Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

If it comes to it would you choose heating or eating?

713 replies

Tuliprain · 06/02/2022 16:07

We were having this discussion the other night. I would choose eating and husband would choose heating - so we are already stuck. Im thinking we could warm up with blankets and hot water bottles etc but nothing you can do about hunger. He says the house will go mouldy and he’s rather be hungry than cold. Such a depressing subject to be considering.

OP posts:
5128gap · 06/02/2022 21:12

@Blondeshavemorefun

Those who say use food banks

How would someone start , do they contact school, gp, hv, church etc

Although heating costs are stupid money at the moment, generally I can afford to heat house on low and shop at Aldi

Tho who knows once April high % kicks in till October 😢😢

But know many aren’t so lucky

I usually donate to food bank as well, either by taking a bag to my local church who do one, or adding stuff to my weekly shop which then Gets put in a basket fir the food bank in the shop

So hence writing the above

How do family,lilies claim and can they go weekly or is it twice a year if stuck etc

Where I am, major city, the main food banks restrict vouchers to no more than two/three in a month depending on circumstances, with each voucher providing about 5 days worth of food. They keep a data base to monitor frequency with which people request vouchers. Its not a case of just turning up, you need to justify why you need it and people are turned away. Unfortunately they say they need to be strict due to limited stock, and abuse of the system with some people selling the food on.
RedCandyApple · 06/02/2022 21:12

@Theunamedcat

Some people won't use food banks in case they are reported to social services for not being able to feed there children
Yes people Will be worried about judgement
Svara · 06/02/2022 21:13

@CurtainTroubles

Your husband would be dead after a few days.
Hmm
Chichimcgee · 06/02/2022 21:13

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money? I’ve never, ever ordered food on the internet. Not a takeaway, not a supermarket shop.

Must be really nice to have cheap groceries within walking distance.
The bus (I can’t afford to drive) is £12, delivery is anywhere between £1-£6. Or get a delivery pass.

Cakeandcardio · 06/02/2022 21:14

Our boiler broke a few weeks ago. We are in a very fortunate position, I know, that we were able to fix it. However, whilst waiting for it to be fixed (a week) I was amazed by the amount of black mould that appeared in our bathroom. I survived my childhood with nothing but one fire to heat the house but as others have said, there was still one heat source even if no central heating. I remember ice on the inside of our windows in the morning before my mum lit the gas fire. But never mould. So even when making the choice, there are worse issues that simply being hungry or cold. It's a terrible position we find ourselves in. And yet people will still vote Tory and believe no other govt would do it differently. Confused

Inspectorslack · 06/02/2022 21:14

@Chichimcgee

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money? I’ve never, ever ordered food on the internet. Not a takeaway, not a supermarket shop.

Must be really nice to have cheap groceries within walking distance.
The bus (I can’t afford to drive) is £12, delivery is anywhere between £1-£6. Or get a delivery pass.

Yup. Same. I had an Asda delivery pass.
AutomaticMoon · 06/02/2022 21:14

@BlueMongoose I have single glazing but the sills are rotten so I had to spend money I didn’t have on secondary glazing for bedroom and bathroom, you could also hear people spitting in the street without it. Using Clip Glaze system and precisely cut acrylic sheet, I made my own glazing which helps a bit. In the living room it’s like being outside.

Woahthehorsey · 06/02/2022 21:17

@Chichimcgee

red30505

lightand
I never get the heating or eating argument.
There are many many things I would cut out before any of those.
Less clothes, less grooming, cheaper tv package. The list goes on.
lots of people have already cut those out.

To be fair there’s stuff I would cut out before heating/eating as well. Like council tax. Trying to think of something else but it’s literally just food/energy/water/internet and can’t pay for anything or order food without the internet!

Nooo! Not council tax. That's the one they can put you in prison for not paying!

At least in prison you'll be warm and fed though...

Scianel · 06/02/2022 21:21

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money?

A lot of disabled people will have groceries delivered. If you take the midweek only option the delivery pass is very cheap.

Onionpatch · 06/02/2022 21:21

It really is a dire choice people are making.

My instinct was food because I go to work occasionally can borrow the heat at work but many of the poorest are to old or disabled or carers so cant warm up elsewhere. My grandfather used to get so cold in his wheelchair.
Are any churches opening up for coffee mornings with heat for people to drop in and warm up a bit.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 06/02/2022 21:25

I think this thread should have a warning of "please don't gloat and pretend that poverty doesn't exist"

I clicked on this thread because it affects me. I didn't expect to become disabled and a single parent at the age of 50 with a 10 year old child.

Some posters have no idea.

To all who are worried sick, I hope we can continue to support each other through this awful time.

Stravaig · 06/02/2022 21:26

I've often only had a single heat source in one room. Random tips:

Layers of clothing, always. After years of this, I'm in head to toe woollens - hiking socks, thick leggings, vest, long sleeved top, massive ancient jumper, fingerless gloves, hat. Standard indoor clothing in winter. Any spending on summer clothes only happens after warm things for the next winter. Felt or sheepskin houseboots are a worthwhile investment if you have wood/tile/slate floors. Solid soles last longer.

