The Day After Mum's Funeral Part Three...
Once I tidy this house and give it a late "Spring" clean will I be able to stay here, wherever I am what can you do? As said previously, if you look as though you can do too much you'll be penalised. If you stay at home there are probably three basic things you can do(perhaps four)
Sit or lay in bed and read a book. Listen to the radio in a chair or lay in bed. Sit at a computer and watch or listen to TV/radio or surf.
Sit or lay in bed and watch TV. That includes music.
That is about it!
The only other thing that's a bit different is when you have a meal...and as was said before when you can share with someone perhaps you'll go to more trouble and prepare something a little more special.
As I said yesterday...I saw some ready meals and thought they look good value but when you looked at the ingredients I thought do I want to eat that rubbish?
Recovered/ground chicken. That's when they manage to take off meat that is on the bones of a chicken and could be anything.
It will be interesting to see what those chicken and veg pies are like where they only cost 84p for four. In the same range they are doing some cornflakes for 38p.
A Bird's Eye Dinner is better quality but probably costs £2.29 but when on a budget and they say this costs £1 you may have to go for the lower priced item. Even the meal I did have had approx 40% of my daily allowance of salt. With kidney problems I probably should be watching that especially with water retention.
But I did have a slice of gammon, pineapple, sauté potatoes, carrots, peas and a seasoned sauce/gravy.(I may not be able to afford a joint of meat or a full chicken)but I probably could get a few meals out of and not waste food if I buy some potatoes, frozen vegetables and sliced meat because you can portion such items and make a few meals.
Later on I had a bowl of cereal with milk and I did have two bread buns...one with sliced cheese and Marmite, the other had tomato. I had two mugs of coffee.
If I can make a jar of Marmite last a long time its worth buying but as it costs perhaps £3.30(from memory)that may be quite a lot of what you are having to find each week for your food spending.
I hope that I can find enough variety so eating doesn't become boring.
Am I going to find myself experiencing what many pensioners and families on low income do when they have decide do I eat or heat the home? I must find some kind of deal that will keep my energy prices down...but I think that I will need help.
My house is cold as I write this. I should really be looking for putting more clothes on to compensate. Avoiding shirts and going more for jumpers and cardigans,sweatshirts...I may have to buy some because this house was so warm I normally wear shot sleeve shirts. The hardest part of the body to keep warm is the legs...trousers aren't very warm. Maybe I should wrap myself in a blanket.
I think that I will start and fill up flasks with hot water and keep drinking tea and coffee. That way I don't have to keep boiling a kettle up.
I thought I might have a go at making my own bread again, I have food processor and might have a go at making a cake but I need somewhere warm for the dough to rise and if you are not heating the house how do you do that? If I bake a cake you are using the oven so its probably as cheap to buy one though it's not the same as saying I made that.
I don't think I can make the bread any cheaper than buying it really(once you've bought the flour, put the oven on again)and you may not manage to eat all the loaf you purchase. I wish the freezer part of my fridge/freezer was larger.
I've cut down on how often I use the washer/tumble drier. It saves on the
electric. Think I'll go and have a cup of coffee.
Think I've mentioned before it was cheaper to heat this place when we depended on a coal fire and a coke boiler for the central heating.
Also my 97 year old auntie was still in her own home but to stay warm she went to bed, used hot water bottles, drank hot drinks, wore a thick heavy outside coat and a woollen hat.
Living like that in modern Britain...I know its not the same as children starving or being in parts of Africa where its very hot or cold or natural disasters...but its still poverty.
Sit or lay in bed and read a book. Listen to the radio in a chair or lay in bed. Sit at a computer and watch or listen to TV/radio or surf.
Sit or lay in bed and watch TV. That includes music.
That is about it!
The only other thing that's a bit different is when you have a meal...and as was said before when you can share with someone perhaps you'll go to more trouble and prepare something a little more special.
As I said yesterday...I saw some ready meals and thought they look good value but when you looked at the ingredients I thought do I want to eat that rubbish?
Recovered/ground chicken. That's when they manage to take off meat that is on the bones of a chicken and could be anything.
It will be interesting to see what those chicken and veg pies are like where they only cost 84p for four. In the same range they are doing some cornflakes for 38p.
A Bird's Eye Dinner is better quality but probably costs £2.29 but when on a budget and they say this costs £1 you may have to go for the lower priced item. Even the meal I did have had approx 40% of my daily allowance of salt. With kidney problems I probably should be watching that especially with water retention.
But I did have a slice of gammon, pineapple, sauté potatoes, carrots, peas and a seasoned sauce/gravy.(I may not be able to afford a joint of meat or a full chicken)but I probably could get a few meals out of and not waste food if I buy some potatoes, frozen vegetables and sliced meat because you can portion such items and make a few meals.
Later on I had a bowl of cereal with milk and I did have two bread buns...one with sliced cheese and Marmite, the other had tomato. I had two mugs of coffee.
