# Cost of living crisis and your diabetes?



## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 10, 2022)

Has the cost-of-living crisis had an impact on how you manage your diabetes day to day? Maybe you're worrying about the cost of food increasing, or how it will affect your stress levels. 

Let Diabetes UK know by sending your story to campaigns@diabetes.org.uk


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## Nige13 (Aug 15, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Has the cost-of-living crisis had an impact on how you manage your diabetes day to day? Maybe you're worrying about the cost of food increasing, or how it will affect your stress levels.
> 
> Let Diabetes UK know by sending your story to campaigns@diabetes.org.uk


More worried about the cost of both gas and electric - food is something I can kinda control?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 15, 2022)

Thanks @Nige13 

Yes the potential increases in fuel and energy costs are scary aren’t they. 

I do wonder whether rising inflation and foods costs might have an impact on some members though.

As an example, the sugar tax halved the strength of Lucozade which I have used for several years to treat hypos as quickly as possible. Then the £2 or £2.50 (depending on the week) packs of 6 bottles became packs of 4 for the same price. Which is almost doubling the cost again. I switched to bigger bottles and decanted i to smaller bottles for convenience, but now those have risen so much in price (up approx 20%) that I’ve switched to full-sugar cola instead (of the 2 main brands that still have a reasonable carb/100ml recipe ).

It’s a complex example, and part of it predates the current pressures, but things have certainly escalated over the past month or two.


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## Sarahp (Aug 15, 2022)

Yes, at one point was having to feed both of us on £12 a week because I can no longer work, my family are now helping and getting better at batch cooking and planning, also have pancreatitis so am cutting back things that flare that up which is helping with costs and finally got free prescriptions.


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## Kel3 (Aug 16, 2022)

For the very reasons you state I no longer use Lucozade, which has been my go to treatment for 20+ years.  I don't really like sweets but am currently using Jelly Babies as a cheaper option.


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## nonethewiser (Aug 17, 2022)

Price of food shop is shocking now, some produce nearly double in price from this time last year. How much more things will rise is anyone's guess.


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## Lucyr (Aug 17, 2022)

It is definitely difficult to buy healthy foods within my normal shopping budget now, everything has gone up so much


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## PhoebeC (Aug 17, 2022)

Yes and availability of some foods due to supply chain issues also has an impact.

I think come winter the cost to stay warm will impact at a lot of people for the worst.


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## rebrascora (Aug 17, 2022)

Well I can see an advantage in it, in that the first thing to cut out will be the luxuries like alcohol.....that should do me some good..... not that I drink huge amounts but drinking less is almost certainly beneficial. 
I think, because the garden is producing at the moment I am managing quite well but I imagine it may be more noticeable in the winter. So far my fuel bill hasn't risen but I am consciously not using the oven very much at all. More slow cooker, frying pan and microwave. I don't have a problem with any of that as I am happy using those forms of cooking and it suits the food I buy. 
I was brought up to "save for a rainy day" so I have a bit of a buffer in savings and very rarely eat out and never go on holiday, so I can afford to spend a little more on food if need be.


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## freesia (Aug 17, 2022)

I must admit to being worried. Hubby usually does the food shop on his way home from work but while its school holidays i've taken it over. The only luxury i bought today was a small pot of cream to have with my coffee, all the rest was ingredients for the weeks meals. It still came to £60 for the two of us and it was mainly fruit, veg, bread and cheese. 

I do a menu every week for the week ahead then buy just what i need thats not in the cupboard. We rarely have any waste, any veg left over goes in a ratatouille or soup. Any meat is bought in bigger packs then split up and frozen. 

For hypos i used to use branded jelly babies. When these went up to £1.50 per bag, i found ASDA do their own brand for 50p per bag so now stock up on these.

I'm worried about the cost of gas and electric as well. I taught myself (basic) crochet for something to do during the lockdowns. I'd better get busy making blankets and throws to wrap up in!


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## PhoebeC (Aug 17, 2022)

We already do most of our food shopping at lidl. Go to the farm shop for huge trays of eggs and sacks of potatoes, and treat meat, the eggs and potatoes are better and way cheaper. I don't know how we can spend less.

For hypos I am on lidl fizzy worms, big bag cheaper than the 40p jelly babies. My local m&S did have theirs for 50p for a while so I did use those, very nice. 
We have no waste at all, maybe a mouthful on a plate we don't want to eat.

We bought a ninja cooker, only use the hob occasionally and the grill not even once a week. Haven't used the the oven in weeks, maybe 2 or 3.


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## PhoebeC (Aug 17, 2022)

Also I work from home pretty much now, fine in summer, but I think I might be going into Manchester more in winter ... well not if the strikes keep up!


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## Nige13 (Aug 17, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> Well I can see an advantage in it, in that the first thing to cut out will be the luxuries like alcohol.....that should do me some good..... not that I drink huge amounts but drinking less is almost certainly beneficial.
> I think, because the garden is producing at the moment I am managing quite well but I imagine it may be more noticeable in the winter. So far my fuel bill hasn't risen but I am consciously not using the oven very much at all. More slow cooker, frying pan and microwave. I don't have a problem with any of that as I am happy using those forms of cooking and it suits the food I buy.
> I was brought up to "save for a rainy day" so I have a bit of a buffer in savings and very rarely eat out and never go on holiday, so I can afford to spend a little more on food if need be.


Oh, I could'nt be doing without a holiday or two a year  and I dont drink or smoke so have to have something to look forward too and keep me going


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## grovesy (Aug 17, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> We already do most of our food shopping at lidl. Go to the farm shop for huge trays of eggs and sacks of potatoes, and treat meat, the eggs and potatoes are better and way cheaper. I don't know how we can spend less.
> 
> For hypos I am on lidl fizzy worms, big bag cheaper than the 40p jelly babies. My local m&S did have theirs for 50p for a while so I did use those, very nice.
> We have no waste at all, maybe a mouthful on a plate we don't want to eat.
> ...


Do you find the farm shop sacks of potatoes last ? Asking as my other half is frequently throwing away supermarket ones, even on day of purchase.


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## PhoebeC (Aug 17, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Do you find the farm shop sacks of potatoes last ? Asking as my other half is frequently throwing away supermarket ones, even on day of purchase.


They tend to come with a lot of mud on. Keep them cool and dry and they last. But we only get half a sack as there’s only 3 of us. We run out before they go bad. 
I would say seek out your local farm with a shop, not all farm shops are responsibly priced so are flashy, and buy a smaller bag and see how you get on.
Same with the eggs. They last 3 - 4 weeks. As they are even fresher than the super markets they last ages, well we eat them quickly but they should do


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## grovesy (Aug 17, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> They tend to come with a lot of mud on. Keep them cool and dry and they last. But we only get half a sack as there’s only 3 of us. We run out before they go bad.
> I would say seek out your local farm with a shop, not all farm shops are responsibly priced so are flashy, and buy a smaller bag and see how you get on.
> Same with the eggs. They last 3 - 4 weeks. As they are even fresher than the super markets they last ages, well we eat them quickly but they should do


Ta.


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## travellor (Aug 17, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Do you find the farm shop sacks of potatoes last ? Asking as my other half is frequently throwing away supermarket ones, even on day of purchase.


It depends on what you throw out.
I've cooked ones with feelers growing out of the bag.
Just chopped out the usable bits, mashed, fried, baked, it's all good.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 17, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Ta.


Last year I planted 6 charlotte potatoes that had sprouted in a bed about 4ft x 4ft and it yielded 20kg of potatoes which stored really well in the shed and lasted us until March.


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## grovesy (Aug 18, 2022)

They have not started to sprout the ones I am on about, they have black flesh.


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## Felinia (Aug 18, 2022)

I find all the price increases scary, as my savings diminish.  Energy alone is now almost 50% of my State pension.  I used to happily pay for exercise classes with my favourite instructor, but now look for locations which do offers - I pay between 30% and 50% less now.  For my dietary needs I now use the local farm veg-in-a-box service, which provides enough vegetables for 3-4 weeks for less than £30, and great eggs.  I use batch cooking and freeze into individual portions.  I also shop for own brands now rather than brand names.  My last trip to the supermarket the shelves had mostly been stripped clean, with many items unavailable.  I used to have 2+ holidays a year, but my trip last May was the first, and only trip in 3 years.  But I work round things and make do.  I don't go hungry, and come the winter I have warm jumpers.


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## Drummer (Aug 18, 2022)

grovesy said:


> They have not started to sprout the ones I am on about, they have black flesh.


Ah - that sounds like either a fungal infection or poor storage/lack of oxygen (they are, after all, alive and need to breath) I keep the ones I buy for my husband in a small bucket where they are in the dark but warm, dry and can breathe.

As things which I don't buy seem to be the most affected by shortages, I have not been too badly affected, but Lidl has had a lot of empty shelves recently - so much so that I have taken to going shopping on my mobility scooter so that I can call in at several supermarkets to seek out the things on my list. I damaged a knee slipping on loose pebbles and find that just the extra strain of walking across carparks makes a big difference to the number of shops I can visit. If I need to go to 4 or 5 shops in the car, I am exhausted and my knee is throbbing for the rest of the day, and stiff for 24 hours.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 18, 2022)

grovesy said:


> They have not started to sprout the ones I am on about, they have black flesh.



Could be blight. That’ll kybosh spuds in no time.


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## grovesy (Aug 18, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Could be blight. That’ll kybosh spuds in no time.


Well these are commercially grown supermarket spuds, and not just the one.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 18, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Well these are commercially grown supermarket spuds, and not just the one.



We had blight on tomatoes in the garden - it just blew in on the air. they just went black and manky on the plants and didn’t ripen. 

I guess commercial growers would have potential trouble with blight as well as garden growers. it certainly caused chaos in the Irish potato famine.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 18, 2022)

I put in a wood burner this year and the cost including the price of a winters supply of logs works out cheaper than a years electric at todays prices.
I always look in the bargain food dept of any supermarket I shop in.
Have a new mentality when shopping now................ which is do I want it or do I need it. If I want and don't need then it's left behind. Never buy single portion items as cheaper to buy family size or bulk buy and freeze stuff which wont keep.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 19, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Never buy single portion items as cheaper to buy family size or bulk buy and freeze stuff which wont keep.



