General Chat

Eeyore with Tiger Stripes, your second line has made me laugh, and bought back memories. As a child just after the war, we lived on an island off the West coast of Scotland. My mother used to dress me, in the winter, in seven layers of clothing,indoors, and another two when going outdoors. It went like this, vest, liberty bodice, full underskirt,blouse,jumper,gym slip, cadigan. And ontop for the out doors, a coat, and a sou'wester, yellow like Captain Birdseye. I must have looked and walked like a Teletubby.
Julia in Derbyshire

OK we sound like a political party here. One which is actually made up with real people who are suffering economic hardship.

What shall we call ourselves? Can we scrape together a deposit to stand at the next bi-election?

So when we watch Prime Ministers Question Time in the winter, will we see GB sat there in his overcoat and gloves? I doubt it!

lol. Yeah I suppose wearing more clothes is a good solution in theory but the extra clothes will still need extra washing cycles that's more in heating and water too...... extra drying....hmmmm not even able to put a load out on the line and it's mid July so more work for the poor old tumble and it's LOADS more money to use that too WE:RE DOOMED lol xx

Love the advice they've just given:-
Wear extra clothes-we're all going to look like the Michelin Man.

I think we are all going to have to learn to be a bit more frugal to make the pennies go around. Personally, I can't bear waste, as I'm sure many others can't. I am so fed up of buying celery,for instance, and having to throw away the green outside sticks, which are tough and inedible. I am also fed up with watching TV chefs advocating making your own vegetable stock, only to drain off the liquor and throw away perfectly good vegetables. Bearing this in mind, the other day, in a large pan, I put the celery stalks,carrots,parsnip,turnip,potato,leeks,and onions, all roughly chopped up, into a large pan, and covered with water. I left it for a while to simmer, and when cooked,cooled it. I then blitzed it down, to a thick puree, and left it in it's concentrated form to go cold. My yeild was 8x1pt containers for the freezer. At a later date I can thin this down to use as a base for any soups in the winter.
Likewise, I shall go back to my old practice of boiling the chicken carcasses, instead of throwing it away. Any small pieces stipped of the carcass before boiling can be used for either putting into the soup, freezing for a curry, or, put with some pieces of ham and mushrooms, for a delicious pie. I also do things with leftover beef and lamb, but never pork.
I havn't any room for chickens, or I would be the first down the livestock market. But Just Barbara, whilst I agree with you regards the knitting, having been an ardent knitter for nearly 60yrs, have you seen the price of yarn these days.
Julia in Derbyshire

Sue i've got you on my list

The worst thing at the moment is that it's so cold here and I keep putting the heating on, have we all become too used to creature comforts, I'm going to get some chickens and get the knitting needles out and start knitting some warm jumpers.
Have decided not to buy any more clothes this year because my wardrobes are full, all I have to do is slim into them lol, shouldn't be so hard with the price of food as it is...............

Fuel, electricity, gas and water are certainly going to be a problem. We are going to have to be even more inovative.

At the moment we don't run the dishwasher every day and when we do run it two out of three times we run it on the lowest setting. For just two of us we do seem to run the washing machine a lot so will have to look at ways to cut that.

We have got double glazing and cavity wall insulation, could do with thicker insulation in the roof though.
I am not sure with radiators, if you turn one off and shut off that room, does it reduce the heating bill? anyone know? I always think it would make the rest of the house colder and therefore the heating would have to work harder so would be counter productive. we have the hot water coming on twice a day because we were told that if you let the tank go cool it takes more electricity/gas to heat it up again. In the winter the heating also comes on twice a day.

We turned the thermostat down a notch last winter but the bill still went up so maybe another notch and another sweater!

Perhaps if anyone has any tips they could share them on here. fortunately we are not on the breadline but I do feel for those of you with young children who are. The other side of the coin is that pensioners are usually/often at home more than those who are younger and who work. we noticed a difference when we were home all day with heating bills. Not that we have the heating on all day unless it is really cold.

Ann
Glos

We were talking to a taxi driver friend of our last week. His company are working on the expectation that in 12 month's time fuel will be £10.00 per gallon.

I hope he is wrong......

I usually set the water to come on twice a day for an hour at this time of year,. I've started taking it off the timer and just feeling the tank instead and I've found that I could get a way with just having it come on once a day instead. Course this won't help in winter when you need the heating.

Also seen in the newspaper where it was suggested that you try and use the microwave rather than the oven to cook when you can and also a pressure cooker for your veg. I suppose every little helps but not by much I wouldn't think

I am an optimist, if necessary I will have to find an evening job or something to help us out.

I feel desperately sorry for those who haven't got this option and the winter is going to be awful if we are to keep warm and not be massively in debt to the gas and electricity companies.

The worst hit will be the families with very small children who have to be kept warm or those with disabilities who need warmth to keep them going.

At least pensioners get the heating allowance to help a bit..................families get nothing:(

and for us pensioners on fixed incomes I'm wondering where it will all end?

Hi Caz and Muffy,

It really is a big worry as obviously I am not working at present and the drop in income is a massive problem.

I'd sell my body but nobody would want it..lol

We went food shopping yesterday and I nearly passed out at the checkout!

Sue xx

Hi Muffs,

Its horrid, isnt it? We are having our car fixed and are having to borrow from my Mum and dad, we just dont have ANY money left over and by week 3 of the month are struggling. I go around all the places; netto, lidl, aldi, asda etc, to try and get bargains,

The fact its going to get worse is so worrying....


Cazzles xx

Barbara,

We used to have a farm and were as self sufficient as possible. I lived in both Germany and Spain and had a much better quality of life than here!

I think we are really getting a poor deal in the UK (even allowing for the NHS and pension).

Age is against us though! We were in Australia for a month Xmas 2006 and were amazed at the cost of living, I know the wages were less than here but you did get value for money.

We have spent a lot of time in Hungary and could live like royalty but the language is a BIG problem...lol

However, you can send for us at any time...*grin*

Sue x

Yes Cazzles. Us too. It's getting really scary. I don't think I've ever had to struggle to get through the month like I am doing now, and it's only the beginning we're told xx

Hi Sue,

This is so scary, I know our budget just wont give anymore. Is anyone else feeling the same way?

Caz xx

Hi Sue

If we go live abroad, do you want me to send for you, maybe we should all go back to living in communes, and all become self sufficient again. If my garden ever gets finished, I'm seriously considering having some chickens. Do cats take to chickens??

Barbara xx

Eldrick

Stop being smug...lol

Im so pleased that there is no gas where I live - I can be totally self sufficient in energy. Logs are free :-) Coal is still relatively cheap when supplemented with wood and I hardly use any electricity - when necessary I have a generator.

Water is from an underground spring pumped into a header tank by an old 'ram' system so not even any water bills and never any restrictions either.

:-)