If I can make a jar of Marmite last a long time its worth buying but as it costs perhaps £3.30(from memory)that may be quite a lot of what you are having to find each week for your food spending.
I hope that I can find enough variety so eating doesn't become boring.
Am I going to find myself experiencing what many pensioners and families on low income do when they have decide do I eat or heat the home? I must find some kind of deal that will keep my energy prices down...but I think that I will need help.
My house is cold as I write this. I should really be looking for putting more clothes on to compensate. Avoiding shirts and going more for jumpers and cardigans,sweatshirts...I may have to buy some because this house was so warm I normally wear shot sleeve shirts. The hardest part of the body to keep warm is the legs...trousers aren't very warm. Maybe I should wrap myself in a blanket.
I think that I will start and fill up flasks with hot water and keep drinking tea and coffee. That way I don't have to keep boiling a kettle up.
I thought I might have a go at making my own bread again, I have food processor and might have a go at making a cake but I need somewhere warm for the dough to rise and if you are not heating the house how do you do that? If I bake a cake you are using the oven so its probably as cheap to buy one though it's not the same as saying I made that.
I don't think I can make the bread any cheaper than buying it really(once you've bought the flour, put the oven on again)and you may not manage to eat all the loaf you purchase. I wish the freezer part of my fridge/freezer was larger.
I've cut down on how often I use the washer/tumble drier. It saves on the
electric. Think I'll go and have a cup of coffee.
Think I've mentioned before it was cheaper to heat this place when we depended on a coal fire and a coke boiler for the central heating.
Also my 97 year old auntie was still in her own home but to stay warm she went to bed, used hot water bottles, drank hot drinks, wore a thick heavy outside coat and a woollen hat.
Living like that in modern Britain...I know its not the same as children starving or being in parts of Africa where its very hot or cold or natural disasters...but its still poverty.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 2:29 pm
11 Comments:
Buy yourself some tights Anthony, that's what builders wear to keep their legs warm. Failing that a pair of long johns - I have some.
At some point, would you be able to do a little charity work? I used to work for a charity shop and we would have unemployed or slightly disabled people in to do what they could manage. Often just putting tickets on items. We used to have a good laugh and conversations too.
Cx
I'd been thinking of Long Johns funnily enough. Fancy having to return the days when they were worn.
I seem to remember there was a company called Damart? that did a lot of these kind of clothes. I'll have a look on the net.
At least Mum missed all this...Tights yes, I've heard that too.
Our PM is wrong when he says "We're all in this together!" He has no idea or if has he can put it out of his mind and still turn his heating up and eat well.
On the other hand "We" are all this together and are struggling.
Voluntary work is a thought but again, if you do too much or look as though you can, it will go against you...so I am kind of stuck.
I had someone suggest I take a holiday but if they are watching what I spend though emotionally it would do me good they say I was deliberately spending money.
Someone said go away for a weekend on a coach at £99 the same thing and if money is tight even that is quite a lot to find.
At best maybe I could manage a day trip or buy some kind of saver ticket that might allow me to travel a little further.
When I tried to save money to travel to register Mum's death I had to walk to the bus stop otherwise that would have been £2.50 taxi fare...the same upon returning home. The ticket on the bus was a return fare(so that was 14 miles in total)and cost £4.30.
Yet a bus travelling one way from the Registrar's office to the town centre maybe two minutes and only a couple of streets was £1.30.
Then the busses often only run hourly and sometimes not at all in the evenings or bank holidays.
Taxi's are costly...a few streets its £2.50 each way. The outskirts of town to the centre £3.50 e.w.
Three and half miles away...£8.50.
Seven miles away approx £12 e.w.
No wonder many people don't get out much.
We're going back over.
Think I'll take a leaf out of VQ's book and have a look in the charity shop we have one that sells everything and I mean everything at 99p. I may find something warm to wear...
Some track suit bottoms have a fleecy lining and are lovely and warm. Maybe not very smart but fine for indoors. Failing that, I'd plump for a couple of pairs of thermal long johns. A real investment!
Having said that, we'll be into June soon. Surely we'll be getting warmer weather then.
I think you should seriously consider a secondhand mobility scooter. I am still looking for one for myself. Don't know if you've ever used Ebay but it's a good idea to have a look, if only to see what's available.
As for something to do......
Have you ever thought of writing a book? Doesn't necessarily have to be fiction. It could be entitled 'How to cope on your own' or 'Making the pennies go further' or 'Meals for one' - something practical. Just a few thoughts.
I'm afraid I've never been able afford to stay in the house in the winter wearing just cotton tops, I've always had to wear several layers.
i know it will mean an initial outlay of money, but type " long sleeved vests & long johns into google." You might find some brands are cheaper than Damart.
Marks & Spencers do thermal mens underwear that you can buy on line & I think it's cheaper than Damart.
Have a look in your local charity shops & see if you can find your self some thicker socks & trousers.
Also look for man made fibre thin tops & thicker fleece jumpers. You can wear several layers in doors & they are all machine washable, you could do one wash a week of that sort of clothing on 40 degrees.