You have to be a bit careful with this (though mostly it’s sound advice)

Our local supermarket is sneaky for chopping and changing the prices of things week to week, such that sometimes the ‘family pack’ next door to the smaller packages actually works out MORE expensive by weight when you buy the larger pack.   

On the shelf labels they have to list price per 100g (I think it’s a legal requirement?), and it can be quite illuminating to give those a check before making the choice!


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## travellor (Aug 19, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> You have to be a bit careful with this (though mostly it’s sound advice)
> 
> Our local supermarket is sneaky for chopping and changing the prices of things week to week, such that sometimes the ‘family pack’ next door to the smaller packages actually works out MORE expensive by weight when you buy the larger pack.
> 
> On the shelf labels they have to list price per 100g (I think it’s a legal requirement?), and it can be quite illuminating to give those a check before making the choice!



Just bought some mouthwash.
250ml, £1.25.
500ml, £3.50.

Buy two smaller ones, save £1.

But twice the plastic waste.


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## Nige13 (Aug 19, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> You have to be a bit careful with this (though mostly it’s sound advice)
> 
> Our local supermarket is sneaky for chopping and changing the prices of things week to week, such that sometimes the ‘family pack’ next door to the smaller packages actually works out MORE expensive by weight when you buy the larger pack.
> 
> On the shelf labels they have to list price per 100g (I think it’s a legal requirement?), and it can be quite illuminating to give those a check before making the choice!


I always check the price of the Kg and more often than not makes me change my mind on what I'm about to purchase   some deals that look good are not really that good after all when you look at the overall price per kg


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## Nige13 (Aug 19, 2022)

travellor said:


> Just bought some mouthwash.
> 250ml, £1.25.
> 500ml, £3.50.
> 
> ...


I am pretty sure you can make your own natural mouth wash at home for a fraction of the cost - youtube it ... lol


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## travellor (Aug 19, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> I am pretty sure you can make your own natural mouth wash at home for a fraction of the cost - youtube it ... lol



It's one of the few things I actually use a brand on, the same as the toothpaste and the tooth brush.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 19, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> On the shelf labels they have to list price per 100g (I think it’s a legal requirement?), and it can be quite illuminating to give those a check before making the choice!


Oh I already do that  It's amazing what you can save by checking labels


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 19, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Oh I already do that  It's amazing what you can save by checking labels



Ha! Sometimes it almost feels like a game. I get such a big grin on my face saving 26p by buying 2 small packs rather than the big ine with “Family Value“ plastered all over it in big red letters!


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 19, 2022)

travellor said:


> Just bought some mouthwash.
> 250ml, £1.25.
> 500ml, £3.50.
> 
> ...


If you have a Lidl nr you it's only 42p in there


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 19, 2022)

travellor said:


> Just bought some mouthwash.
> 250ml, £1.25.
> 500ml, £3.50.
> 
> ...



Haha! You WIN! (but the planet loses)


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## trophywench (Aug 19, 2022)

Years ago there I was telling skint stepdaughter and ditto eldest granddaughter to read what it said on the 'edge of shelf' labels whilst able to ignore em myself - now I'm having to take my own advice and not enjoying it thanks.  We shouldn't have to do this after working hard for 40 odd years and investing as wisely as we could manage both in pensions and otherwise.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 19, 2022)

A pub at lunch time charged a friend £14.80 for 4 pints of orange squash and lemonade. That is outrageous!!!!!!


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## Lucyr (Aug 20, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> A pub at lunch time charged a friend £14.80 for 4 pints of orange squash and lemonade. That is outrageous!!!!!!


Even in Wetherspoons squash is 80p for a pint and lemonade is £2 a pint so £2,70 each. So being a pound more expensive somewhere nicer doesn’t seem that outrageous


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## Leadinglights (Aug 20, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> Even in Wetherspoons squash is 80p for a pint and lemonade is £2 a pint so £2,70 each. So being a pound more expensive somewhere nicer doesn’t seem that outrageous


I wouldn't exactly say it was nicer.


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## 42istheanswer (Aug 20, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> A pub at lunch time charged a friend £14.80 for 4 pints of orange squash and lemonade. That is outrageous!!!!!!


Sorry but I couldn't help hearing "That is outrageous!!!!" in Liz Truss' voice from the infamous "That is a disgrace!" cheese video


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## jackymax (Aug 20, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> You have to be a bit careful with this (though mostly it’s sound advice)
> 
> Our local supermarket is sneaky for chopping and changing the prices of things week to week, such that sometimes the ‘family pack’ next door to the smaller packages actually works out MORE expensive by weight when you buy the larger pack.
> 
> On the shelf labels they have to list price per 100g (I think it’s a legal requirement?), and it can be quite illuminating to give those a check before making the choice!


Yes!  I never use the 're-order' button when I shop online


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 20, 2022)

We've been cutting things to the bone for years and just as our yearly income has started to increase due to career changes, costs have increased so we're lucky compared to many. We also have a mortgage now instead of rent and the mortgage is almost a third more expensive than the rent was because due to our age we could only get a nine year mortgage which pushed the monthly cost up.  But we were lucky to finalise it on a fixed rate for a few years at a low rate before they went up. We had been planning to lump it off fast with our extra income but we probably won't do that now.

We put a floor on our attic and a pull down ladder so we can now get all our stuff out of paid storage and store the stuff we want to keep up there and get rid of the rest and that will save us around £100 a month to go towards the increase in stuff.
We have been getting all our groceries delivered for the least two and half years and I am keeping our spend to the same amount each week by choosing cheaper versions of stuff or buying when they are on offer.

One wheeze is to always pick the cheapest brand/version and tick substitutions accepted and put in the notes that other versions of the item are fine.  That way if the cheap version runs out you get the more expensive version instead at the same price. I like the cheap versions so I am happy with them but now and then it is a fun bonus to get an expensive sub. It doesn't happen often but when it does it means i am never upset by getting a substitution just chuffed.

Our fixed rate energy deal runs out at the end of this month.

I have bought a little solo campfire stove so I can do some cooking outside using bits of sticks and twigs and garden stuff in it. I decided it would save money and it would be fun too.  I am trying to do my usual trick of turning a negative into a fun thing that makes me happy and I managed to get the solo campfire at a good price.
We got a great deal on an awning that has cut down on the need for fans to cool in the summer and we're sorting out the garden so we can use it to grow onions and other things I like - mainly herbs and blackberries and cruciferous veggies.
I am also introducing a day a week when we don't cook anything and just eat cold things. I have stopped using our gas hob and use an induction hob instead as it is much more efficient and I like it better. We have put a new heating controller and thermostat in and that started saving us money as soon as it went in.

We never go on holiday - no need our home is our place of comfort and relaxation and we have virtual reality if we want to visit anywhere in the world - and we don't drink or smoke or go out to eat or to socialise because we don't like doing any of those things.  I would prefer to stay in and I enjoy cooking and luckily hubby feels the same way. We don't have a tv either and haven't for decades so that saves a lot of energy and no tv license to pay either.

We work from home and have done for decades and the only real expense is diesel to visit my mum and take care of her when she needs it. She has finally agreed to have her blindness officially diagnosed which means we can help her claim attendance allowance so that will go towards covering her increased energy bills and fingers crossed that and the various government support in that direction should cancel out most of her increased fuel costs.  She's another hermit like us but she does watch tv but if she gets diagnosed officially blind she will get her license free.

We've installed film on the windows to keep us cool in hot weather and warm in the winter.

Looks like solar isn't on the cards yet until the government starts giving grants to help us do that but if they do give grants we will be getting it straight away.


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## travellor (Aug 20, 2022)

Spent the morning changing my partner's house out to led and some older low energy lights 
I did mine when I renovated it, and they use a tenth of the electricity of the older filament lights.
The kitchen has old 50w GU10 spotlights, so that's a kw an evening saved there alone.
It's not a vast amount, but it adds up, and I've picked up a lot of the bulbs in end of lines at Screwfix and similar places for pennies.


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## Lucyr (Aug 20, 2022)

@NotWorriedAtAll be careful about the substitutions thing for online shopping as it varies depending where you shop. At Tesco if they replace with something more expensive you pay the price you ordered it at. But at sainsburys you pay the more expensive price and they give you a voucher that you can only use online, paying the more expensive price at the time can be problematic.


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## Loobyloo (Aug 20, 2022)

Even the price of my Gluco Navii glucose testing strips have shot up steeply  £13.98 for 2 packs of 50  Jan 2022 now £11.76 one pack Amazon. I am buying from Homehealth at £9.80 now which i think is cheapest around unless anyone knows better.


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## Loobyloo (Aug 20, 2022)

I have taken advantage of the discounts available from most supermarkets for up to 25% off you first shop. Some i may not use again but the initial saving is good. I have saved £15 off £60 shops twice in last couple of weeks. In fact Morrisons have done this offer even for existing customers this week so have had 25% discount off past 2 shops.


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

Loobyloo said:


> Even the price of my Gluco Navii glucose testing strips have shot up steeply  £13.98 for 2 packs of 50  Jan 2022 now £11.76 one pack Amazon. I am buying from Homehealth at £9.80 now which i think is cheapest around unless anyone knows better.


Hi
Don't you get those testing strips on perscription free from the Dr? I do.


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## Lucyr (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Hi
> Don't you get those testing strips on perscription free from the Dr? I do.


Most T2s have to pay themselves


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> Most T2s have to pay themselves


Wow .... thats not good. I've never had to pay for strips,lancets or machine.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Wow .... thats not good. I've never had to pay for strips,lancets or machine.


You have a generous GP then.


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> You have a generous GP then.


I must have yes.


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## rebrascora (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Hi
> Don't you get those testing strips on perscription free from the Dr? I do.


