Tried to cut down cost of living?

[Adlon57]

Had my sister around, to see what I could do in my cost of living? I live on my own, retired in a two storey semi detached. Have been trying to downsize for years, terminally ill, irreparably ill, brain damage, from double seizure, and incurable rib cage structure. The right person to do it, has to be a female🤫 to do that sort of thing, I knew even the idea of moving now would be too expensive, she agreed, in the end the only cut back as I need specialist 'diet', she bought a pot for boiling egg in the morning, I have not told her, within fortnight, the pot's bottom rusted too much😱 I have set rate for electricity, £95 per month😤

I was in supermarket yesterday, a steak now £9 I remember it [not the same one🙄🤭] four years ago, £4.50, a bag about half the size of my fist of salted peanuts, £1? Showing my age but remember buying two and a half pints of beer, and some change for a £1, sad days🥶

[hypercat54]

Yes I remember those days well myself Adlon. I am in the UK too. I remember living in London back in '72 and I took home £17 a week and paid £4 of that for a bedsit.

I am sorry about your situation and it must be very difficult for you. I presume you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to? Ie PIP or Attendance Allowance? Council tax rebate etc.?

Take care.

[Adlon57 in reply to hypercat54]

This is Northern Ireland, 'DUP'🤫 cracks the whip and the province suffers, including our feeble NHS, worst in UK🥴Try to get benefits, even that costly, that 'system' broken down as well🤬 Place run by Civil Servants😤

[IncognitoC]

It’s crazy how much the cost of living has increased in such a short period of time.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be for people living on a pension, I currently receive Universal Credit and that’s difficult enough. As Hypercat54 said I would hope that you are receiving the correct benefits for someone in your situation.

The next cost of living payment is due at the end of this month/ beginning of next.

[Sillysausage234]

are you up to date with government schemes for loft insulation / wall insulation and condensing boiler ?

[Adlon57 in reply to Sillysausage234]

Ironically I like me curtains, living here developed a liking for heavy warm curtains, when I moved in my brother insulated my roof insulation, and in 2009 time of a big freeze, I had my boiler etc, replaced by a particularly good plumber, expensive then but house heating now is least of my problems🤞

[Sillysausage234 in reply to Adlon57]

I’m pretty sure you qualify for the updated boiler scheme …gratis …as yours is 15 years + it’s worth looking into …fitted in a day or so …..also recent meal out ….£28 for burger and chips ,gastro pub type place ….cooked breakfast and a coffee £14 in my local cafe …😳

[Adlon57 in reply to Sillysausage234]

You are on👍 most of the good cafe's around here are closing down, last time I put my old boiler out to be collected, found out later, couple of 'council'🤫boys collected 'them' each old boiler probably worth about £90 each😱

They have forgotten what a good fry is over here, used to get what is called locally an "Ulster Fry" none of your vegan stuff, real gut lining stuff👍 now🤮

[Sillysausage234 in reply to Adlon57]

condensing combination boilers now ….instantaneously heats hot water and heating circuit as you use it no need to heat a big cylinder full ,will slash your bills and get better flow rates ....lived in Amsterdam awhile used to go and get a delicious Irish stew with soda bread from an Irish bar 😋

[Adlon57 in reply to Sillysausage234]

Unfortunately lack of money and health [and time] means no drastic changing around here? Used to visit my sister living in Brussels, nice beer over there🍺

The Ulster Fry fried egg, beans, sausages, potato bread, bacon, soda bread [to soak up all the grease fat, eggs etc] vegans😝

[Adlon57]

Just had an "oops" from Amazon, roof felt on shed, picked off by pigeons, trying to get to bird feeder🦅, feathers all over garden, ordered tarmac 'paint' online, actually got cheap, because Amazon thought I was good customer, THEN told me cannot deliver 'paint', safety concerns over delivery🥴 of course will get refund🙄wrote back why advertise in first place when you can't deliver🤬 Yes! that's our Amazon😴

Warning! keep pigeons from your gardens🦅 health hazzard!🦅

[Midori]

Hi Adlon,

Yes, its pretty bleak right now, trying to make ends meet. It's difficult if you need a carer, I'm lucky my son is with me, but he has his own worries right now. I'm in Wales, way out West! Our County Hospital has been found to have RAAC, so more than half of it is closed. It puts more strains on the big hospitals of the surrounding County Hospitals.

If you are like us, without transport it can be a swine getting anywhere. No direct lines anywhere! Today, no trains at all as it is all flooded around Carmarthen!

Cheers, Midori

[Adlon57 in reply to Midori]

I live like a cracked egg, rumbling around the house, too big for me, but more expensive via the process of moving, our health 'system' caught up in a web of endless lines, some lines to nowhere. Taxi firms are being enveloped by bigger firms, but the bigger firms HQ's are further away, so prices will rise, take longer to arrive, and go! Lucky in that because I'm retired, train fares are free, but train lines to where?

Adlon [Groan😒]

[Midori in reply to Adlon57]

Exactly!

It's totally nuts.

Cheers, Midori