Cost of Living

[Lencoboy]

Last week, I suggested to the staff at my day centre that they get automated motion-sensing light switches installed throughout the building (especially in the toilets) and also spring-loaded taps on the wash basins in the toilets (which some clients sometimes leave running).

But hey ho, my suggestions (as per usual) were totally pooh-poohed and the staff not only played the 'it's far too dear' card but also the typical 'red tape' card!

Talk about indifference and being blatantly uninterested in attempting to find practical solutions for problems?

I do believe 'red tape' is far too readily used as a get-out clause for far too many things nowadays!

Plus while it might be 'dear' to make such changes ATM in the short term, they can't grasp the fact that it's likely to save on leccy, gas and water bills in the long run!

[Lencoboy]

Last week, I suggested to the staff at my day centre that they get automated motion-sensing light switches installed throughout the building (especially in the toilets) and also spring-loaded taps on the wash basins in the toilets (which some clients sometimes leave running).

But hey ho, my suggestions (as per usual) were totally pooh-poohed and the staff not only played the 'it's far too dear' card but also the typical 'red tape' card!

Talk about indifference and being blatantly uninterested in attempting to find practical solutions for problems?

I do believe 'red tape' is far too readily used as a get-out clause for far too many things nowadays!

Plus while it might be 'dear' to make such changes ATM in the short term, they can't grasp the fact that it's likely to save on leccy, gas and water bills in the long run!

I know I might be coming across as a bit paranoid but I just dread the thought of my day centre having to close down due to crippling running costs and the staff seemingly having their heads buried in the sand ATM and unenthusiastic about getting more energy-efficient upgrades done to parts of the building, such as the aforementioned motion-sensing light switching and spring-loaded taps.

I remember suggesting similar measures to the staff at my previous day centre back in 2008 when the GFC was rearing its ugly head and was pooh-poohed just the same by them as well with the typical 'red tape', 'Staffs CC won't provide the funds', blah blah blah!

One person on another forum is even pre-empting that the price of a single loaf of bread will be £50 (or more) each by the end of this year, though they have always come across as a bit of a 'know-it-all' type anyway, plus such predictions seem a little OTT to me.

I know they're all hypothetical worst-case scenario right now, but I'm just concerned that they might become self-fulfilling prophecies, especially the way the gutter press always seem to revel in crises generally.

[fishman65]

Just thought I'd bump this up as I'm having to cancel DDs regarding British Gas. Had a massive panic yesterday and not much better today. Mrs F doesn't know why I'm getting stressed.

[Darksky]

Yes but we do, I think we all would be stressed

I am getting increasingly alarmed at our grocery shopping bill. Every week it goes up and up. Our trolley is getting smaller and smaller and yet the bill at the end is going the opposite way.

I’ve always cooked from scratch and they say that’s cheapest but I’m not so sure. How do they expect people to eat healthily when high fat, sugar and salt ping meals are so much cheaper! Meat is getting priced out of the trolley and as for fish. Again it’s good for you but the price now is creeping up to unaffordable.

Sorry rant over…I have just done our grocery shop you can tell.

Plus! I forgot to say….we have just had our credit card bill….We had to put Sams treatment and cremation on it and now that damn thing is due. That’s £400 down before even November starts! Sometimes duvets seem temptingly enticing don’t they

[Lencoboy]

Where's the mass anarchy then?

[fishman65]

That's for you Darksky. Oh yes disappear under the duvet, if only we could. Well we 'can' but have to get up in the morning. Vet's bills are never cheap are they. And to effectively be charged for having your heart broken. Our black lab had her Metacam this week, luckily she didn't need a consultation but its still 40 quid for a small bottle. But we love our pets.

As regards food, I keep telling you about porridge. Its dirt cheap and a wholegrain. I often have it for my main meal, supplemented with hard boiled eggs, tinned mackerel and walnuts. Not all together.

Anyway I've changed the payment method to card with British Gas. It was on DD but I just can't do that now. We have to constantly juggle our finances as we have no cushion. We used to PAYG but the engineer said don't let it get to zero because a mechanism in the meter shuts off the gas supply and you have to get an engineer out. We didn't have that problem with the dumb PAYG meters.

[Darksky]

Our vets are now doing a thing when the pet has to be seen every six months before they will prescribe the medicine. Which adds a consultation fee every other request

We had to get a bottle of Carprieve the other day. That was 60 odd quid. But he can’t be in pain can he?

Hmmm from that menu I’ll take the eggs…You can keep the porridge, walnuts and tinned mackerel. Although I do like tinned sardines..on toast. Mr.D buys big packets of walnuts and has a handful every so often. I like brazils….chocolate covered brazils

Our heating is oil fired. The price of oil is terrifying. We have no heating at all and it’s going to remain that way until new year. We are fortunate it’s unseasonably warm aren’t we?

[pulisa]

I for one am making the most of the warm weather and if this is climate change then I'll take it any day over having to turn the heating on and use loads of expensive gas.

Can you buy your vet meds online and just get the vet to write a prescription which you can use to make the order? It's a lot cheaper than buying it from the vet directly.

[fishman65]

Vets know we won't skimp on our pet's medicine, and some can be unscrupulous in taking advantage.

I was reading about brazil nuts having high levels of selenium, so in moderation would be my advice. And without the chocolate I'm having almonds tonight. Sardines are good, oily fish.

[fishman65]

I for one am making the most of the warm weather and if this is climate change then I'll take it any day over having to turn the heating on and use loads of expensive gas.

Can you buy your vet meds online and just get the vet to write a prescription which you can use to make the order? It's a lot cheaper than buying it from the vet directly.

The weather has certainly come out in sympathy for us Pulisa. Its rare not to have had it on at least once by late October. I'm not sure about the vets. We use a 'Vets4Pets' who tend to be a bit cheaper anyway.