It depends on what medication you are prescribed to a large extent. People on insulin or Gliclazide need to test to keep themselves safe, so you will get them on prescription. If you are not on those medications then a GP can prescribe a BG meter and test strips but they would have to be quite switched on to Diabetes management to understand the benefit of that and see it as cost effective. Very few GPs can afford to do that or have that level of understanding and their patient needs educating how to use that meter via a testing strategy like we advise here, to gain the best data from that testing and interpret it of course. It would need a lot of input rom the GP that they just don't have time for.... but of course that info can be found on this forum..... but most GPs don't know that either or that their patient will come here and get that advice and support on how to get the most from testing.


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> It depends on what medication you are prescribed to a large extent. People on insulin or Gliclazide need to test to keep themselves safe, so you will get them on prescription. If you are not on those medications then a GP can prescribe a BG meter and test strips but they would have to be quite switched on to Diabetes management to understand the benefit of that and see it as cost effective. Very few GPs can afford to do that or have that level of understanding and their patient needs educating how to use that meter via a testing strategy like we advise here, to gain the best data from that testing and interpret it of course. It would need a lot of input rom the GP that they just don't have time for.... but of course that info can be found on this forum..... but most GPs don't know that either or that their patient will come here and get that advice and support on how to get the most from testing.


I do take Gliclazide  so pehaps this is why mine are free?


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## Leadinglights (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> I do take Gliclazide  so pehaps this is why mine are free?


That would be it then.


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## helli (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> I do take Gliclazide  so pehaps this is why mine are free?


I am a pedant. Sometimes to a fault so I apologise for being a pedant on this comment. 
Unfortunately, no drugs or prescription items are free. They all need to be paid for. They are paid for by the NHS which is paid for by the tax payer. 
To me, this is important: I am careful not to waste what I get from the NHS as I know it will cost me and my loved ones in the long run if we do so. 

I think of it as I get most of my diabetes kit on prescription - I pay for it via my taxes but not when I collect it from the pharmacy. 
Separately, I pay for my CGMs and hypo treatment.


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

I also pay for my taxes too  and for many years before being diagnose with type 2 I use to always pay for my perscriptions too but I aint paying for strips when the nurse asks me to take my bloods on a regular basis.


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## helli (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> I also pay for my taxes too  and for many years before being diagnose with type 2 I use to always pay for my perscriptions too but I aint paying for strips when the nurse asks me to take my bloods on a regular basis.


My point is that you ARE paying for your strips. Not when you pick them up from the pharmacy but the taxes you pay are paying for them. 
I feel uncomfortable suggesting that anything we get from the NHS is free because it isn't. 

Sorry if I have offended you with my pedantry.


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## Drummer (Aug 22, 2022)

I keep getting encouragement to switch to a smart meter, but I can't see how one would save anything at all.
I don't know if I am missing something, but all they do is tell you how much energy is being used. In a household where energy is only used for necessary things - how could one help?


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## Nige13 (Aug 22, 2022)

helli said:


> My point is that you ARE paying for your strips. Not when you pick them up from the pharmacy but the taxes you pay are paying for them.
> I feel uncomfortable suggesting that anything we get from the NHS is free because it isn't.
> 
> Sorry if I have offended you with my pedantry.


No offence taken whatsoever  well, I mean then I'm NOT paying twice


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## Leadinglights (Aug 22, 2022)

Drummer said:


> I keep getting encouragement to switch to a smart meter, but I can't see how one would save anything at all.
> I don't know if I am missing something, but all they do is tell you how much energy is being used. In a household where energy is only used for necessary things - how could one help?


I totally agree with you, the adverts all imply that by having a smart meter you will automatically save money by not using as much energy. NO it needs people to actually take action to switch things off or get more energy efficient appliances.


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## travellor (Aug 22, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> I totally agree with you, the adverts all imply that by having a smart meter you will automatically save money by not using as much energy. NO it needs people to actually take action to switch things off or get more energy efficient appliances.



Possibly not.
Smart meters can be read half hourly, and one suggestion that has been voiced is to change energy pricing in the day, to encourage less use in peak periods.
Rewarded for not running the washing machine in the evening for example.


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## jackymax (Aug 22, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> Most T2s have to pay themselves


I don't, but could be that I'm on disability benefits.  Also that I'm on insulin and they forgot me for 2 years atter diagnosis.


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## nonethewiser (Aug 22, 2022)

Struck lucky this morning, away from home called into Lidl & they were selling burgers pork kebabs sausages off for 90p per pack, some were originally priced over £3.

Handy as were having bbq on Friday so they are in freezer for now, can do this as have large chest freezer in garage.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 22, 2022)

travellor said:


> Smart meters can be read half hourly, and one suggestion that has been voiced is to change energy pricing in the day, to encourage less use in peak periods.
> Rewarded for not running the washing machine in the evening for example.



Back to ‘ecomony 7‘ and storage heaters eh? The glory days!


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## rebrascora (Aug 22, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Back to ‘ecomony 7‘ and storage heaters eh? The glory days!


I clearly never left the "Glory days" then as still on storage heaters!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 22, 2022)

And one of these?! 



Reminds me of my first house!


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## rebrascora (Aug 22, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> And one of these?!
> 
> View attachment 21854
> 
> Reminds me of my first house!


No, definitely not got one of those. I have an open fire and logs to top up on warmth on an evening when the storage heaters start to wane!


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## grovesy (Aug 22, 2022)

jackymax said:


> I don't, but could be that I'm on disability benefits.  Also that I'm on insulin and they forgot me for 2 years atter diagnosis.


if you are Insulin you should be provided with one.


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## travellor (Aug 22, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> And one of these?!
> 
> View attachment 21854
> 
> Reminds me of my first house!



That's still one of the most efficient style of gas fires.
And the old radiant bar heater electric fire.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 22, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Hi
> Don't you get those testing strips on perscription free from the Dr? I do.


I'm lucky - I get all my stuff "free" on prescription and I am not on any meds mainly because I can check my bloods and keep track and control it by food choices and activity tweaking.  I wouldn't be able to do that so effectively without checking how things impacted me.  I have got a bought monitor and backup strips I paid for myself at one stage when things got a bit complicated with getting deliveries from our pharmacist.
I do consider that my prescription stuff is free because I pay exactly the same tax whether I get my prescriptions filled or not and so as far as the impact on my finances is concerned I see the equipment and consumables as free.  That does not mean I consider them to have no cost to anyone and I use them carefully.
But that said I use everything carefully and always have because I am bothered about my carbon footprint and impact on the planet as that matters to me.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 22, 2022)

travellor said:


> That's still one of the most efficient style of gas fires.
> And the old radiant bar heater electric fire.
> 
> View attachment 21855



With supremely realistic glowing coals! (my grandparents had one which fascinated me as a child)


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 22, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> I clearly never left the "Glory days" then as still on storage heaters!


They are cheaper to run than the new ! Germen AeroFlow heaters.
I have the ruddy things in my bungalow, hence why I installed a log burner.


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## travellor (Aug 22, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> With supremely realistic glowing coals! (my grandparents had one which fascinated me as a child)



And they have are been thrown out and replaced by glorified fan heaters that just warm a little bit of air then waft it around the room.


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## Lucyr (Aug 22, 2022)

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I'm lucky - I get all my stuff "free" on prescription and I am not on any meds mainly because I can check my bloods and keep track and control it by food choices and activity tweaking.  I wouldn't be able to do that so effectively without checking how things impacted me.  I have got a bought monitor and backup strips I paid for myself at one stage when things got a bit complicated with getting deliveries from our pharmacist.
> I do consider that my prescription stuff is free because I pay exactly the same tax whether I get my prescriptions filled or not and so as far as the impact on my finances is concerned I see the equipment and consumables as free.  That does not mean I consider them to have no cost to anyone and I use them carefully.
> But that said I use everything carefully and always have because I am bothered about my carbon footprint and impact on the planet as that matters to me.


You must be either of a certain age or in Scotland or wales to not pay prescription charges if you’re not on any medication for diabetes. Diabetics are only exempt in England if on medication for diabetes.


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## trophywench (Aug 22, 2022)

That gas fire is/was a Radiation brand, can't remember the model - but anyway, the one we could have free when we bought our house in 1970, but of course being picky we opted for a more expensive Parkinson Cowan model which husband's parents had and we liked.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 23, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> You must be either of a certain age or in Scotland or wales to not pay prescription charges if you’re not on any medication for diabetes. Diabetics are only exempt in England if on medication for diabetes.


I am not in England.


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## Windy (Aug 23, 2022)

I bought, second hand from Ebay, some salopettes/ski trousers to wear round the house if it's cold and I'm too tight to put the heating on. I've lost weight since last winter, and think I'll feel the cold more than last year.
I've got a wood burner in the living room, I tend to keep that going to keep one room warm, and the rest will have to be colder. 
I've also considered if I should go back into the office to work a few days a week, as I've been at working from home since the first lockdown. Free heating and hot water for tea if I walk to the office too.


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## helli (Aug 23, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> You must be either of a certain age or in Scotland or wales to not pay prescription charges if you’re not on any medication for diabetes. Diabetics are only exempt in England if on medication for diabetes.


In England, diabetes is not the only condition which qualify you for prescription exemption certificate. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions-and-pharmacies/who-can-get-free-prescriptions/
Someone could, for example be pregnant or being treated for cancer as well as having diabetes.


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## nonethewiser (Aug 23, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Back to ‘ecomony 7‘ and storage heaters eh? The glory days!



Our first home had storage heaters, only 2 bed with small landing where 1 heater was, we would leave bedroom doors open & they adequately kept rooms warm throughout day. Other was downstairs near bathroom, again kept door open to all rooms, it was great getting out of shower in morning when they were really hot from during night.

We ran washing machine thru night also taking advantage of low cost electricity, seems like long time ago now.


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## nonethewiser (Aug 23, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> And one of these?!
> 
> View attachment 21854
> 
> Reminds me of my first house!



We had one similar with back boiler, back boiler was great until it leaked & flooded front room carpet.


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## mikeyB (Aug 23, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> And one of these?!
> 
> View attachment 21854
> 
> Reminds me of my first house!


That reminds me of one of the holiday jobs I did as a student. It's a Baxi Bermuda gas fire. I was electroplating those reflectors you see surrounding the heating elements. Quality job - that chrome plating still looks like new, unlike the surrounding setting!


