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OMFG my fridge freezer has broken. What can I do? Please help me

32 replies

AnnaNimmity · 18/12/2019 12:21

So my massive (very expensive) fridge freezer is irreparable, and the insurance cover won't replace it until after Christmas.

I have a large family. We have plans for lots of meaty, cheesy and creamy feasts. Cold champagne. Baileys with ice. Trifle. (Actually that's the only one I really care about). My kitchen is warm. Milk is currently going off in a day. (underfloor heating).

I am at a loss to know what to do?! What can I eat in the house? What can I eat out of the house?

Crisps, chocolates and red wine is one option I suppose...

OP posts:
AnnaNimmity · 18/12/2019 12:22

Oh and I have a massive meat order arriving on the 23rd. I have no idea whether it's cancellable....

OP posts:
Lulualla · 18/12/2019 12:23

Would your insurance reimburse you if you bought another one now?
They cant leave you without a fridge!

bluejayblue · 18/12/2019 12:25

google fridge rental, they seem reasonably priced.

Goldenphoenix · 18/12/2019 12:25

Put stuff outside in your shed? It's quite cold here, at least as cold as a fridge. Just put it in a plastic container so rodents can't nibble it.
Or go onto Gumtree or Ebay and pick up a cheap small fridge to tide you over.

AnnaNimmity · 18/12/2019 12:25

They can only replace it after Christmas. Apparently.

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Babdoc · 18/12/2019 12:27

I had this happen one Christmas. The village shop let me put all my stuff in their freezers and get it out each day as it was needed. You could ask your neighbours and/or local shop to help similarly.
This time of year, depending on how far north you live, fridge stuff may be ok in a cool box in the garage, if a neighbour will let you freeze chiller packs to keep swapping into the cool box as they warm up.
Could you afford to buy a new fridge-freezer now and use the insurance money to refund yourself in the New Year?

userxx · 18/12/2019 12:28

Is it cold enough outside to store? Out of interest what make is the fridge freezer and is it old?

ShirleyPhallus · 18/12/2019 12:28

Put it in the garden / shed?

Hire a temporary fridge?

Ask neighbours?

Buy some cool boxes?

TheFlis12345 · 18/12/2019 12:30

Look on local Facebook / Gumtree. There always seem to be fridges and freezers for £20. Just buy whatever you can get quickly to tide you over.

AuntSpiker · 18/12/2019 12:31

Could you ask on freecycle or freegle? You could then pass whatever you get to someone else when your new one arrives.

That or tweet your insurance company. A bit of public shaming might focus their minds into sorting this before Christmas.

gamerchick · 18/12/2019 12:35

Put the word out that you need a fridge freezer. Pass it on when you get your new one after Christmas.

DianaT1969 · 18/12/2019 12:42

Try Lowe fridge rental. They usually supply to business, so don't know if they'll supply to residential.

Plastic storage boxes with lids outside will keep everything chilled.

NewBeginnings321 · 18/12/2019 12:42

I always find posting on a Facebook page for your local community gets many responses. The Cardiff Facebook group equivalent for wherever you are. You'll find a lot of kindness, I'm sure.

Another option is just biting the bullet and buying a new fridge freezer outright and asking insurance to reimburse that in January.

livingthegoodlife · 18/12/2019 13:34

I'd buy a cheap second hand one off Facebook/gumtree to tide me over until a new one is sorted by the insurance company.

BiddyPop · 18/12/2019 13:52

Do you have, or know anyone close to you that might have, any camping/picnic stuff?? So cool boxes etc?

Is there a Scout Troop locally who might have a gas powered fridge or large cool boxes for camp that they aren't using at this time of year?

Is there any electrical shop locally that could supply one faster than insurance, and present insurance company with the invoice instead of letting them organise the replacement for you?

Is there a room in the house that you can turn off the heating to, keep it cold, and perhaps extra cool with bags of ice from supermarket? If you have regular large plastic tubs, with no holes in the bottom, they could work as emergency cooler boxes with ice packed in - wrap some blankets or spare towels around the outside as an additional insulation layer (in this case, keeping the cold IN the box). Or a plastic paddling pool or baby's bath or garden buckets (having been given a good wash out first)….all sorts of things can be pressed into use.

Would some neighbours have some space each in their fridges/freezers to take the most important elements for you - the smaller ones especially? (It might be a bit much to ask for a whole turkey space, but cream, cheese etc might be ok).

How cold is it outdoors? You could use the boot of the car, or the shed, even if the actual outdoors has too much local wildlife to be feasible. But if you have a garden box that hold cushions etc, you could put well sealed items in there safely.

Lots of "fridge" items can do fine outside the fridge, especially if only for a few days - cheese (especially hard and blue cheeses), butter, eggs, veggies.

Buy your milk daily for the moment, and buy ice while you are there too to keep the most vital things cold.

A thermos flask can work to keep cold things cold as well as hot things hot - might be an option for milk or other liquids for an extra day or so.

Sorry, that's a bit haphazard, just things I can think of hoping something might be useful.

MurrayTheMonk · 18/12/2019 14:22

Buy a new fridge off Ayo who will deliver next day. Pay in instalments. Or probably Klarna if it's available-then you can delay the cost til the insurance pays out.

RhymingRabbit3 · 18/12/2019 14:29

I would be contacting the insurance company again and making a fuss. It's still a week until Christmas so not like all the businesses have closed for the season already. Its ridiculous that they can't replace the fridge freezer now or at least give you money to find your own.
I would also take to twitter/social media and make complaints on there.

PosieParkerIsAHero · 18/12/2019 14:32

Facebook local page.
If this was posted on ours you would most definitely get the offer of a free or cheap temporary freezer.

ballsdeep · 18/12/2019 14:34

I'd buy a cheap one and replace when insurance comes through

Anyoed · 18/12/2019 14:35

I had this had to go 5 week with no fridge freezer. I have a shed outside I used to keep stuff cold. Also I used powered milk the nido from Nestlé is best. Is horrid though

Apolloanddaphne · 18/12/2019 14:39

Do you have any friends who might have one in their garage? We do and I would lend to someone who didn't have one over Christmas. Our garage is cold anyway so we don't need it for our drinks like we do in the summer.

RB68 · 18/12/2019 15:04

Yes ask around for spares, look on facebay, ebay and local sales groups for local ones for sale and use in the interim.

Lovemusic33 · 18/12/2019 15:37

I would buy a cheep 2nd hand one to get you through Christmas? Local Fb selling pages are good, or hire one. I sometimes use my Campervan as a fridge at Christmas as it’s cold out there, I also use an electric cool box 😊

Lovemusic33 · 18/12/2019 15:39

My cooker is broken (but still slightly usable), I went online thinking I could order a new one but no one could deliver and take my old one away until the 16th of January 😭

Lipperfromchipper · 18/12/2019 15:41

Look for someone who fixes appliances!? we had a guy who came round to fix our fridge once and another time he fixed our washing machine!