Spending October organising our spends - friendly frugaleers this way!

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New thread because old one is almost full. All welcome. fluffy can you be a doll and please post the helpful threads? X x

In this case the old has fire was taken out by previous owners with the intention of putting a wood burner in. As a temporary measure they boarded it up and put shiny new electric rads in.

We were thinking about wood burner but the positioning of the fire (middle of the wall opposite the door...) May hinder this. As heat would I think just go out the door.

I’m going to measure and go on the hunt for a naice fireplace (the “floor” bit - hearth? Grate? Is nice black granite so we need something to go in the hole). We may do a wood burner in a few years if we decide to reconfigure things. But for now I want something which will stop a draft. Need to get chimney person in to make sure it’s all clear and blocked off too. Do not want birds falling down and dying. Eugh.

Well said mammy 💖. Summer I hope that you're feeling ok, no need to disappear from thread, you have lots of support here. However, sometimes the things we need to hear are the hardest to listen to. I hope that you find some real clarity at the GP. Quite I admire and appreciate your straight talking and willingness to address something that bothered you head on. IRL the friends of mine who have stood the test of time are those that pull me up on things when needed and I hope they would say the same about me.

I think I'm feeling pretty good financially speaking for (almost) half way through the month. The big shop at the beginning is still being stretched out and I've made real headway into Christmas. The things that could potentially trip me up: half term, dh birthday, lots of petrol costs this month and fortnightly cleaner day falls 3 times this month

Yes em hearth. If you get a wood burner you will probably need a chimney liner. So I've heard. I don't know much though. I would love an open fire especially as all wood would be free from my dad.

em
You can get fan things to redistribute the heat from a woodburner.
Sits on the top .
We had our chimney swept this week,cleared the grate etc.
Came back into the room and DFatcat was legging up
Not the first time .
life Im not trying to censor posts at all.
This is a lesson for me ,in that what I think might be helpful probably isnt !

em Would a wood burner raise your house insurance? I’m sure I read the government was looking at them because of air pollution.

Buy the Miele if you can afford them. Nice long guarantees.

Em if you are thinking of putting a fire either gas or wood in there in the future it might be more economical now to get it smoke tested. If you need a flue putting in this will stop anything falling into it whereas if you block it off you will have to unblock it and then flue it anyway

In defence of Quite although I am quite sure she doesn’t need defending. To my kind Quite agreed with a statement made by Sunny after Sunny found our comments responding to her earlier questions unhelpful/patronising (I’m not sure which) and said she should keep her health situation off thread, Quite didn’t make a suggestion out of the blue, it wasn’t a “you are not allowed to post x on this thread because I say so” situation and I think we are in danger of letting subsequent posts tell the story rather than the originals
We can all post what we like, I know I post a lot of waffly relationship crap and I find all of your support and advice helpful. Now that I’m aware that advice on other people’s questions is not found helpful I will personally think more carefully about what I post

Some sparks accounts have £10 off socks. Neither of mine, but some.

www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/new-rules-to-allow-mobile-customers-to-limit-their-bills new ofcom rules, to cap bills.

Morning everyone. Very spendy day today as car going in for MOT and then we are all going out for dinner tonight. Need to do some food shopping too. I feel this month is going to be tight fiancially as I have 4 birthdays my registration to pay and whatever this MOT is going to cost. DSs stopped yesterday for weeks holiday so will go down to caravan for a few days and hope it doesn’t cost me too much.

I totally agree with everything you’ve just said Wolf (except you don’t waffle 😉)

As a result of yesterday’s meter readings energy company are giving me a small refund and dropping my direct debit. This does not seem to compute to me. Can I refuse?

Eh quite? I'm confused? Censorship of posts didn't even cross my mind. I was saying I no nothing to be able to chip in constitutively. I also meant I don't mind what is spoken about on here so people should speak of what they want.

Please don't read me the wrong way. I'm having a go at no one.

Did you get the Lego cards life?

Just at Parkrun!

Wolf you can stop them reducing your dd but they legally have to issue a refund if you're in credit (which is very annoying if it's the beginning of winter!).

Wolf you are likely using less with only one adult in the house.

Pmed you life

Wolf I don’t know much about bills as DH does all that 😳 but is it not because you’ve been paying for more than you are using, so they are giving you back an overpayment and dropping the DD payment to avoid further overpayment? I’m sure we’ve had that. But it would probably then increase again after winter and you may not pay enough so I don’t see why you shouldn’t refuse. I think we kept it as steady through the year and it evens itself out. Although in the new house we are on a prepay which we can’t change for a few more months. Am actually quite liking it though.