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## daxsmith05 (Aug 26, 2022)

can someone tell me if i could get a pension at retirement?
I worked for over 10yrs but much of that time I was paid a pittance by a selfish tory that was so low I would have been better off on welfare after paying travel costs and when I left fully qualified and more qualified than anyone in the firm (including him)  I was paid less than I could have started on in a factory yet had letter after my name!. A friend found my monthly pay slip and thought it was weekly! He kept my wages so low that for 2yrs i paid no NI and haven't got ten years NI record and I have been disabled ever since. He took advantage as I was autistic having been diagnosed recently.


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## daxsmith05 (Aug 26, 2022)

can someone tell me how to change "relationship to diabetes" to diabetic t2 as I cannot find out how to


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## picitup (Aug 26, 2022)

Not exactly related to the question, but to save money:

When I shower, I wash my hair and face then turn it off and soap up.  Then the shower goes back on to rinse off, saving water and gas.

Just today my wife and I were talking about using the microwave to cook things, rather than just heat things up in it.   Our microwave is only 800w while the oven is probably 2000w.  Also the slow cooker will have a new lease of life.

In the winter we don't have the heating on a lot as we don't feel the cold too much, rather thick socks, a shirt and jumper seems to suffice.  Our front room is south facing so I'll be sure to open then blinds first thing to let the heat in.

The previous owner of our house had cavity wall insulation installed and the loft insulated so that's all done.

Not massive cheese, but we have mostly LED lights through the house.

All in all, a worrying time for all of us.  I wonder what the government will come up with?

Cheers

Steve


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## daxsmith05 (Aug 26, 2022)

I cannot get hold of these nasty people as I don't know where they are and some are dead. The only one alive is my aunt who is selfish life her mother and a carbon copy including her politics and expects you to listen to her yet when you explain why she is wrong talks over you and drowns you out rather than listen to reason just like they do at election time. No other party does this and when she does this it infuraites me even more. I feel so angry about her. How can I calm down as she left on Tuesday and I still hate her and all her kind. She drives me insane without even being here. Everything she says is so wrong and she never listens to the other side just like all of them and especially her mother. Nobody understands how infuriating she is and the actions of her party infuriate me as well as they are so cruel. I want to overthrow them in a revolution and despise everything they all stand for and i hate that I am disabled due to genes past to me by both sides of the family. I hate that I am related to her and want her to leave and never come back. I am still stresed about what happened days ago and nobody understands why I hate her politics and her or how annoying she is that I am writing this days after she has left and am still furious with her arrogance and selfishness and that of her party too


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## picitup (Aug 26, 2022)

daxsmith05 said:


> can someone tell me if i could get a pension at retirement?
> I worked for over 10yrs but much of that time I was paid a pittance by a selfish tory that was so low I would have been better off on welfare after paying travel costs and when I left fully qualified and more qualified than anyone in the firm (including him)  I was paid less than I could have started on in a factory yet had letter after my name!. A friend found my monthly pay slip and thought it was weekly! He kept my wages so low that for 2yrs i paid no NI and haven't got ten years NI record and I have been disabled ever since. He took advantage as I was autistic having been diagnosed recently.


You could try this gov.uk page:

Check your State Pension forecast

also this is a very good site for checking your entitlement to benefits:

EntitledTo

Cheers

Steve


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## LancashireLass (Aug 26, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Back to ‘ecomony 7‘ and storage heaters eh? The glory days!


We're fully electric (no gas connection) and are on Economy 7

Whenever I mention this in conversation - which is often at the moment! - people always comment on how old our place must be......
Built in 2011 I believe so not that old lol


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## 42istheanswer (Aug 26, 2022)

daxsmith05 said:


> can someone tell me if i could get a pension at retirement?
> I worked for over 10yrs but much of that time I was paid a pittance by a selfish tory that was so low I would have been better off on welfare after paying travel costs and when I left fully qualified and more qualified than anyone in the firm (including him)  I was paid less than I could have started on in a factory yet had letter after my name!. A friend found my monthly pay slip and thought it was weekly! He kept my wages so low that for 2yrs i paid no NI and haven't got ten years NI record and I have been disabled ever since. He took advantage as I was autistic having been diagnosed recently.


I see Steve has already given you the links to check what you're currently eligible for. If you are currently on income based benefits like Universal Credit, then you also get NI credit as well, so that can add to the number of years you will have by the time you retire. You may also be able to "buy" extra years of NI credit to get you to be eligible if you won't have enough, whether it's worth the initial outlay will depend on your individual situation.


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## Felinia (Aug 28, 2022)

I suppose this is slightly left field, but I thought about how my actions will affect others.  To save costs, I've cancelled all my charity subscriptions - National Trust, Devon Air Ambulance, British Heart, Cancer Research etc.  I then looked at all my other monthly direct debits and whether I really needed them.  So I kept essential insurances - car, home, boiler, 3 large kitchen appliances, elderly cat, Phone/tv/broadband, and cancelled the rest.  Normally I have annual services for things I can no longer do myself, like carpet cleaning, valeting, garden labour, but some simply won't happen this year until I see how things go.  I've also put my electrical upgrade on hold - it's desirable but not essential - and £600+VAT. So this will all impact the charities, and service people.  I expect the retail trade and hospitality industries will also be affected - less income for everyone all round - including diabetics.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 28, 2022)

We had some exterior insulation installed last year and although it has made a difference it is not as helpful as hoped in that the biggest impact is upstairs which is now too hot.  Downstairs only has a small area of external wall so it has not helped much in the lounge where you are sitting to watch TV.


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## Drummer (Aug 28, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> We had some exterior insulation installed last year and although it has made a difference it is not as helpful as hoped in that the biggest impact is upstairs which is now too hot.  Downstairs only has a small area of external wall so it has not helped much in the lounge where you are sitting to watch TV.


My husband put a new roof and doors on the conservatory, checked for draughts and leaks, and that made a noticeable difference to the temperature downstairs - it acts as an airlock for the back of the house and protects against the winds from the South which come blasting up the slope from the sea, and I hang clothes to dry in there.

@daxsmith05 I suggest collecting all information about your employment history and contacting the pension people - if you have a look on the pension forecast site there should be contact details. Armed with your National Insurance number and what dates and other information you have, they should be able to tell you what their records show and see how it matches up with what you can tell them. Any information/evidence such as payslips might be handy if you still have any.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 28, 2022)

Does anybody have a smart meter which actually gives then useful information about how much energy they are using day to day or even hour to hour, or is the one we have a very poor design or are we just not using it correctly.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 28, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> Does anybody have a smart meter which actually gives then useful information about how much energy they are using day to day or even hour to hour, or is the one we have a very poor design or are we just not using it correctly.


We have an old one on our gas that is not informative and when we get one put on our electricity soon they will replace it so we have an in home display so we can keep track properly.  My son has a very helpful smart meter that he has been using for a while to keep close control on his energy usage and he can see it change as he switches on something and then switches it off again.


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## Blue flash (Aug 28, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> We had some exterior insulation installed last year and although it has made a difference it is not as helpful as hoped in that the biggest impact is upstairs which is now too hot.  Downstairs only has a small area of external wall so it has not helped much in the lounge where you are sitting to watch TV.


I haven't got smart meter, but am now taking 2 reading 9pm 9am and experimenting with things on standby, off, and might try unplugged

Only few days since price rise announced but think could save 30pm just by not using standby on things.


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## Mrs Mimoo (Aug 29, 2022)

I mostly eat protein and green stuff now - and for example mackeral was £3 a pack it's now £5. So Not sure what to do - may just have to 'suck it up' for two years. :-(

Quite obvious Things I'm doing: 

shopping at Lidl, from the bargain food yellow sticker stuff, and batch cooking, freezing then cooking with microwave. Works v well for beef ragu and mince / curries, bulk protein dishes.
Grow own veg - this year tomatoes, cucumbers blueberries and herbs. Next year add chard and brassicas. 
not wasting leftovers at all
turn lights off when not using
Do only 2 loads of laundry a week full. (We have plenty of clothes and bedding to last)
shower in 2 minutes - time myself with a short pop song!
turn down thermostat on water and rads. 

Not much else I can do other than wear a huge slanket and hope its a mild winter. xxx


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## Felinia (Aug 29, 2022)

Mrs Mimoo said:


> I mostly eat protein and green stuff now - and for example mackeral was £3 a pack it's now £5. So Not sure what to do - may just have to 'suck it up' for two years. :-(
> 
> Quite obvious Things I'm doing:
> 
> ...


This was almost my list!!  
I get 3+ weeks of veggies from the farm shop for £28
I shower at the swimming pool - their power and hot water!
I only ever have one light on at a time, and walk round with my late brother's dynamo driven fishing lantern after dark.  I imagine it must be like living in Jane Austen times.
I keep everything turned off (except fridge/freezer and WiFi for my phone), only turning on when needed.

My cousin in New Zealand has also noticed the massive cost rises in many things, especially food, but central heating is not so common there.  They have log burners for heating.  This is what my cousin sent me.  "_Our  government aid  to our power account comes to an end  in September.  It has been a huge help.  Our power bill being around  $150 dollars a month of which the govt pays out  $63 per fortnight."  _In other words their power has cost virtually nothing this past winter.


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## Lynne888 (Sep 5, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Do you find the farm shop sacks of potatoes last ? Asking as my other half is frequently throwing away supermarket ones, even on day of purchase.


During lockdown I bought sacks of potatoes rather than supermarket bags. I kept them in the shed with the brown sack sealed down (no daylight). I had them months as there’s only two of us.. the last few would be a bit rotten but so much better value. I agree regarding supermarket spuds.. lucky for a bag to last a week! Haven’t bought any potatoes since diagnosis though but it seems others do still eat them regularly??


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## Lynne888 (Sep 5, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> Does anybody have a smart meter which actually gives then useful information about how much energy they are using day to day or even hour to hour, or is the one we have a very poor design or are we just not using it correctly.


I can check on Bulb app (see image). It tells me when more electricity is being used and I know from the image that a shower sends it higher, using the ninja air fryer sends it higher and boiling a kettle sends it higher. I’m happy with less than £2 a day though and the peaks are short lived . Recently had our electric aga converted as it was costing £15 A DAY!


