The usual income of State Pension, interest on savings and Suffolk County Council Spouses pension - I'm worried about what happens to this when Local Government Reorganisation makes SCC vanish. I've read that pensions are protected by law so it should be OK, but you never know. Interest on savings seem to have dropped - need to check that out.
As predicted April was an expensive month, and then I bought my new bike. The TV Licence[up by £5.50] and house insurance[down by £3] were the planned large expenses and the bill came for the March boiler repair. Council tax of course [up by £8] and charity plus broad band and phones are all direct debit. I put £71 worth of diesel in the car. Finally I read the electric meter and paid for the month.
I was going to say I'd not needed the tumble dryer all month but when ED and the boys were up after Easter she brought 3 loads of washing with her! - her washing machine was playing up and of course boys get very dirty very quickly. Everything needed getting dry as soon as possible so I tumbled it.
Garden spending was growbags and compost, then the vegetable plants from car boot sales and a tray of leek plants from the garden shop.
There was other spending on two birthday gifts, odd bits for the house, window cleaner, bathroom and kitchen and some sunflower hearts for the birds.
Back in March Aldi were supposed to have some metal plant pot holders that hook over a fence. I was going to get a couple for my sisters birthday but they didn't appear in Stowmarket Aldi until late April. So when I saw them I got two each for both my sister and sister in law - they are ready for Christmas.
When the weather warmed up last week I sorted through the clothes in wardrobe and drawers to see what state summer clothes were in and decided I needed new summer shoes, a second summer skirt and shorts and I really need tee shirts too but will scour charity shops first.
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| image from google freepik |
The only penny savers I can think of...........
- Gift of rhubarb from my sister
- Dishwasher only used every other day
- Filled car up with diesel when visiting YD - saving 6p a litre on garages near me
- Made up a tin of Lemon Home Cook Marmalade, works out at just over £1 a jar
- No alcohol bought as usual, and no lotions, potions etc
- No newspapers and magazines - except for the Puzzler
- Bread made in the bread-machine. 50/50 wholemeal/white flour
- Lights only needed for reading after 8pm now
- Reading library books and from my shelves for free
- Saving apple peels etc into the freezer for making the next batch of 'compost jelly' sometime
- A gift of flowers from my sister for my birthday lasted two weeks
May should be less spendy, as far as I know there is just the car breakdown insurance and EGS birthday. No more bikes or big expenses! [Touching wood]
You do well, the cost of living is having a huge impact on single pensioners, especially those on the threshold of receiving benefits. My car is my biggest worry, 13 years old but we have few buses here so a must have. No tumble drier or dishwasher so my electric is usually below a £1 a day and obviously no heating, as on oil. I do envy retired couples who appear to have no money worries and always off on holidays, but then I do live in a beautiful County so don’t need holidays. Have sown lots of seeds but nothing seems to be appearing, too cold maybe. Sarah Browne.
ReplyDeleteIf Colin was still alive we would have two state pensions and his full County Council pension and he would be doing so many things that I have to pay someone to do!
DeleteI never use the kettle to boil water for tea. I have a little enamel pan and that half full is enough for my cup of tea (which I only have twice a day, first thing and then 3 p.m.) and on the hot ring, it boils very quickly.
ReplyDeleteNo dishwasher here and no tumble drier either. I have an ISA to cover the cost of a replacement car in due course. Biggest worries are increased cost of living of course, especially food which is just being hoiked up ridiculously. Nearly £2 for a can of Heinz soup, Heinz Ravioli over £2.20 a tin, minced beef prohibitively expensive. Good meat in the butchers ditto. I only have roast at Christmas and perhaps a couple of times a year apart from that as I simply cannot afford it.
So yes, for the forseeable future I shall have to continue to sell bits and pieces (and hopefully a good clear out at the two big Fairs a year I do) to bring a little money in to help. £1000+ in vet's bills in 2 months was NOT welcome!!!
The three foods you mention are three that I never buy. I buy Quorn mince for spag bol now, Haven't eaten bought soup for about 30 years and that ravioli I remember from 40 years ago was nasty slimy then!!
DeleteDon't worry about the County Council pension. I worked as a librarian for one local authority which was then swallowed into another which was then abolished several years after I had moved on! My local government pension is still OK.
ReplyDeletePhew! Thank you. My SCC own pension was so small after just a few years in the library that I took it all at once years ago.
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