What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[Frnc]

Frnc, a landline and any CHEAP pug in phone, not cordless, will work for a couple of days ( on BT’s batteries),
when mobiles die if power is cut to cell towers (blackout or deliberate) or the government can just tell the
company to shut them down as in the 7/7 London terror attack.

itsybitsy, same here with amazon, bet my basket’s bigger than yours

I have a cheap phone. It is not cordless, and just plugs in. Only got it for emergencies, and to test the line. I don't think it has batteries. I assume it's powered by the phone line itself.

[diamond lil]

Not prepping related, but don't touch EE. We had to swap when we moved as no landline in this flat. Within a few months they hiked the price up on a month's notice and then announced another rise the next April. I found on MSE they're famous for doing that.
Itsy I thought you'd gone into full Camper mode with that vaseline, it lights fires. I'm wondering if coffee will go up - what do we think on that?

[jennyjj01]

Not prepping related, but don't touch EE. We had to swap when we moved as no landline in this flat. Within a few months they hiked the price up on a month's notice and then announced another rise the next April. I found on MSE they're famous for doing that.
Itsy I thought you'd gone into full Camper mode with that vaseline, it lights fires. I'm wondering if coffee will go up - what do we think on that?

EE is what's left of BT

And I wondered if the vaseline was something to do with using it as a fuel source for wet candles.

[Peter]

Last Autumn I thought I’m getting too old to lug buckets of coal, clean out the ash every morning,
and mop the hearth, so have not used the multi fuel stove this winter.

So I set the central heating at 21C, 24/7, more as an experiment. Now it’s warmer the CH has cut out
completely and Gas just heats water, our home is very insulated.

We have been paying £150 per month direct debit for both Gas and Electricity over winter now our latest
combined bill, gas and electricity, shows we are about £60 in debt, I look forward to see how it works out
over 12 months, meanwhile we have saved at least £40 a month on coal, kindling, fire lighters etc.

We will keep the stove and some smokeless coal for power outages, we have propane for cooking and have a
small solar system for charging AA/AAA batteries and usb devices, seasoned campers can live with 12 volts.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Got a new job

Told current job well they are flapping like a flock of pigeons outside Gregg's at dinner time

Especially when they very rapidly discovered that attempts to "throw more money at me " wasn't going to work

New company is willing to pay for training and send me on courses I've been lined up with more course before Ive started than the last 17 years at current job have ever offered

[jennyjj01]

Got a new job

Congratulations.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Got a new job

Congratulations.

Thanks

[Frnc]

Last Autumn I thought I’m getting too old to lug buckets of coal, clean out the ash every morning,
and mop the hearth, so have not used the multi fuel stove this winter.

So I set the central heating at 21C, 24/7, more as an experiment. Now it’s warmer the CH has cut out
completely and Gas just heats water, our home is very insulated.

We have been paying £150 per month direct debit for both Gas and Electricity over winter now our latest
combined bill, gas and electricity, shows we are about £60 in debt, I look forward to see how it works out
over 12 months, meanwhile we have saved at least £40 a month on coal, kindling, fire lighters etc.

We will keep the stove and some smokeless coal for power outages, we have propane for cooking and have a
small solar system for charging AA/AAA batteries and usb devices, seasoned campers can live with 12 volts.

Try setting your C/H lower at night. You could save money and not even notice. Most people find 16-18 ideal for sleeping. I have to keep my room below 18.7 before bed in mid winter, or my winter duvet will be too hot later. I have my thermostat set to 18 all day in winter, and that keeps my room about 19- 19.5. So I often end up turning it off at some point. If my room cools too much, I use an electric radiator for about 10 minutes.

My direct debit is £85. I'm on a fixed rate for the next two years, which I think will pay off, as prices are expected to rise in July and October. Prices dropped in April, and as a one off, most fixed rates also dropped. I'm currently paying about 1p more than SV for gas and electricity. Standing charges are the same.

[Arzosah]

I'm wondering if coffee will go up - what do we think on that?

I'm sure it's going to go up - it has to come to us from overseas, which uses fuel for the ships - anything and everything is going to go up, I have about 1.4 kilos of freeze dried instant stocked up and more coming next week.

Got a new job

Congratulations! Sounds like a really good deal.

For my own preps: stocking up like mad, including hand gel and face masks, but to my shame I haven't yet filled the petrol tank to the brim (will be doing that next Wednesday). The other thing I'm doing is decluttering to make space for whatever else I need.

[Frnc]

Currently got thermostat at 17.5 for 2 hours in the morning, then 17 until 20.30 when it goes off. Gas budget is about £18 for this month, and it will drop to about £5 a month for May to the end of September, which covers showers and washing up.

Aiming to spend as little as possible, and build my savings back up.