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## Felinia (Sep 6, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> I can check on Bulb app (see image). It tells me when more electricity is being used and I know from the image that a shower sends it higher, using the ninja air fryer sends it higher and boiling a kettle sends it higher. I’m happy with less than £2 a day though and the peaks are short lived . Recently had our electric aga converted as it was costing £15 A DAY!


Wow - that a lot!  I've got a Smart Meter, so took your tip and checked my daily usage.  Between 95p and £1.66 these last 6 months, averaging £1.27.  I'm up for renewal and the quote they gave me averaged £4.10 a day.  That's just from October - I dread to think what it will be by next April!


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## Lynne888 (Sep 6, 2022)

Felinia said:


> Wow - that a lot!  I've got a Smart Meter, so took your tip and checked my daily usage.  Between 95p and £1.66 these last 6 months, averaging £1.27.  I'm up for renewal and the quote they gave me averaged £4.10 a day.  That's just from October - I dread to think what it will be by next April!


It’s going to get a lot worse isn’t it.. I stopped using our log burner a few years ago but I will have to use it again this year that’s for sure.


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## nonethewiser (Sep 7, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> It’s going to get a lot worse isn’t it.. I stopped using our log burner a few years ago but I will have to use it again this year that’s for sure.



Well according to press energy prices will be frozen, some say for 12 months others 18 months also 2 years quoted.


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## Lynne888 (Sep 7, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> Well according to press energy prices will be frozen, some say for 12 months others 18 months also 2 years quoted.


It's going up in October though by quite a lot and I don't think they will stop that now.


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## helli (Sep 7, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> It's going up in October though by quite a lot and I don't think they will stop that now.


The press is reporting that the energy prices will be frozen as. they are *now* not in October. 
However, this is currently press speculation. They are speculating this will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).


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## john e (Sep 7, 2022)

Martin Lewis: Energy price freeze rumours - what it means for you, will it work?
					

Energy firms met the new Liz Truss administration yesterday, and it's strongly rumoured that top of the agenda was freezing the price cap at its current level (£1,971/yr for someone on typical use) and adding small business to the cap too. This is similar to suggestions made by the main...




					blog.moneysavingexpert.com


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## Nige13 (Sep 7, 2022)

I'm with British Gas and took a cap out till June 2023 it was on offer for existing customers only - It is what it is


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## Lynne888 (Sep 7, 2022)

helli said:


> The press is reporting that the energy prices will be frozen as. they are *now* not in October.
> However, this is currently press speculation. They are speculating this will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).


I Do hope so!!


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## 42istheanswer (Sep 7, 2022)

The other rumour is frozen between the 2 (now and announced Oct) at about £2500 for "typical" use.


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## AJLang (Sep 7, 2022)

I know this isn't directly about cost of living and is my personal opinion. Please don't criticise me for it. But bit-by-bit I am doing everything that I can do to prepare for blackouts/power rationing. Due to my not too great eye sight I absolutely hate the dark to the point that I leave a light on at night. So I've bought two lamps that you can use for camping and that (hopefully) can be charged using power banks plus I've collected some pretty decorative  battery powered lamps..  
The "camping" lamps arriving today so that we can check them.  I've also got power banks for the our mobile phones as I rely on my phone for both using my Libre and will need it for my new NHS hearing aid(s). 
I've made sure that I've got what I consider to be an adequate supply of my medications and everything that I need for my diabetes/insulin pump. 
Various different things like that.  Some of my friends think that I'm slightly mad being so prepared but I also can't control my body temperature and get cold extremely easy even with layers on in so have bought cosy feet socks that won't aggravate my feet and thermal vests and leggings and now own more jumpers than I ever owned  
Plus, of course, a reasonable amount of tinned and packet food.
Plus a radio that my now estranged brother gave me years ago that uses batteries.
I know that I can't prepare for everything, and doing so has taken my spare money, but the preparation has helped me to reduce my anxiety of what may happen this winter.


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## grovesy (Sep 7, 2022)

AJLang said:


> I know this isn't directly about cost of living and is my personal opinion. Please don't criticise me for it. But bit-by-bit I am doing everything that I can do to prepare for blackouts/power rationing. Due to my not too great eye sight I absolutely hate the dark to the point that I leave a light on at night. So I've bought two lamps that you can use for camping and that (hopefully) can be charged using power banks plus I've collected some pretty decorative  battery powered lamps..
> The "camping" lamps arriving today so that we can check them.  I've also got power banks for the our mobile phones as I rely on my phone for both using my Libre and will need it for my new NHS hearing aid(s).
> I've made sure that I've got what I consider to be an adequate supply of my medications and everything that I need for my diabetes/insulin pump.
> Various different things like that.  Some of my friends think that I'm slightly mad being so prepared but I also can't control my body temperature and get cold extremely easy even with layers on in so have bought cosy feet socks that won't aggravate my feet and thermal vests and leggings and now own more jumpers than I ever owned
> ...


Sounds like some good ideas to me.


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## AJLang (Sep 7, 2022)

grovesy said:


> Sounds like some good ideas to me.


Thank you Grovesy


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## PhoebeC (Sep 8, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> I can check on Bulb app (see image). It tells me when more electricity is being used and I know from the image that a shower sends it higher, using the ninja air fryer sends it higher and boiling a kettle sends it higher. I’m happy with less than £2 a day though and the peaks are short lived . Recently had our electric aga converted as it was costing £15 A DAY!


The airfryer will be less than the oven for example, so it is much better and it's healthy.


grovesy said:


> Sounds like some good ideas to me.


@AJLang yes I agree, all good ideas.
Way it’s going we probably should plan for a zombie apocalypse now also


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## nonethewiser (Sep 8, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> It's going up in October though by quite a lot and I don't think they will stop that now.



£2500 cap with everyone to recieve £400 paid to energy companies, lot better than original £ 3900 previously quoted.


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## travellor (Sep 8, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Way it’s going we probably should plan for a zombie apocalypse now also



I mostly do.


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## helli (Sep 8, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Way it’s going we probably should plan for a zombie apocalypse now also


I always think of Sean of the Dead when anyone mentions zombie apocalypse.
I’m off to find a cricket bat to defend myself with.


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## Lynne888 (Sep 8, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> £2500 cap with everyone to recieve £400 paid to energy companies, lot better than original £ 3900 previously quoted.


Absolutely!


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## Lynne888 (Sep 8, 2022)

AJLang said:


> I know this isn't directly about cost of living and is my personal opinion. Please don't criticise me for it. But bit-by-bit I am doing everything that I can do to prepare for blackouts/power rationing. Due to my not too great eye sight I absolutely hate the dark to the point that I leave a light on at night. So I've bought two lamps that you can use for camping and that (hopefully) can be charged using power banks plus I've collected some pretty decorative  battery powered lamps..
> The "camping" lamps arriving today so that we can check them.  I've also got power banks for the our mobile phones as I rely on my phone for both using my Libre and will need it for my new NHS hearing aid(s).
> I've made sure that I've got what I consider to be an adequate supply of my medications and everything that I need for my diabetes/insulin pump.
> Various different things like that.  Some of my friends think that I'm slightly mad being so prepared but I also can't control my body temperature and get cold extremely easy even with layers on in so have bought cosy feet socks that won't aggravate my feet and thermal vests and leggings and now own more jumpers than I ever owned
> ...


I leave a light on all night because we live rurally so it's impossible to not have a light on during the night as I literally cannot see anything, it's pitch black. I've got energy saving bulbs in the lamp and I have to say, it hardly costs anything at all.  I can see from my Bulb app that it's just a few pence overnight with the fridge and freezer on too. I've got a battery operated lamp but it costs more to replace the batteries than it does to leave the lamp on!


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## travellor (Sep 9, 2022)

Lynne888 said:


> I leave a light on all night because we live rurally so it's impossible to not have a light on during the night as I literally cannot see anything, it's pitch black. I've got energy saving bulbs in the lamp and I have to say, it hardly costs anything at all.  I can see from my Bulb app that it's just a few pence overnight with the fridge and freezer on too. I've got a battery operated lamp but it costs more to replace the batteries than it does to leave the lamp on!



Modern led bulbs cost next to nothing to run nowadays.


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## void (Sep 14, 2022)

I would never willingly get a smart (electricity) meter. We're rural and from where the supply point is, mobile phone signal is nonexistent anyway.

But there are general principles why I'd not want one. When something is offered (in this case, smart meters) I'll try and look at it from the suppliers angle to determine who benefits and what the risks are.

risks to me:
1. I can be cut off remotely either accidentally or deliberately
2. as far as i'm aware, the rate can be changed on the fly
3. as far as i'm aware, there's no shared protocol communicating with the devices among suppliers.
4. the above can lead to difficulty when changing suppliers, which does not exist with a standard meter.
5. there's the privacy aspect to the data. I consider my comings and goings and energy use how much and when to be private data.
6. if I want to determine power consumption over time, i can buy a device that just plugs into the socket. The meter itself doesn't need to be "smart".

If they want to cut my leccy off then I want to be informed about it first. Same goes for unit change. I do not want my "patterns" sold off to or stolen by some entity. The best way to ensure this does not happen is to not collect the data in the first place.

For justification, I've heard suppliers state that it'll be less expensive to bill usage with the assumption those savings will be passed onto customers (LOL) well it's not like the meter people all got a massive pay rise.


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## travellor (Sep 14, 2022)

void said:


> I would never willingly get a smart (electricity) meter. We're rural and from where the supply point is, mobile phone signal is nonexistent anyway.
> 
> But there are general principles why I'd not want one. When something is offered (in this case, smart meters) I'll try and look at it from the suppliers angle to determine who benefits and what the risks are.
> 
> ...



I have a "dumb" smart meter. 
It's lost all connectivity six months ago.
It still records the electricity used, and the sell back from the solar panels, just now I have to crawl on the floor to submit a reading again.


