The day is grey and overcast, but surprisingly mild. Our plans today are to get the board to do the veranda repair for our neighbour then we’ll know she’s safe.
Being Wednesday, the meters have been read and we are down on both gas and electricity though our water consumption is a little higher. We can quantify that because we’ve washed the car twice and done an extra wash load following yesterday’s fencing repair! Sometimes I wonder if I’m a little sad in knowing exactly where our utility consumption goes. Old habits die hard and when we were almost brassic, we had to count, and account for, every penny. When I get my State Pension in May I honestly don’t know how I am going to cope as it replaces nothing and suddenly we will be ‘rolling in it’……….. well, for us anyway. With rising prices, inflation and just about everything else spiraling out of control, it will no doubt be nibbled away somewhere by the cost of living. No matter, we shall have it and adjust accordingly, which makes us luckier than many.
It’s a fact that we are already in ‘severe poverty’ according to the government’s own website, yet we are entitled to no extra help because we live frugally and don’t qualify.
We shall be promoted up a level to poverty when I get my pension Ain’t that grand!!
Lunch today will be a little late then, but quick to prepare as it’s cottage pie with mixed veg and cheesy mash with broccoli and cauliflower on the side. I have eight days to get my weight under control as I have a diabetes blood test and health check on the 10th.
This was arranged yesterday with a call from the GP surgery without me having to chase it. We will also see if the ezetimibe anti cholesterol meds have made any difference. I am certainly interested in that outcome and hope it is positive because I still do not want to go on statins. I have asked for my calcium and vitamin D levels to also be checked.
Onward with our day then. Keep safe and take care everyone.
pensitivity101 
I love reading your daily posts. Although distance thousands of miles we share so many similarities. I have faith you’ll do fine budgeting your finances. It’s sad though cost-of-living increases are offset by other expenses. Same here in USA ~ still not poor enough to receive any assistance while income placed in poverty level.
The government boast about taking people out of the tax bracket, but what they fail to remember is those of us who don’t pay income tax anyway still have to pay the increases in day to day costs. We do OK though and for that I’m thankful. Keep safe.
You keep safe too 🤗. I have to say I admire you for knowing exactly what you use and spent. You’d be well received in my Swabian homeland 😘. Have a good day
Thanks Bee. It was a case of having to and has stuck. Not necessarily a bad thing though.
Definitely, not a bad thing 😍
Fave degrees and snow on ground and more expected.🙄
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Sounds cold!!!!
🥶
I hope your day has progressed well 💜💜💜
It’s been a good one thanks. How about you?
It’s been a really good day here too 💖
Brilliant!!
💜💜
I mentioned to you already about healthcare. Right now I don’t work because I take care of my father and need to be available to him. I could work at a restaurant of something where times are flexible but I honestly don’t have the time or energy right now. That being said, I have no idea how the government thinks I can pay a premium for healthcare. The pension I receive from my late husband doesn’t even cover the mortgage!
If we had rent or a mortgage to pay, we would have sunk without trace years ago. Do you qualify for a carer’s allowance, or don’t they have that in the States?
Just thought of this…David was watching some show a while back about cheap people or something like that. Anyhow, the couple that was on keeps track of every single penny to the point that they have to make a tally mark everytime they flush the toilet to keep track of how many flushes a day and the wife charges her husband for food if he wants any of hers! They went so far as to prepay for their burial when they die, including being buried together so they would only have to buy one coffin. They are only in their 20’s. What they have planned is whoever dies first will get buried then the coffin will be exhumed to bury the second one. They got a coffin with no liner or anything to get the price down to the most minimum. Apparently, you can pay for your funeral well in advance and the price never gets increased! Now, I bet you don’t feel so bad! Lol.
I’m not that bad, but I could tell you that a washload uses I Kwh of electricity, as does an electric shower or using the cooker for an hour. Our electricity usage is on average 3 Kwh a day, so about 60p plus tax. What knocks our charges up is the daily service charges….. £3.53 per week for both electricity and gas and we can’t get round that.
My Mum and MIL paid for their funerals in advance, but both had to pay a small insurance every year to keep up with inflation. If you can get a fixed deal, that’s great. Both of us wish to be cremated, so a bin liner would do for us.
I’m sweating because I have a blood test coming up in 2 weeks and the cholesterol is my main concern. I’m just coming off vacation (some dietary indulgences plus the birthday) so I hope the test isn’t horrible! I really don’t want to go on statins either! The heating bill should be less this month since we were gone for 10 days and the heat was turned down to 50F…
I don’t like blood tests either, but at least this isn’t a fasting one. I tend to hit the deck with those. I’ve refused to go on statins and as they were pushing about my cholesterol, offered to try ezetimibe, which Hubby is on and it worked for him. It’s a non statin, but works with the food you eat to help your cholesterol levels. We shall see when the results of the blood test comes in.
Our heating is set for 18 degrees C 6am to 9pm then 15 degrees 9pm until 6am. In the summer the heating is switched off when BST begins but we refuse to be cold and will turn it on, or up, if necessary.