The new header is my house from across the field in front......... on a cold and frosty morning during the week. Since swimming stopped in December I've got very unfit so started with short walks of a mile and this spot where I stopped to take the photo is half a mile from home along the road........it's too muddy to walk the footpaths across the fields. A mile sounds rather pathetic but it's just about better than nothing.
I know I'll be much better off financially after moving (the Council tax will be at least £40 less each month for a start) but actually getting there is expensive...... I'm expecting February and March to have very high outgoings so it's a good thing January wasn't too spendy.
Eating my way through the freezer stocks has meant I've only bought fruit, veg, milk and things I don't like to run out of. I had one pensioners Fish and Chips bargain lunch at £3.50. Other spending included a present ready for Youngest Grandsons 1st Birthday and un-birthday lock down gifts for the other grandchildren. Then there were the usual direct-debits and exciting house things -like a new mop!
The sewer pump out was £109 - that's a £10 increase from last time. I've also paid deposits to the solicitor for the buying and selling work. A couple of times this month I've treated myself to The Radio Times, I like all the other information apart from the TV schedules. The Saturday East Anglian Daily Times has a weeks TV listings but their print size (apart from the main channels) is so tiny, that it's almost impossible to read whats on.
I've also paid for 500 litres of heating oil as I don't like to see the tank getting too low and the weather could be really bad between now and moving. The price of heating oil has gone up from it's very low point last May but still not as high as pre-covid levels.
I sent some more books to Ziffit early in the month but I've gone right off them because books that were worth something when I registered them were rejected because of "Expired" - not my fault they took a week to get there with Hermes and another week to be unpacked. Very annoying. From now on they will be donated to a charity in one way or another as soon as things are back on track......Autumn? As we've now been locked down until March 8th at least - can't see much happening until late summer.
January Income was the usual County Council Spouses pension, income from savings, £13 from the scrap-yard and £7 from Ziffit.
The frugal things were as usual.............
- Mixing whole milk half and half with water
- Catching the cold water in a jug before the hot arrives when washing up
- Home made bread
- No books bought -reading library books all month
- No clothes, shoes, hair cuts, make up etc etc bought
- Puzzle pages from the newspaper from my sister
- Hardly any diesel used for the car, just one top up of £16
- Nothing spent on the garden
The biggest excitement of the week was a trip to the Recycling Centre (AKA the Tip). I cleared out the rusty topless and bottomless dustbin I used to force the rhubarb - while I knew what it was for it would look like junk to anyone else. Small electricals and random wires and cables went and some old plastic boxes and two mouse-eaten sleeping bags - used for lagging the big freezer in power cuts- no longer my problem.
Next weeks excitement is Youngest Grandsons 1st Birthday lunch and cake. Plus picking up my prescription meds. from the doctors pharmacy - which will be sure to include another Pensioners Discount Fish and Chips meal........... ......what an exciting life!
When I move I'll be able to walk to the doctors AND the fish and chip shop............. or bike so I can get home with them still hot.
Have a good weekend, I'll be back Monday.
Sue
In a past life when we used to occasionally get a chinese takeaway (and had to drive to collect it) we would take an insulated coolbag with a hot water bottle inside. The food always came home hot!
ReplyDeleteYou could put a HWB in the basket of your bike, and pop the fish and chips on top, and maybe wrap everything in an old towel? that should keep things toasty 😊
It will be all downhill from the chip shop home so about 3 minutes by bike!
DeleteNice spot of snow in field you took photo of. We had a bit of snow this week but went away Wed. I have often thought about doing something with water that is still cold before the water turns hot...good thing to use in the bird bath, which needs clean water regularly!!! I need to go walking during the daytime as I need to lose some weight. Phil and I usually walk in the evening, which would be good as well. Good way to lose more calories! I still need to fit into my new pants I bought when they were low price!! Happy and blessed weekend!!!
ReplyDeleteThere is snow forecast in some parts of England today - but not here. I'm so unfit - its really bad - must try harder
DeleteGreat picture of your house which emphasises how remote you are, just as well you are moving but it will probably be quite sad as you must have memories of Col there such as the wood you planted .