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## void (Sep 14, 2022)

dumb smart meters! the worst of all worlds lol


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Sep 14, 2022)

My laundry equipment and my new cooking equipment. I have a mechanical carpet sweeper instead of the vacuum cleaner now and a hand whisk and a mechanical grinder to replace my electric ones.
I have done all my laundry using the tumbler (I call it R2D2) to wash and the salad spinner to dry for the last two weeks.
I made one casserole using my Wonderbag and cast iron pot from Aldi.
Last time we checked we'd halved our electricity consumption and reduced gas consumption to 2/3 what it was previously.
Interestingly on the days I do washing - using my gadgets and on the days I use my carpet sweeper - my blood sugars stay around 5.6mmol/L before and after eating and I think I am getting a bit thinner too!  I am definitely sleeping more soundly.
We were due to come off our fixed rate and start a new one next week but the new one was still going to be higher unit rate than the variable rate so we have cancelled our new fixed rate.  When the energy guy checked our consumption he has raised our monthly payment only by £60 because although cost per unit has gone up a lot our reduction of consumption has mitigated it quite a lot.  He said they will reassess the payment in October depending on what our usage goes like.
We have consistently reduced our energy bills year on year and I would like to buck the trend if at all possible - so we'll see what happens next.  The next big saver will be to decouple the extractor fan in the bathroom from the light switch as it goes on automatically when the light goes on and often we do not need the extractor when we need the light and vice versa.


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## travellor (Sep 14, 2022)

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> View attachment 22165 View attachment 22166View attachment 22167
> 
> My laundry equipment and my new cooking equipment. I have a mechanical carpet sweeper instead of the vacuum cleaner now and a hand whisk and a mechanical grinder to replace my electric ones.
> I have done all my laundry using the tumbler (I call it R2D2) to wash and the salad spinner to dry for the last two weeks.
> ...



Was the extractor fitted in the last few years?
There should be an isolating switch to turn it off.


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## Quakerbod (Sep 15, 2022)

I worry, I am seventy in March. Went to the supermarket today. Milk, Small Cheese, Yogurts, Raspberries, Blueberries, Box of 6 Benecol Gut Health Yogurts, Small Pack of Fish Fingers. £27. It is getting a lot more expensive if like me you check Carbs on Everything.


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## Lucyr (Sep 15, 2022)

Quakerbod said:


> I worry, I am seventy in March. Went to the supermarket today. Milk, Small Cheese, Yogurts, Raspberries, Blueberries, Box of 6 Benecol Gut Health Yogurts, Small Pack of Fish Fingers. £27. It is getting a lot more expensive if like me you check Carbs on Everything.


Are you shopping somewhere expensive or buying premium products? My weekly shopping budget is £30 and I get those products plus more


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## Felinia (Sep 15, 2022)

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> View attachment 22165 View attachment 22166View attachment 22167
> 
> My laundry equipment and my new cooking equipment. I have a mechanical carpet sweeper instead of the vacuum cleaner now and a hand whisk and a mechanical grinder to replace my electric ones.
> I have done all my laundry using the tumbler (I call it R2D2) to wash and the salad spinner to dry for the last two weeks.
> ...


How on earth do you do your bedding and towels?  I remember my mother had what she called a "copper".  Wheeled into the garden, disconnected the gas stove, connected the copper, boiled the water and did the bedding and towels in that.  Mind you it was in the 1950's and for 6 people.


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## Felinia (Sep 15, 2022)

Quakerbod said:


> I worry, I am seventy in March. Went to the supermarket today. Milk, Small Cheese, Yogurts, Raspberries, Blueberries, Box of 6 Benecol Gut Health Yogurts, Small Pack of Fish Fingers. £27. It is getting a lot more expensive if like me you check Carbs on Everything.


I've switched to stores own brand or budget brands.  Plus I do a lot in my slow cooker, bulking out with veggies.  I get a veggie box from the Farm Shop for £28 which lasts 3 - 4 weeks by freezing where possible.  The only thing I won't compromise on is eggs - I get them fresh from the farm shop.


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## 42istheanswer (Sep 15, 2022)

Felinia said:


> How on earth do you do your bedding and towels?  I remember my mother had what she called a "copper".  Wheeled into the garden, disconnected the gas stove, connected the copper, boiled the water and did the bedding and towels in that.  Mind you it was in the 1950's and for 6 people.


My mother was still using a copper to wash our nappies in the early 1980s but I don't remember it (I think they had a washing machine at the latest when I was 4 and we moved into a bigger house)


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## 42istheanswer (Sep 15, 2022)

I have looked at my energy account today, submitted new readings to get a better idea of what my actual current credit balance is, but also at the same time increased my direct debit by £66 a month, as my supplier has already advised they will give the monthly payment towards the £400 household grant as a refund to my bank account. So I figured that it made most sense to set it up so that it actually goes towards helping with the increased cost rather than being absorbed into other spending. I may reduce it a bit in a couple of months if the credit is doing well enough, it's slightly more than their website recommended I increase my direct debit to. The last 3 bills have all shown me using less energy than the same time period last year and I'll aim to keep that up.


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## travellor (Sep 15, 2022)

42istheanswer said:


> My mother was still using a copper to wash our nappies in the early 1980s but I don't remember it (I think they had a washing machine at the latest when I was 4 and we moved into a bigger house)



I remember my Grandma's dolly tubs.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Sep 15, 2022)

Felinia said:


> How on earth do you do your bedding and towels?  I remember my mother had what she called a "copper".  Wheeled into the garden, disconnected the gas stove, connected the copper, boiled the water and did the bedding and towels in that.  Mind you it was in the 1950's and for 6 people.


Years ago I bought camping towels which are made of microfibre material and are very light and dry very quickly.  They are easy to wash and spin in my manual machines.
A sheet is easily washed and spun one at a time - the beauty of these gizmos is that loads can be done piecemeal so everything doesn't have to be crammed in at once.  We use light microfibre blankets that are also easy to wash and dry.
I don't have to do a huge wash all at once - just one or two things a day to keep things ticking over and on a very nice day like yesterday I did do a lot all at once (but not all at once in the machines) and did four towels and some pillowcases as well as a lot of clothing.
Again I have bought underwear that is made from similar material to tights and new leggings that are made from warm but very light man made fibre which also wash quickly and easily.  I can do a pair of corduroy trousers or a pair of denim jeans one at a time.


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## Bubsy 19 (Sep 22, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Has the cost-of-living crisis had an impact on how you manage your diabetes day to day? Maybe you're worrying about the cost of food increasing, or how it will affect your stress levels.
> 
> Let Diabetes UK know by sending your story to campaigns@diabetes.org.uk


Not yet. So used to living on a shoestring already.


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## diatribe (Oct 1, 2022)

I don't live in the UK, but food inflation here is clearly an issue as well. It is quite noticable, even on my basic good like porridge which is probably about 15- 20% up on this time last year. In general though it is 5-10%, we expect much lower inflation than the  UK next year (3-6%).

When I was diagnosed, I realised my simpler diet actually saves me money - as I cannot buy the lovely sugary snacks etc from the past.  Here are someo general saving tips, that I adopted even before I was diagnosed:

One tip is get a pressure cooker, this saves loads of energy and you can make batches of food, which lowers cost. 
Slow cookers can also save a fortune.
I regularly make curries, soups and other dishes and get about 4 meals (sometimes more) for a low cost €5 for nice vege meals (I am not vege but each more more of it now). 
Generally reducing meat saves a fortune. This is healthier and cheaper than my lifestyle before. 
Soups are also a great way to save money, and can be very filling. 
If you drink a lot of sparkling wate,r a soda stream or similar can save a fortune against more expensive branded water and is also better for the environment (end of recycling plastic bottles). Just check you drink enough to make it cost effective. You can add sugar free syrups too which can save money.
Don't shop in one supermarket, find which one is better for certain groups of products. This approach is much more common here than in the UK. Surprisingly here Aldi and Lidl are often more expensive for branded products than their competitors, but much cheaper or basics incl. Almond Milk
If possible find a supermarket you can walk to to/from work and go there (if good value) as much as possible, rather than taking short trips in the car which cost a fortune to go every day to another supermarket. It is also better for health, and you are limited by what you can carry which saves money on each visit.
Salad and frozen vegetables are cheap plate fillers! 

Sorry if some are obvious, but I hope they help.


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## Mrs Mimoo (Oct 6, 2022)

salmon has gone up massively but I have switched to mackeral and now shop in the amazing Aldi and things are not so bad in there. I'm lucky i run an old car so I can get round the shops ok. Still work so commute by train. I look forward to retirement which is slated for 2028. I eat mostly meat fish eggs FF Dairy and green stuff, but reintroduced livlife bread (1 slice a day) and the odd slice of NImble or ordinary bread but cut in half; but low carb is not a cheap diet really - the cheap stuff is carbs!


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## Silmarillion (Oct 6, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Has the cost-of-living crisis had an impact on how you manage your diabetes day to day? Maybe you're worrying about the cost of food increasing, or how it will affect your stress levels.
> 
> Let Diabetes UK know by sending your story to campaigns@diabetes.org.uk


Yes the COL crisis has affected my diabetes. I have multiple disabilities including type 2 diabetes. I get the legacy ESA and PIP. I get no help with my mortgage. Everything has increased in price, As a consequence of these price rises I have little to spend on food and I can’t even afford to turn the heating on. It is so stressful with the winter coming.
my house is adapted for me, and it has been my home for many years. I’m not in a position to sell it.
i have been unwell for the last 2 weeks with high blood sugars which have been above 35 on waking. I’m eating practically nothing as I feel sick.
very miserable


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## Drummer (Oct 7, 2022)

I was dismayed to see the breakdown of my energy bill for last month. Our gas use is usually priced at under £20 and in September it was almost £70 despite having cut down considerably on the use of hot water and cooking with gas. We are still only modest users of energy, at under half the average household consumption, but the cost per unit is shocking. 
These days I trundle to the supermarket on a mobility scooter.


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## Diana7 (Oct 8, 2022)

My husband has type 2 diabetes and strangely enough our gas and electric bills haven't gone up that much especially after the £67 a month from the govt is taken off. Obviously when we put the heating on it will be more, but we never have our thermostat above 16 anyway and our little house seems well insulated.
I am still in short sleeved t shirts right now so don't intend to have the heating on till November if possible. Yes, food is definitely more but shopping in the cheaper supermarkets helps, and I always look for good offers.


