What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

[Yorkshire Andy]

Had a weekend of tidying and managed to wet vacuume the lounge carpet whilst its got a chance of drying properly.....



Continuing my epic recharge fest all the torches are done bar 3 that are awol they will be found know one is in the car and another in my high vis winter jacket pocket ...


Next up is to drain and charge all the little power banks I've amassed shouldn't be too bad just let the kids use them when tablets/ phones need charging they'll soon get through them

[Frnc]

Contacted EDF as I realised my new tariff is supposed to be only for people who've just moved home. They said it was ok. £50 saved. Sent them another email saying my household has dropped from 3 to 1, and I expect my energy use to drop. Don't want them getting suspicious. I plan to heat the house minimally, and use an electric radiatior in my room.

Room was a bit cold this morning, had to shut the window. I've got used to the heat, but I'm glad it's over.

[Frnc]

Ordered a cheap lamp for the room just vacated by the lodger. I keep the blinds shut. But I want a lamp on in the dark evenings, because I watch Netflix etc with the light off. I do have a lamp in the back living room, but I want one at the front of the house as well, otherwise the house is permanently dark at the front. I have a couple of spare timers, so I'll stick it on one of those.

Had the council round to inspect my roof. Roofers failed to register it via NFRC. Got my building regs compliance cert, just in case I ever come to sell the house. I did notice a tiny bit of daylight behind a rafter, where the chimney stack was taken down, but fortunately the inspector didn't notice.

Did some calculations on humidity. I found two online calculators that I can use. One is to calculate the dew point. The other is for absolute humidity. So for example, say it's 16° and 75% relative humidity outside, I can get the absolute figure, and then add the temperature in my loft, to see what the rel humidity reading should be up there. I did it once so far, and it was only a bit high. I also did it for the cellar, as it was 74% down there. But it has been raining a lot.

[pseudonym]

Converted a small PB "win" into a tube of 1/4 Oz Silver Britannias. Awaiting delivery

[Frnc]

Lodger's empty food cupboard didn't last long. It's not exactly prep food, but I got a 1.8kg tub of low salt Bisto gravy granules, because it was cheaper. So that's gone in there, plus some big stuff that gets in the way like cereal and my scales. Moved some bits down from the prep room, some things I buy in bulk, or like to have a few in stock, like coffee, tubs of parsley sauce mix. I might stop buying the Azera though, the price jumped back up.

Went to Aldi for the first time in ages. Mainly because they do nice whisky that's about £1.50 cheaper than the cheapest at Sainsbury's or Amazon. I was gonna get some of their microground coffee, but the shelf was empty. Tried some other, that was actually more expensive, but it's a bit bland. It'll get used though.

[Frnc]

Told EDF my household had gone from 3 to 1, in case they got suspicious as to why my energy use had dropped a lot. They offered to reduce my direct debit, so it's down to £90 a month for gas and electricity. The app would only let me reduce it to £108.

By the way, I believe there are new tariffs coming out. All companies will have to offer a no standing charge tariff, I think. This would suit a low use household, like myself. But I signed up for one with £100 off the standing charges this year anyway. It's supposed to be happening in October. My standing charges can be up to a quarter of my daily bill, so it might be worth doing next time round.

[pseudonym]

Just another pie, mash and liquor order from Manzes in London.

It's a food prep honest....

[GeeGee]

Just another pie, mash and liquor order from Manzes in London.

It's a food prep honest....

You'll tell us anything
She says after getting her own order of things today ..
Its my happy eat cake day today another year older be surprised/ glad I'm still here
In the run up to any birthday I'm usually bombarded with funeral plans more funeral plans insurance plans and any other plan anyones invented for your upcoming death
Makes me think every year is everything up to date
Been hunting through paperwork I have .. I still have a lot in paper form and realised I hadn't changed address on some stuff and looking at it all now I've moved certain things don't apply
So I will be updating will and leaving precise Instructions as to what to do with me when I am no longer here
Its surprising really when going through the list of everyone to change address and you think you've finished..theres always something
Been aldi also and bought most of the stock of kitty food they had on shelves 20 p less per pack than most stores she's a fussy one this cat likes her gourmet but good with mice rats and squirrels too !

[Medusa]

Replaced our hot water bottles which must have been at least 15 years old. No signs of them being perished, but safety first. We havent used them in 15 years either, but we might need them at some point. Also ordered several bottles of de-icer. We probably (hopefully) will not need all of them, but no doubt one of our adult children will run out and come asking. We do not own a snow shovel and I was debating getting one but unsure whether to get plastic or metal. Anyone would think I am expecting a cold winter. Got my eye on a couple of thermos flasks too as our old one was absolutely useless and need to give the kettle we use on the woodburner its annual descale. Chimney sweep is booked for October, just need to order some oil when the tank has enough room.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Replaced our hot water bottles which must have been at least 15 years old. No signs of them being perished, but safety first. We havent used them in 15 years either, but we might need them at some point. Also ordered several bottles of de-icer. We probably (hopefully) will not need all of them, but no doubt one of our adult children will run out and come asking. We do not own a snow shovel and I was debating getting one but unsure whether to get plastic or metal. Anyone would think I am expecting a cold winter. Got my eye on a couple of thermos flasks too as our old one was absolutely useless and need to give the kettle we use on the woodburner its annual descale. Chimney sweep is booked for October, just need to order some oil when the tank has enough room.

If the shovel is for the car Get a collapsible avalanche shovel mines aluminium

For home one of the big plastic ones with a wooden handle

On the oil front watch for a dip in the next week before it starts going up before the budget

Don't get me going on fuel prices the greedy baskets