Think seriuosly about getting a mobility scooter, I think you can get some for about £400. then you'd be able to reach some of the shops with paying for a taxi.
When you've got your mobility scooter, try & make yourself go out for at least an hour every day & speak to at least one person. It won't do your mental health any good being shut in your house all the time, brooding over your worries.
Lastly, when you've got your scooter, see if you could do a little sitting down work in a charity shop, or failing that contact your local church or one of the volunatry agencies & see if they need anyone to do simple office work like filing or typing , or making cups of tea for disadvantaged people. It would make you feel better to go out, talk to other people & feel you were being of some help.
Well, at least if they let me stay here I have a passage I can store the mobility scooter in, if they try to place me in a flat, that's out, I assume that would take Mum's down considerably but could they say no? I would hope that it would be seen as something essential.
I may still consider buying one.
Fancy having to go back to wearing vests, bedsocks and long johns. If I have to buy on line and use a credit card I may have to keep the receips/statements going by what the DWP told me but surely such a purchase would be seen again as essential.
I hate the thought that I am being watched.
I have just put on one of Mum's jumpers its so cold here, it might be ok for a man but it has sripped sleeves amd roses on the front...I don't really care if it keeps me warm...
As I said I'm going to look in that charity shop.
I had a look on the Damart site but it didn't seem to have much choice, seemed a bit pricey and I'm not sure what size I am. I looked for Long John's and Bed socks.
On the other hand I put this link on Google search and found quite a few places to look which may keep me busy...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=long+johns.
Write a book...who knows...most of the tips are probably known and been published already, perhaps people look on the internet now for such information and you've given me quite a few yourself. But I won't dismiss the idea.
I've just had a cup of coffee. I have eaten today yet but I will.
I have some sliced chicken that needs using this weekend(so that can always make a sandwich(bread or bun)with possibly vegetables, potatoes and gravy or a salad...
I have found 3 boxes of cereal with a decent date on them still(I think they cost each cost £1 in the freezer shop and they are not wheatabix but their versions of Cornflakes, Bran Flakes and Fruit and Fibre.
There is a box of Special K but other less expensive versions and Tesco in particular do quite a few reasonably good copies of well known brands.
I don't mind cereal, I don't mind porridge...I have all the complans Mum never managed to drink but £3.15 for four sachets once used I won't be buying them again.
I have those milk powders to make shakes with(5 cans of them)I've lots of tea bags and coffee to get through.
I really will have to look for bargains and buy in bulk to some extent, wish there was a cash and carry near by.
If Aldi is as good as I hear I wish it would hurry up and open here. The nearest one is 7 miles away and if you have to use a bus you can't carry much, a taxi makes the savings not worth anything and eben adding bus fare could again make it not worth shopping there.
The kind of town we are I've always been surprised we haven't a cheap food store.
Thank you anon, you typed that as I was typing my comment.
I will consider all your suggestions...
I'm going out for an hour to that charity shop and see if there are any bargains at the supermarket.
Don't forget Freecycle you lovely people. It is amazing what you can get and give away on it.
Here is an example. I was visiting a friend recently and her 14 year old girl (who is charmingly old fashioned) said she really really wanted a typewriter to type letters to her penfriends as it was more personal! How quaint is that.
Anyway I told her I would ask on Freecycle.
Within minutes of my request, I had been contacted by a lovely lady, offering me a deluxe portable, in full working condition with spare ribbons! How cool is that?
I am going to collect it at 6pm and take it round to my friend as a surprise. Quite excited.
I have got rid of no end of stuff I no longer need. Once when we were skint, we got a couple of pairs of smart shoes for my son for work.
Also, I had Easiyo yogurt maker.
Ask and ye shall receive (most of the time). :)
Carol x
We also got some nearly new divan beds when my son's fell apart.
I was bought up on second hand stuff, so have absolutely no qualms about it, barring used underwear.
I got rid of a lovely fridge freezer which was just too small for me. I will always put something on there rather than send to landfill.
Yes there are people on there who probably sell it on, but as long as its of use to someone, I don't mind a bit.
Cx
Ohhh yes, I'd forgotten about Freecycle. Good thinking!
And, Gildy, something else I had forgotten - you mentioned bread-making. You don't need 'somewhere warm' to leave the dough to rise.
In fact, it makes better bread if you just cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave it in the kitchen over night. It rises more slowly but that's good!
P.S. Sorry..... I'm getting so forgetful: As far as buying a mobility scooter on Ebay goes, You would need to click on the tab which says 'nearest' so that you get local sellers. In that case you would pay cash. I have seen many go for £200-£300. And, depending on your set-up, you can often take them indoors. Indeed, some people use them for indoors only. If you lived in a flat, you could still use it for a ground floor flat or if there was a lift.
My cousin has one. She says they're marvellous.
Thanks for that VQ(Both tips - the bread and the mobility scooter)
And your mention of Freecycle Carol.
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