Rethink usual routines. A hot bath/shower at bedtime makes it easier to sleep in a cold bed and unheated bedroom. The key to surviving an icy bathroom or cold water is keep your hat on in the shower 🤣 and feet straight into socks/houseboots afterwards. (In winter, hairwash days are detested as get-wet-all-over days).

Unheated kitchen. Food keeps much better in a properly cold space (though olive oil is treacle). Most freezers won't work properly below I think 10°/16° so be prepared to target heating when it's really cold, or have a contingency for the suddenly defrosted food. (I daydream about having a proper freezer or fridge freezer, but there's no point without heat to keep it working).

Knife safety! Be very careful preparing food in an unheated kitchen - frozen fingers in a cold space are numb and unresponsive, it's easy to cut yourself.

Putting permanently cold fingers into sudden heat eg. hot water or hot oven result in what I think are chilblains, which hurt like mad for the rest of winter. So try to buffer the temperature change.

This last one is really hard when you're already cold and hungry, but forcing yourself to make giant pots of thick wholesome soups/stews/casserole really will keep you feeling full and warm for much longer than the faster/easier options. (I say this after a week of eating crap and feeling worse for it).

Puppamumma · 06/02/2022 21:32

I'm anorexic with Reynolds disease I have a mental illness that means I struggle so much to eat so heating is is a priority for me ,I worry so much if I can put my heating on. I only hope that if I freeze to death someone can rescue my dog so she doesn't suffer.

Stravaig · 06/02/2022 21:33

ps. For drying laundry on an indoor airer in the only room with heat which you are also living in - a dehumidifier is a worthwhile imvestment. Clothes dry faster, air stays fresher, prevents damp, and running costs saved by not putting heat up or on elsewhere.

StrychnineIntheSandwiches · 06/02/2022 21:34

@daisypond

Trying to think of something else but it’s literally just food/energy/water/internet and can’t pay for anything or order food without the internet!

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money? I’ve never, ever ordered food on the internet. Not a takeaway, not a supermarket shop.

people who want live in a flat and don't have a car?

Ordering a supermarket shop online is hardly the height of extravagance.

daisypond · 06/02/2022 21:34

@Scianel

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money?

A lot of disabled people will have groceries delivered. If you take the midweek only option the delivery pass is very cheap.

I’m disabled, and I don’t know what a delivery pass is. I’ll investigate, but the cheap supermarkets don’t do delivery, which is why I have to go in person on the bus.
AutomaticMoon · 06/02/2022 21:35

@Lovemusic33 I hope you know I was responding the same thing to the PP? I cut my own hair too and thinking of getting a buzzcut to save on hair washing costs. Most of my clothes are from ebay and charity shops. But I’m disabled and can’t live in a cold home, it’s killing me currently and making me more and more ill and harder to get through the day at all. I completely agree with you, it was the PP assuming that we all have sky tv (I don’t either)

HeadPain · 06/02/2022 21:35

Eat

Inspectorslack · 06/02/2022 21:36

groceries.asda.com/delivery-pass

Asda delivery passes are £6 a month for any time or £35 a year for mid week.

daisypond · 06/02/2022 21:36

Ordering a supermarket shop online is hardly the height of extravagance.

It would be for me. I don’t have a car, and the cheap supermarkets don’t do delivery at all.

Inspectorslack · 06/02/2022 21:37

I had to compromise. I’d have loved to go to Lidl but I didn’t have a car, lived rurally and there was one bus a day.

Asda at the time was the cheapest supermarket that delivered.

It was cheaper to get a delivery than a bus or a taxi.

daisypond · 06/02/2022 21:37

@Inspectorslack
Oh, that’s not bad. I’ll check out Asda prices compared to Lidl.

AutomaticMoon · 06/02/2022 21:37

@Stravaig

ps. For drying laundry on an indoor airer in the only room with heat which you are also living in - a dehumidifier is a worthwhile imvestment. Clothes dry faster, air stays fresher, prevents damp, and running costs saved by not putting heat up or on elsewhere.
Dehumidifiers can definitely help but electricity is through the roof and they’re not negligible to run. Cheaper than a tumble dryer, I would think.
TheRemotePart · 06/02/2022 21:38

@AutomaticMoon @oakleaffy
You can do a baked potato in the slow cooker!
Prick, rub a bit of oil on, tin foil and put on low in the morning and will be lovely for tea! Smile

  • anyone struggling , please get a slow cooker instead of putting your oven on- you’d be amazed what you can do with it! Soups,casserole,meat , SCONES, pork. I never use my oven unless I’m making battered fish n chips! Google recipes! I sometimes fling in gravy , chicken , new potatoes and frozen veg - not fancy but good and hot! And it’s SO cheap to run !
KurtWilde · 06/02/2022 21:38

But who orders food on the internet if you are short of money?

Well it's free delivery from Iceland for starters.

If you don't drive, it's cheaper to pay £5/6 for delivery than take a bus or get a taxi each way.

I'm in walking distance from Lidl (about 15 minute) but walking there and back with a full weeks shop isn't a walk in the park, especially at this time of year so occasionally rely on a delivery from Iceland (see above).