Morning all. Just catching up. These threads are fab and we have all shared stuff that's not directly frugal related and generally get along fine. However this isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened and seems to be cyclical. Straight talking and honesty is part of the thread and from what I've seen is always intended to be supportive but not everyone responds well to that.

Em great news re the house, at last!
Cag I loved what you wrote about how you have to modify your everyday life, so much respect for you, you do an amazing job.
Love that so many of you are so well organised with packed lunches etc. I am that person in my head, but the reality is rarely that .
Millionaires shortbread for friends dd's 21st didn't happen as I got back from work way too late. Dd was a star and made brownies with added caramel for us to take.....Le yum!
Yesterday was wet, wet, wet and today looks like more of the same so it's going to be study and housework for me, yay.

Not yet jam, post is late morning here though.

Replied quite.

Cag, does dd do rada ballet? What size is she. Dd has given up in favour of horses so just going through her old stuff. It's grade 3 and intermediate so navy and black

Oooh I didn’t know that about actually having to give the refund. That is odd, as being in credit would be useful for many!

Must write a clothing list for today so I’m not wandering around aimlessly and ending up with clothes the Caglets don’t need! I do have a basket full on George from last week but I never checked out, so I’ll leave it and see what I can get in town.

There’s also a library event with some authors. I may go and be brave and see if any children’s authors would be up for doing a workshop and what costs would be etc. The world book day party I ran this year ended up having an author (also a former Cbeebies presenter 😉) by accident and she offered to read some of her book and did a little activity thing. Wasn’t planned but worked well and I’m thinking it would be amazing to actually organise one for next year’s party. Obviously we’d then likely have expenses etc to pay but I could easily charge more for tickets and have people still turn up as it was only £3 each this year and I made a profit too. I will have materials to buy too this year once I plan activities, the first two years I was using up all our spare craft stuff.

Actually that is one thing that definitely gave my self esteem a huge boost, organising a big event for the home ed community :)

Thanks north :) aah brownies and caramel sounds lovely! That reminds me I need to try that new KitKat. Girlie told me to. How is studying going BTW?

Errrm life I’m not sure 😳 but the leotard some of the other girls have says ISTD so I presume that is different? She’s in light blue for this grade and the next (doing grade 1 exam at Christmas) but I think the older grades do wear dark blue 🤔

I am on such a go slow this morning.

Morning!

Sorry to have been the bringer of controversy. I really didn't mean to.

Just clarify things a bit - I have a cracking good GP who will help me with this stuff in RL. It helps to think out loud here sometimes, but he is In Charge.

I didn't mean to ask for advice on here, and was really just reporting that I feel so much better for finally having the time to have a good rest. I have indeed been on here for years and hoped that it would give you all pleasure to hear that I was doing well, resting and enjoying myself. About time, after 8 years of relentless grind.

I didn't mean to get drawn into a long discussion of the nuance of the situation, but did, which often happens to me. Ooops. I will try not to in future. That one of my standard thread failings.

Quite I'm sorry if you felt hurt by my comment. That wasn't at all how I meant it. I can hear that you are a hard working medic and that must be a big weight on your shoulders. Please give yourself a big pat on the back from me, a a and some tlc. I'm glad to have you here. In future if you hear me saying something that sounds like a health question, please do just ignore it. I'm just thinking out loud, not asking for advice.

It's Saturday today and I'm going to have a lovely day out in the countryside with friends. I hope you all have a lovely chilled day too, and do not have to worry about pm-ing each other because of me. Life's too short for that.

Mooching round Sainsbury’s whilst ds has contact. They clearly have not put the heating on yet. Brrr.

Dammit I didn’t know they legally had to provide a refund. Good point re one adult though

Thanks for your post Summer
Glad to hear you are doing well
However I have never discussed my working role on MN just to be clear.
Have a great day everyone !

We went to the shop a few weeks ago and looked at wood burners and were given contacts of someone who could do all the checking of chimneys for us and advise what we needed. So will give him a call (once I can find his card - I think it’s at work). Makes sense to get everything checked/flued etc before we need it.

Good point re pollution. Hadn’t thought of that. I’m sure a multi fuel thing may be the best thing but again will wait to be advised then look at options.

What we do want to do is solar Panels. Maybe not any time soon (as in the next 3 months) but probably early next year.

Dh has gone to the house with his dad and our friend. Friend is a builder so can assist with the practical things that need to be done today.

I e recieved payment from an eBay seller via PayPal cheque. It’s going to take 7-14 days for things to clear. I’ve messaged the buyer who is fine with this and ebays advice is not to post until I’ve got the money.

Today’s jobs while ds is napping:

List a few other bits on eBay. Chuck a load of washing in. Get dressed. Wash hair shower. (Not in that order).