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## Diana7 (Oct 8, 2022)

Silmarillion said:


> Yes the COL crisis has affected my diabetes. I have multiple disabilities including type 2 diabetes. I get the legacy ESA and PIP. I get no help with my mortgage. Everything has increased in price, As a consequence of these price rises I have little to spend on food and I can’t even afford to turn the heating on. It is so stressful with the winter coming.
> my house is adapted for me, and it has been my home for many years. I’m not in a position to sell it.
> i have been unwell for the last 2 weeks with high blood sugars which have been above 35 on waking. I’m eating practically nothing as I feel sick.
> very miserable


You will be getting the second cost of living payment soon will you? Thats £325 to help. Are you above pension age? If so you will also get £500 later this year along with the £400 spread over 6 months taken off each bill which everyone gets. 
Hopefully that will enable you to have heating on over the winter.


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## Diana7 (Oct 8, 2022)

AJLang said:


> I know this isn't directly about cost of living and is my personal opinion. Please don't criticise me for it. But bit-by-bit I am doing everything that I can do to prepare for blackouts/power rationing. Due to my not too great eye sight I absolutely hate the dark to the point that I leave a light on at night. So I've bought two lamps that you can use for camping and that (hopefully) can be charged using power banks plus I've collected some pretty decorative  battery powered lamps..
> The "camping" lamps arriving today so that we can check them.  I've also got power banks for the our mobile phones as I rely on my phone for both using my Libre and will need it for my new NHS hearing aid(s).
> I've made sure that I've got what I consider to be an adequate supply of my medications and everything that I need for my diabetes/insulin pump.
> Various different things like that.  Some of my friends think that I'm slightly mad being so prepared but I also can't control my body temperature and get cold extremely easy even with layers on in so have bought cosy feet socks that won't aggravate my feet and thermal vests and leggings and now own more jumpers than I ever owned
> ...


I think I am very fortunate in that I am nearly always warm. I am still in short sleeve t-shirts at the moment, and I had a 5.9 tog quilt on my bed all last winter which is really a summer one. My husband who has had diabetes for about 12 years feels the cold more than I do but again he doesn't often get too cold. If you feel the cold a lot it must be hard.


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## Ditto (Oct 13, 2022)

Cost of living crisis isn't bothering me at all really. I've 'never had it so good.' It's great being a pensioner, free money, and the government keep giving me more, another £150 not long ago. I spend it quick in case they change their minds.  The only thing I am dreading is if they cut the lights altogether which somebody said they were going to do in January. I've been there and done that growing up, having to use a flat iron on the gas cooker, agh boring and you can't see to read so good by candlelight, very long evenings in winter. So I'm not mithered really, I've always been poor... like my butler.


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## Diana7 (Oct 13, 2022)

Ditto said:


> Cost of living crisis isn't bothering me at all really. I've 'never had it so good.' It's great being a pensioner, free money, and the government keep giving me more, another £150 not long ago. I spend it quick in case they change their minds.  The only thing I am dreading is if they cut the lights altogether which somebody said they were going to do in January. I've been there and done that growing up, having to use a flat iron on the gas cooker, agh boring and you can't see to read so good by candlelight, very long evenings in winter. So I'm not mithered really, I've always been poor... like my butler.


What was the £150 for?


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## nonethewiser (Oct 13, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> I think I am very fortunate in that I am nearly always warm. I am still in short sleeve t-shirts at the moment, and I had a 5.9 tog quilt on my bed all last winter which is really a summer one. My husband who has had diabetes for about 12 years feels the cold more than I do but again he doesn't often get too cold. If you feel the cold a lot it must be hard.



We got 7.5 tog on bed now, going to change it to 10.5 later as cold in bed last night, even been looking at electric blanket for first time in life, don't like being warm in summer cold in winter.


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## gll (Oct 13, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> We got 7.5 tog on bed now, going to change it to 10.5 later as cold in bed last night, even been looking at electric blanket for first time in life, don't like being warm in summer cold in winter.


that reminds me, should dig out the winter duvet for inspection. hot water bottles are keeping me cosy for now


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## MarkGeordie (Oct 13, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> What was the £150 for?


If it was the recent payments it would have been the disability cost of living payment from the government.


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## Ditto (Oct 13, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> What was the £150 for?


I haven't a clue. I've had a few payouts lately. I think maybe all peoples on benefits have. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I say.  I am on state pension and old biddies pip.


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## Diana7 (Oct 13, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> We got 7.5 tog on bed now, going to change it to 10.5 later as cold in bed last night, even been looking at electric blanket for first time in life, don't like being warm in summer cold in winter.


Just got our october energy bill, its only £16 after the govt payment is taken off, that's £16 less than a year ago.


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## Diana7 (Oct 13, 2022)

Ditto said:


> I haven't a clue. I've had a few payouts lately. I think maybe all peoples on benefits have. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I say.  I am on state pension and old biddies pip.


I am on a pension but don't get anything else. It's because we don't qualify for UC even though we really need it. If you are also on UC and disabled, you get loads.


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## travellor (Oct 13, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> I am on a pension but don't get anything else. It's because we don't qualify for UC even though we really need it. If you are also on UC and disabled, you get loads.



Personally, I prefer not being disabled and on UC.
Everything is relative.


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## Diana7 (Oct 13, 2022)

travellor said:


> Personally, I prefer not being disabled and on UC.
> Everything is relative.


I would love to be on UC. 2 of us are trying to manage on a total income of £295 a week with no help for anything.  We both have health issues that aren't severe enough to be on disability but not well enough in our mid 60's to work. It's a catch 22 situation. Not well enough to work but not ill enough to get help.


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## travellor (Oct 14, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> I would love to be on UC. 2 of us are trying to manage on a total income of £295 a week with no help for anything.  We both have health issues that aren't severe enough to be on disability but not well enough in our mid 60's to work. It's a catch 22 situation. Not well enough to work but not ill enough to get help.



I can't comment on that.
I guess you need to look at sites that help you to build on benefits?


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## MarkGeordie (Oct 14, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> I would love to be on UC. 2 of us are trying to manage on a total income of £295 a week with no help for anything.  We both have health issues that aren't severe enough to be on disability but not well enough in our mid 60's to work. It's a catch 22 situation. Not well enough to work but not ill enough to get help.


Have you tried a benefits calculator? Which disability benefits have you tried applying for? Have you considered PIP? Because PIP has nothing to do with a diagnosis, it has everything to do with how well you can attempt certain tasks listed in a set of descriptors in relation to daily activities and mobility.


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## Ditto (Oct 15, 2022)

Diana7 said:


> I would love to be on UC. 2 of us are trying to manage on a total income of £295 a week with no help for anything.  We both have health issues that aren't severe enough to be on disability but not well enough in our mid 60's to work. It's a catch 22 situation. Not well enough to work but not ill enough to get help.


What are you on then? You must be on something!? You have to sign on for UC I think. What about Carers? Can't one of you look after the other one?  That way you get UC and Carers and are comfortable. I know peoples who do that. You have to do something or starve. Back in the day I'd have been in the Workhouse and I never forget it. I am very grateful to live in this wonderful country.

PIPs a different ballgame altogether, you have to be at death's door to get that. A friend of my friend had breast cancer and didn't qualify.


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## grovesy (Oct 15, 2022)

I thought when you are in receipt of Pension, you can't claim Universal Credit. Though some on pension can claim pension credit,


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## travellor (Oct 15, 2022)

Ditto said:


> What are you on then? You must be on something!? You have to sign on for UC I think. What about Carers? Can't one of you look after the other one?  That way you get UC and Carers and are comfortable. I know peoples who do that. You have to do something or starve. Back in the day I'd have been in the Workhouse and I never forget it. I am very grateful to live in this wonderful country.
> 
> PIPs a different ballgame altogether, you have to be at death's door to get that. A friend of my friend had breast cancer and didn't qualify.



I'm not sure the alternative is better.
I have a friend's mum who does qualify.
Unfortunately her cancer is inoperable, and she her been given a terminal diagnosis, which does tick the boxes apparently.


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## MarkGeordie (Oct 15, 2022)

In respect of cancer the special rules may apply. Although saying that, having cancer doesn’t automatically entitle you, because as I said it’s not awarded based on a diagnosis, however if a doctor confirms details around life expectancy, special rules can apply. 









						Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
					

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people aged 16 to State Pension age. Find out about accessing this benefit if you have cancer.




					www.macmillan.org.uk


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## offspin (Oct 16, 2022)

Hi , we use to shop at Lidl but as they changer the voucher scheme we also shop at Morrison.

Lidi have stopped selling low GI bread so I now buy granery  bread and really enjoy it.However I reduce the portion.

Morrison selling prices are competitive 

We are fortunate that the supermarkets are close to each other.

As yet we have not turned on our central heating system on as the temperature in our apartment is 20.

If I feel cool I put on warm clothes on.


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## Ditto (Oct 17, 2022)

Tesco isn't bad now, they keep an eye on Aldi and compete. Bro is pleased as they have cheap cat litter and cat food.  My cat will only eat Gourmet, she has delusions of grandeur.


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## Leadinglights (Oct 21, 2022)

We are looking at alternative heating methods as we currently have a gas standard condensing boiler with hot water cylinder, but it is now quite old so may not be that efficient.
Does anybody have experience of Air Source Heat pumps for their domestic heating system?


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## travellor (Oct 21, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> We are looking at alternative heating methods as we currently have a gas standard condensing boiler with hot water cylinder, but it is now quite old so may not be that efficient.
> Does anybody have experience of Air Source Heat pumps for their domestic heating system?



I've been looking at those, but I doubt they would be cost effective unless there was a grant available.


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## offspin (Oct 21, 2022)

Hi Leadinglights , My brother has installed an air sourced air pump system in his house in France.

My brother lives in the La Rochelle area in South West France.

The winters are not as cold as the UK but the maximum temperature he has managed to achieve is 18.

His system is extremely loud when trying to achieve temperature but I understand the system runs continually and the noise abates at operating temperature.

You do need to make sure you radiators are large enough / pipes again large enough to gain benefit from system.

