So am newly out of work and the fridge freezer has packed up!

[Codandchops]

It was second hand a year ago via eBay. Nothing nearby at the moment but there is always Freecycle or our local second hand furniture place.

Is it possible to live without a fridge freezer?

Freezer bit works but fridge bit has been playing about for several weeks. Helpful repair man who has not charged me anything for his advice has said it isn't cost effective to repair (ie it'll cost less to replace the whole thing).

Why oh why has it done this just as I am out of a job?

it is possible to live without a fridge freezer - but it will make food shopping more expensive, in the days before fridges people had larders with a marble slab to keep things cool. You may not have a larder but do you have an under stairs cupboard? If you know anyone who could make a very blue mix of cement that would work like a marble slab. You could keep things like cheese and milk in there - but I wouldn't risk meat or fish so that would have to be bought same day you will cook it. We did try milk in the sink with water but it still went off really quickly. Would advise against food in a garage or shed as it can attract mice and rats

Near to us there is a local charity that does secondhand stuff dirt cheap and if you are signing on and have kids under 5 you could try for a community care grant, if you can't get a ccg then try for a social loan, if you can't get that try contacting your local credit union. Honestly it will be cheaper in the long run if you can source at least a fridge.

There used to be mesh dome things that you put over the dairy produce and then draped in a damp cloth. the evaporation of water from the cloth kept the stuff inside cool(ish). It's really the same principle as a fridge. You can get butter dishes that work in a similar way.

I am old enough to remember a time in my childhood when we didn't have a fridge [old gimmer emoticon]

I'm sure you know this, but moving fridges can be tricky - maybe they are better now but I have had problems in the past.

Garage & shed are fine as long as the food is in a plastic sealed container.

Feel for you as our freezer went wrong last week. Do you have a cool box, or a friend that has one? Could you use that with freezer blocks rotation and get by for a few weeks? Or, if someone maybe has an electric camping fridge- they won't be using it I'm imagining for a few weeks yet.

Have unplugged it and a friend is coming to take a look at it to see if he can do anything with it . All milk etc in a box outside, thank goodness for cold weather!

Cod, whereabouts are you? I've got one you can have if in SE.

Find and join your local freegle/freecycle and post a wanted ad, also check if there is a local freegle/freecycle facebook page and do the same there if possible.

Obv you can survive without a fridge freezer but as has already been said, it's less convenient and more expensive food wise to not have one.

OP pm me in case I forget to check back

UHT milk in cupboards, proper butter is fine left out of the fridge. Buy meat on the day or fill up the freezer.

Agree ask for one on freecycle and among friends - lots of people seem to hang on to spare ones in garage for booze and would be happy to let you borrow I'm sure

RedHelen obviously our rats were very determined

All rats are very determined

(Tame ones make very entertaining pets just because of this fact)

Success! My friend who is skilled with this sort of thing has sorted it out for me - something to do with the fan and heat cycle to stop the frost free mechanism from freezing up [clueless emoticon]