're old enough that used to be a time of sunshine and hot weather :rotfl:) we traveled in shorts and T-shirts.

It was the first weekend of the school holidays (we didn't have dd then so forgot!) and it took 6.5hrs... WE got changed outside the church (much to the local's consternation) and legged it inside just as bride and groom completed the exchange of vows! (probably get arrested these days!).

TTFN
Stuart

StuartGMC

EssexHebridean wrote: »

*edit* just done the comparison of the prices for Fix 2011 online - it is definately the way to go for us as the rates are the same as we're paying on the standard tariff at the moment!

As per my thread, British Gas has changed the offer now; it runs to 31 Jan 2012, but in our area prices are increased about 7.5% above those you and I have just fixed... :beer:

EssexHebridean

Ah - good news there then Stuart - thanks for letting me know. :beer: indeed!

EssexHebridean

Counted the contents of "pigasus" at the weekend - another £40 which was paid into the bank on Sunday and will be transferred over to the ISA next time I go into it.

We're still energy monitoring - we are averaging about 5 kwh per day on the night rate and about the same on the day rate over the two weeks since we've been actively trying to keep our use down. We're trying to make the best use of the night rate electric - we slipped a bit in that respect last week with a few loads of washing being done in the evenings. I may experiment with putting the dishwasher on a delayed start via a time switch overnight tonight so that another load of washing can go on in the morning. Annoyingly one of the things I really wanted to monitor was the washing machine but I can't because you can;t get at the socket where it's plugged in!

We are considering one expenditure - for a while now we've thought about the possibility of being able to get an extra small freezer - at the moment we have a tall fridge freezer in the kitchen - however we also have a space between our inner and outer front doors, which happens to have a power socket in it. I measured up the other day and we could basically fit into that gap any freezer with a width of 55cm or less with a door which will open in its own space (as many do these days) so we may go and take a look at options at the weekend. It would mean that at times when we need to stock up on meat etc we can do so without having space problems. It would also mean that we can take advantage of gluts of fruits etc available cheaply or buy thigs in bulk where there are bargains to be had. It needs more thought yet, but is certainly worthy of consideration.

Optimisticpair

EssexHebridean wrote: »

We are considering one expenditure - for a while now we've thought about the possibility of being able to get an extra small freezer - at the moment we have a tall fridge freezer in the kitchen - however we also have a space between our inner and outer front doors, which happens to have a power socket in it. I measured up the other day and we could basically fit into that gap any freezer with a width of 55cm or less with a door which will open in its own space (as many do these days) so we may go and take a look at options at the weekend. It would mean that at times when we need to stock up on meat etc we can do so without having space problems. It would also mean that we can take advantage of gluts of fruits etc available cheaply or buy thigs in bulk where there are bargains to be had. It needs more thought yet, but is certainly worthy of consideration.

I think for the outlay on the electricity a small freezer for extra storage of bargain buys is a good swop. Especially if it also saves you the cost of transport to shop. One place I lived at in the back of beyond we shopped monthly but it meant there was always a good variety of the makings of meals in stock.

EssexHebridean

Thanks Optimistic - we're going to go and have a look and see what's available over the weekend I think.

British Gas are still playing up with our billing. We got a bill today for the electricity - which was, for some reason, for 6 weeks! More to the point though, it was also estimated, and wrong! The good news though is that it looks like our direct debit will be able to come down at least another £10 per month which will be good for a start. I'll have to ring them tomorrow with the corrected readings.

StuartGMC

EH
Hope that doesn't bode ill for my return to them in October!

EssexHebridean

Strangely enough Stuart, it was you I was thinking of as I posted that!

Good luck - you may yet need it! :rotfl:

EssexHebridean

Bit of a mammoth session on the phone with a couple of extremely helpful chaps from British Gas earlier on - hopefully we are all sorted out now, although I get a sneaky feeling they have registered me for paperless billing - I shall opt out again if so as I'm intending to wait to register for that until they offer me an incentive - preferably financial - to do so! The corrected readings are in, the DD reduces to £57 per month from November (must remember to add that extra £13 on to the mortgage payments from 1st November onwards) - this is down from £89 per month earlier in the year so a good saving being made there purely as a result of a little housekeeping! and we can also now get in to enter our readings online (we couldn't before - the way they had our account set up made it impossible to enter a surname which their system would recognise!) so that should make it easier to keep track.

This afternoon I popped to our local Sainsbury's and have bought some of their Basics range to try - pretty much the same stuff I usually buy in tesco value - chopped toms, baked beans, tuna chunks - plus tea bags which had been recommended by someone on here, and lasagne sheets, likewise. They also have a BOGOF on the pate we use for sandwiches so I have bought four packs of that - two of which are now in the freezer. Only spent £3.49 which I thought was quite good, and it'll be interesting to do the comparisons on the economy products. The tuna especially - the Tesco one has got quite "chunk free" of late - we will see if Mr S's is any better. Next time I am near Asda I shall buy the same range from there and see what I think.