He has a large utility room so space is not a problem for him.

It's not easy to compare running costs as it's all electric but no gas.

I won't tell you the installed cost because the French government heavily subsidiaries the installation.

If I have missed anything please ask and I will be pleased to ask my bother any specific question.


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## 42istheanswer (Oct 21, 2022)

travellor said:


> I've been looking at those, but I doubt they would be cost effective unless there was a grant available.


I thought there was a grant available? Supposedly enough to make the installation costs comparable to a new gas boiler. But only a limited number of said grants


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## 42istheanswer (Oct 21, 2022)

Boiler Upgrade Scheme
					

Check if you could be eligible for money off low carbon heating technologies.




					www.gov.uk


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## travellor (Oct 21, 2022)

42istheanswer said:


> I thought there was a grant available? Supposedly enough to make the installation costs comparable to a new gas boiler. But only a limited number of said grants



Yes, it depends on a few things, I don't qualify as I don't want to hear and store domestic water.
My gas bill for water heating is miniscule in summer, instant heating is a better option, but unfortunately that excludes me.


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## 42istheanswer (Oct 21, 2022)

travellor said:


> Yes, it depends on a few things, I don't qualify as I don't want to hear and store domestic water.
> My gas bill for water heating is miniscule in summer, instant heating is a better option, but unfortunately that excludes me.


Oh I didn't even realise it excluded for that. My gas bill is tiny in the summer too with my current combi- boiler


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## Leadinglights (Oct 21, 2022)

Thanks all, much food for thought. I think space is a constraint for the required equipment.


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## rebrascora (Oct 21, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> Thanks all, much food for thought. I think space is a constraint for the required equipment.


As I understand it, the heat exchange system can and usually is outside so I don't think internal house space is an issue. Certainly the guy up the road with one, has it outside. It is a big ugly thing and looks to belch out a lot of steam and yes it is noisy but I guess you get used to it, but he is very keen on the system. He has an old victorian (high ceilings) detached stone house in quite an exposed location, half way up the side of a steep hill facing west (prevailing wind).  He did say that the equipment that is offered/installed under the grant is not nearly as efficient as other privately funded units and he felt that it wasn't worth going with the grants for that reason. 
My partner's sister has the geothermal heat exchange system but they live in a modern farmhouse which is part of a working farm so they were able to install it themselves under their large back lawn, having all the tractors/excavators etc on site to do it. They think the system is brilliant and very cheap to run, but the geothermal ones are much more efficient than the air heat exchange systems I believe. I keep thinking about it for here but our water table is really high, so I am not sure it would be suitable. I also currently have storage heaters, so I would have to completely rehash the central heating system within the house and that makes the outlay a bit prohibitive. Still sitting here shivering at the moment, resisting switching it on.


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## Leadinglights (Oct 21, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> As I understand it, the heat exchange system can and usually is outside so I don't think internal house space is an issue. Certainly the guy up the road with one, has it outside. It is a big ugly thing and looks to belch out a lot of steam and yes it is noisy but I guess you get used to it, but he is very keen on the system. He has an old victorian (high ceilings) detached stone house in quite an exposed location, half way up the side of a steep hill facing west (prevailing wind).  He did say that the equipment that is offered/installed under the grant is not nearly as efficient as other privately funded units and he felt that it wasn't worth going with the grants for that reason.
> My partner's sister has the geothermal heat exchange system but they live in a modern farmhouse which is part of a working farm so they were able to install it themselves under their large back lawn, having all the tractors/excavators etc on site to do it. They think the system is brilliant and very cheap to run, but the geothermal ones are much more efficient than the air heat exchange systems I believe. I keep thinking about it for here but our water table is really high, so I am not sure it would be suitable. I also currently have storage heaters, so I would have to completely rehash the central heating system within the house and that makes the outlay a bit prohibitive. Still sitting here shivering at the moment, resisting switching it on.


The outside unit would have to go in a shared passageway between the houses as we are end terrace so may require planning permission, the internal hot water tank appears to need to be on the ground floor which is where space is limited. Interesting that the grant assisted ones are less efficient. Thanks for the info.


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## travellor (Oct 21, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> As I understand it, the heat exchange system can and usually is outside so I don't think internal house space is an issue. Certainly the guy up the road with one, has it outside. It is a big ugly thing and looks to belch out a lot of steam and yes it is noisy but I guess you get used to it, but he is very keen on the system. He has an old victorian (high ceilings) detached stone house in quite an exposed location, half way up the side of a steep hill facing west (prevailing wind).  He did say that the equipment that is offered/installed under the grant is not nearly as efficient as other privately funded units and he felt that it wasn't worth going with the grants for that reason.
> My partner's sister has the geothermal heat exchange system but they live in a modern farmhouse which is part of a working farm so they were able to install it themselves under their large back lawn, having all the tractors/excavators etc on site to do it. They think the system is brilliant and very cheap to run, but the geothermal ones are much more efficient than the air heat exchange systems I believe. I keep thinking about it for here but our water table is really high, so I am not sure it would be suitable. I also currently have storage heaters, so I would have to completely rehash the central heating system within the house and that makes the outlay a bit prohibitive. Still sitting here shivering at the moment, resisting switching it on.


Water rather than air based seems to be a better option, if you have a very high water table, a ground sourced system could work well, as you're have a much bigger heat source to draw on.


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## grovesy (Oct 21, 2022)

My massage therapist neighbor has this but even before energy rises it was expensive on electricity.


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## Docb (Oct 22, 2022)

@offspin, if you are thinking about heat pumps then make sure that you do your homework and look at all the costs.  It is no where near as straightforward as the salesman or the politician would have you believe. They probably have a place in a house purposely built to the best of standards when it comes to heat retention.  In a traditionally built house or the sort of thing thrown up by today's estate builders I doubt if you could make the sums work.


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## offspin (Oct 22, 2022)

Hi Docb , it's early Saturday for me and am a little confused.From memory I was asked if anyone had experience with air pump systems.

I totally agree with your comment with all the bull s::t that sales people state regarding benefits of heat pumps.

I saw a heating system made by company called Tepo  ( Scandinavian Company I think ) that is based on heat capture and it's all electric.At present the heater is only available as a floor standing unit but by the end of 2023 will be fit in the space of a wall mounted condensing boiler.

We moved into a an apartment that was 10 years old and had a new kitchen installed complete with a new condensing boiler ( replacing and old condensing boiler )

At the same time we installed a smart meter and replaced a couple of radiators. We can adjust the apartment temp from anywhere as long as a WiFi system is avaiable. The apartment is well insulated.

Running costs : Very difficult to compare as the 6 other owners have different life styles and we cook using electric and the apartments cook using gas.

What I have noticed how much electricity how much our class  A++ uses and of course the tumble dryer consumes.

We had a small freezer and fridge that have been turned off.

Replaced our Plasma TV and replaced with a neo led TV .

We also replaced all light bulbs with led bulbs.

We have an Alexa system that is useful.

To conclude in our apartment we do save both gas and  electricity but the monetary sense it will take years to repay our capital expenditure.

What we do is go to Portugal in the winter months and set the apartment into a tick over mode.


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## nonethewiser (Oct 22, 2022)

Shocking how food prices are going up, some single item products going up by 25p in space of a week.

We like to use butter, year maybe 18 months ago it was £1 now your lucky to find one for under £2.


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## offspin (Oct 22, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> Shocking how food prices are going up, some single item products going up by 25p in space of a week.
> 
> We like to use butter, year maybe 18 months ago it was £1 now your lucky to find one for under £2.


Hi , you are correct regarding your comments re food increases. Egg prices have doubled at Lidl in the last few weeks but we now shop much more carefully.

What we have done is to stop by buying  booze and £££££s are saved.


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## Leadinglights (Oct 22, 2022)

Docb said:


> @offspin, if you are thinking about heat pumps then make sure that you do your homework and look at all the costs.  It is no where near as straightforward as the salesman or the politician would have you believe. They probably have a place in a house purposely built to the best of standards when it comes to heat retention.  In a traditionally built house or the sort of thing thrown up by today's estate builders I doubt if you could make the sums work.


It was me who put out the query and I am grateful for all the feedback, it is certainly not straightforward.


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## Docb (Oct 22, 2022)

Apologies @leadinlights - you can get a bit confused in wandering threads!  

Fundamentally what they are is a fridge except that in a fridge the heat is taken out of the air inside it and dumped into your kitchen.  Heat pumps, whether they are air or ground source do the same thing in that they extract the heat from the source (outside air or ground) and dump that into your house.  Unfortunately thermodynamics come into play with the net result that extracting energy and concentrating it as heat is in itself an energy consuming process and not easy to achieve on scales much bigger than a fridge.  Consequently, to get any noticeable effect the units have to be big, run continuously and they need power from somewhere.  There can be circumstances where they make sense in a domestic application but they are very much the exception than the norm.


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## travellor (Oct 22, 2022)

I have considered a split air con with a heat pump.
They seem efficient at single room heating, like a fan heater, with the bonus of air con in summer.
The problem with any air sourced heating is they needs to be some heat in the air, the don't function as well sub zero, and ironically work best in summer.


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## gll (Oct 22, 2022)

Reality of what I put into the electric meter this week has set in. Gone from using about £25 a fortnight to about £60 a fortnight.  

I have been researching air fryers as a way to cook some meals cheaper so I have the large double drawer ninja one to pick up from argos on Tuesday thanks to my Dad offering to pay for it. Stock levels all over the place are low and I had to quickly grab one from argos as it was showing in and out of stock all day.
Half expecting there to be an issue and get an email saying they don't have it but will find out in a couple of days I guess. Money has been taken for it.


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## Ditto (Oct 23, 2022)

Eon only want nine pound odd off me this month, Gov has paid them £66 thank you Gov. Being feckless I went mad in Home Bargains.


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## 42istheanswer (Oct 24, 2022)

Scottish Power are paying me the government money as a refund. I've decided to add the same onto my direct debit so it's still sitting in energy in case I do need it (plus my bank is giving me more cashback on energy DD this month and next month, so might as well get a bit more from them!). I'll check how I'm doing for credit and consider whether to reduce DD in December


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