ReplyDeleteWe only had 14 months here together and a lot of that Colin was in hospital, so moving isn't a big wrench and the trees we planted haven't done too well as the big trees each side of the meadow took all the moisture. But at least with a footpath down the meadow we can still walk through
DeleteI'm interested that you had "expired" on a ziffit sale. I had that for the first time a few weeks back (and I'd noticed the process had been slower too) All our bookshelves are empty now, and books all packed. I was thinking of you this week, packing all by yourself. When we moved from Leicester, our daughter took a week off work and came and stayed to help me pack because Bob was busy working. It's so much harder doing it alone. I've not done a Tip Trip yet.
ReplyDeleteI think there were 5 out of the dozen or so books that said Expired - very annoying.
DeleteAs for moving on my own - I'm just glad that I started clearing things out 2 years ago, unpacking will be worse I reckon - it will take me months!
If you have the same arrangements as us here, February and March will be council tax free? I walk a mile every other day but have just got some elastic resistance bands to have a go.
ReplyDeleteYes no council tax in Feb and March, by which time I'll be moved - God willing - and go from Band F to Band D + with single person discount- should save me several £s
DeleteSue - "not my problem" - that is an absolute balm to the soul - or so we felt when we were leaving our last home. Our outgoings here are very much lower but what I love most is the proximity to the town - we still have beautiful peaceful countryside around us but only 2 miles away, all we need for day to day life (anything exotic like clothes shopping and Bigger Shops are in Hereford though, so those would be a proper Day Out.
ReplyDeleteNo rhubarb here (or any fruit) so need to put two or three crowns in. I will buy them ready rooted in a good pot from the garden centre near Bronllys.
We were told by our agents (both sides) that it was a "given" that you left between 1/3 and a 1/2 tank of heating oil upon moving. The same given as having the septic tank emptied.
Snowdrops up here and I saw the first Celendine this week, so spring is on the way!
I seem to remember the traffic in and out of Hereford from Builth is awful but Hereford is lovely once you get there!
DeleteIt was the fact there there was no oil in the tank of the place Mrs F (who lived here)was moving to that added another month delay to us moving here!
P.S. A fish and chip supper here (we get 2 portions between the 3 of us) costs us £13 the two! BIG pieces of fish though. We NEVER have fish and chips from the shop but on exhausted days here, Keith felt it justified.
ReplyDeleteThe proper price for Fish and chip is about £7 here too thats why the Pensioners lunch discounts on Tuesdays is such a bargain
DeleteA mile a day is much more than I am doing at the moment. I haven't left the house for the past 3 weeks!
ReplyDeleteI just feel so un-fit - hate walking on muddy fields and so missing swimming
DeleteWe have lived in rural countryside twice and love the peace and quiet, but it is so convenient living closer to a town.
ReplyDeleteMost of my life has been spent miles from a shop so it will be different to be in a village, Last time was 1992
DeleteWill your heating still be oil when you move, or does the village you are going to have gas? We were very lucky where we were in Knodishall that we had mains gas because when they put the mains in to Leiston the landowners made it a condition that in order to cross their land the lane had gas put on too.
ReplyDeleteI confess that when we moved one of the considerations was the heating. We had oil heating in a couple of places and I didn't like having heating 'range' anxiety or having to worry about what the cost would be when we needed it.
Yes oil heating again. It was our first time ever with oil here but I soon got used to it - just a case of having the boiler serviced once a year and oil ordering online is easy.
DeleteSome new houses in the village where I am moving too have gas but not the rest of the village which is odd.
That is a lovely view Sue, but it is very remote isn't it. I have given up using any of those companies who come and collect book etc. It's a depressing experience but when I give them to charity places I feel quite pleased with myself. I love your round-ups as it encourages me to take stock a bit too. Have a wonderful weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteThis was the worst time for not being paid for the books I sent, Theres been the odd one in past years. Luckily no more books to send now.
