So here we go again..................locked down from midnight. I got through the depression that set in after the announcement . 4 weeks doesn't sound long after getting through 4 months and there is all the 'fun' of what's happening over the pond for entertainment!
A cold start yesterday morning, the first frost of the season - I think it's time to start putting the car in the garage again................
How does nature make these wonderful patterns on the car
windscreen? Half an hour later it had gone as the day turned sunny -
wonderful after several gloomy days.
Determined to have one final swim before lock-down (even though it broke the no spend November thing!) I booked a slot yesterday lunch time. The busiest it's been with the new system - 5 people in the slow half and 4 in the faster half. But I managed a good 35 minutes.
Before going swimming I spent a while trying to find out why the compressor (for pumping up tyres) wasn't working. Tried a different extension lead and replacing the fuse in the plug. No Luck - Bother. Now I've no way to pump up car or bike and the bike needs pumping up quite a lot. This is one problem I can't solve on my own.
No Spend November
1st. No Spend
2nd Food £33 + Cat £6 + Diesel £18 + Printer Paper £4. = £61
3rd No Spend
4th Swimming £2.25
More from the 30 Ways to Save £1 list revisited from 2013
11.Invest in a flask and take tea or coffee with you on days out.
This must have saved us a fortune over the years. We even used to take a flask to Addenbrookes hospital in those last months of Colin's treatment. It must have looked a bit strange sitting in the waiting room pouring out a flask and opening the sandwich box but the alternative was a very expensive coffee from the adjacent WRVS snack shop or a grotty coffee from a machine.
12 Don't waste money on bottled water- stand a bottle of water in the fridge and take it with you next day.
Thank goodness I've always lived in places where the tap water is very good to drink. I used to be horrified when emptying the bins on the campsite at the number of plastic bottles once holding expensive fancy water. If we weren't taking a flask with us we always took a bottle of tap water everywhere anyway.
13. If you need more than 2 regular prescriptions a month always buy a NHS prepayment card.
I guess the pre-paid NHS discount prescription cards are still available? Now I'm over 60 I don't pay anything so don't know. I know it was a huge saving years ago.
14. Find out about free events at local museums or NT free open weekend vouchers etc.
Well, this would be a good one anytime except for now! when everywhere is closed due to the virus.
15. If you have an answerphone set it on the longest number of rings so
you get there in time to answer and don't need to phone people back.
I suppose some business people still have answerphones? We had one for the campsite where this tip was useful - saved me ringing back to people all round the country trying to book a pitch. Not needed so much now with the prevalence of mobile phones and text messaging.
5 more tips from the past tomorrow
Sue
Do you plug compressor in from indoors or do you have electricity in garage? (Extension lead suggest you plug in indoors). However if outside plug have you checked other things working? I had this happen the other day and trip was out to garage so nothing out there worked.
ReplyDeleteI tried every option - plugging other things in etc etc but compressor seems dead!
DeleteNo power problem would suggest switch contact problem or general wiring problem. I would switch off at mains and fiddle with wires and contact and reset and then turn on power and test. I invested in a hand stirrup pump for my bike, best investment ever.
DeleteThe prescription pre-payment scheme does still exist. My hubby has been on the same 2 lots of medication for about 5 yrs and as the cost is per item, we were paying almost £20 a month for it, until 6 months ago when we were told the scheme existed. This has now been chopped in half to £10.59 a month. Shame we didn't look into it all those years ago!!
ReplyDeleteOh no, how annoying, what a shame you weren't blog reading back in 2013!
DeleteAs I have thyroid problems I've been exempt from prescription charges for over 20 years. No idea of the current charges, but thankful I don't have to pay as I take a lot of medication now.
ReplyDeleteI take a small bottle of 'fridge cold tap water everywhere I go, to me it's as essential as taking my house keys.
It's surprising that so many people still buy expensive bottled water after all the news about plastic waste and micro plastics
DeleteSo pleased you had a swim and do hope you get your tyres sorted. So glad the depression did not last I get it sometimes and it upsets me for I am so lucky to have a warm house and good family and enough money to get by and I don't understand why it happens, fortunately it does not last there is enough people with lots of troubles worse than me.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing Carol this morning with my shopping - wonder what goodies I get today.l
Enjoy your day.
Hazel c uk 🌈🌈🌈
Now the swimming pool is sitting there empty - I'm sure its a safe place.
DeleteTime to get an old fashioned bike tyre pump, remember when every bike came with one on the frame, it wouldn't be much use for the car tyres though!!
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning in a bit of depression but after playing on my phone for an hour and then making myself have a shower, even though I really was not in the mood, I took Suky out for a longer than usual walk and we both came back feeling much better. I even found a penny ... and picked it up :-)
All the day your have good luck. Hazel c uk 🌈🌈🌈
DeleteI used to have a bike an old fashioned bike pump - no idea where it went.
DeleteSon has a mini compressor - I'll have to get him to do the tyres for me and BiL might know whats wrong with the huge compressor
Great tips.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
The ideas might be useful for someone
DeleteSound advice Sue. I'm glad you managed a swim. At least if the sun shines for the next few weeks it won't be too bad! I hope you get the compressor sorted soon.
ReplyDeleteDo hope the sun will shine more than the last weeks
DeleteThank you
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got in a swim. Hopefully this lockdown will go quickly for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying reading all your tips (I wasn't into blogs in 2013). We have actually followed many of them over the years and they certainly saved us plenty of money.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff!
ReplyDelete