DeleteWe moved to our current house 2 years and now we are right in the centre of our village and can walk to school, shops, park etc and we have gas heating. Previously we lived on the rural outskirts of our village down a lane with oil heating and a septic tank. We were there for 14 years and there was always the worry of running out of oil or the boiler playing up plus every trip out involved getting the car out - the lanes were not wide enough for cars to pass when you had a pushchair and in winter just too muddy. Although I sometimes miss the privacy and views of our old house the convenience of this one makes such a difference especially during these lockdowns where we can just grab scooters and head to the park.
ReplyDeleteWe were in villages within walking/cycling distance of primary school etc between 1981 and 1992, but then the years at the smallholding meant mostly driving everywhere and here is even more remote.
DeleteHappy Birthday to your grandson! We're keeping our fingers tightly crossed that we'll be able to get together for our granddaughter's 4th birthday at the beginning of March. Probably not but we're hopeful!
ReplyDeletePoor little fella has only known lockdown. I really worry about the children through all this
DeleteWe have a birthday to celebrate next week too. Oldest granddaughter will be 7. You are doing such a good job managing your funds and your move. It's important for everyone at this stage in life.
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky with how house buying and selling went for us to get to the smallholding.It made life easier now.
DeleteHow smart to get out and walk. I need to do that but this time of the year is sooo cold. I used to be in a weekly exercise class but covid took care of that. I am excited for your move! You have done so well with all of your preparations. You should be quite proud of yourself and take a well deserved break once you get moved!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a wet couple of months here, no good for exercise - I hope we are able to swim again in a month or so - perhaps
DeleteYou have big skies over in the east xx
ReplyDeleteYou have big hills over there in the West!
DeleteDisappointing about the books - they ought to honour their prices. Around here many people leave books in waterproof boxes in the bus shelters for others to take, and at the local park there's a huge, decorated Book Box for children's books. The kids love looking through it to see shat they'd like to take home to read. There is a second-hand book shop downtown but they offer very little for the books, and only pay for those they're sure they can sell reasonably quickly, so it's hardly worth the effort or the parking cost.
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to get rid of Lockdown bulge. 'More energy out, fewer calories in' is what I know I need, but doing it isn't easy. Good luck for the move.
It's sad that most second hand books are not worth much to sell but still expensive to buy
DeleteI enjoy your frugal listings.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am making homemade bread once or twice a week. We've stopped buying bread products except tortillas. I bought a triple-pack of yeast when it became available again and I keep a lot of all-purpose flour on hand and I have a grain mill and wheat berries so can make flour if needed.
Also pantry eating these days, just buying produce and dairy.
I like my home made bread for tost but it's a bit crumbly for sandwiches so sometimes I buy bread rolls too
DeleteAfter seeing mention of it on your blog I asked for O Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith on interlibrary loan and I was able to pick it up yesterday. I am already enjoying it very much. I can't always find books mentioned on blogs (I live in the USA) but was lucky this time. I spend a lot of time reading blogs AND reading books.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you were able to get hold of a copy. Not much else to do except reading at the moment - thank goodness there are good books out there
DeleteIt must be exhausting organising the move on your own, you deserve to treat yourself with fish and chips once in a while. The fish and chip shop here isn't wonderful, less temptation I suppose. Leaving the edge of Exmoor I miss the isolation and being surrounded by nature but not the constant worry about black ice on our drive, high council tax, oil bills and repairs in general. We had one of those new septic tanks put in that shouldn't need emptying, that is if the water table hadn't risen dramatically. And I had to face the fact that I couldn't physically maintain the garden. All our books are still in boxes so I'm reduced to whatever the Kindle lets me read for free, a bit hit and miss at times. Our nearest library is in Aber but there is a library van which I might investigate after covid.
ReplyDeleteI know you are going to enjoy your new home. Getting everything arranged by yourself must be very difficult, but worth it all in the end.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I've been cutting back a lot on buying groceries, trying to use up what i have rather than go to supermarket.. and a self-designated 'frugal february' just starting. I recommend watching vids from Frugal Jo on yoootooob - she's got some really helpful tips on making food stretch, (UK based). gillian
ReplyDelete