What Preps are you doing this week? Part 6.

[jansman]

We are currently doing an audit ( well,more like a list ) of our food stockpile. We are also keeping a list of what we eat in one month.Then we can tailor our stores to how we live now, as we have no children at home now.We can then definitively say how long our stores will last.

We had our first quarterly electricity bill too,since Madam left.She has not been gone a full three months yet, but the bill was 38% cheaper! The aim of this exercise in economy is not so much about ' disaster' prepping as economic prepping.It will take a year or two,but we want to scale down our spending and I can cut my hours of work.I am getting too old for being on the road at 4 am and doing a non- stop 10 hour shift.The money is great,but the aching bones are not! Time will tell.

[PreppingPingu]

We are currently doing an audit ( well,more like a list ) of our food stockpile. We are also keeping a list of what we eat in one month.Then we can tailor our stores to how we live now, as we have no children at home now.We can then definitively say how long our stores will last.

Funnily enough that is what I am doing today after the conversation hubby and I had around the effect of no deal in October on his job's income. My eldest is still struggling with mental health and the eating disorder and too ill to work so that needs to be factored in but yes we want to know exactly how we are at the moment. A snap shot of now. I have gone back to planning meals for the week, with the weekly fresh food shop in mind, in order to budget better and to know what I'm doing. A habit I got out of but that in turn helps with prepping. Monday will see a dry/tinned food and household shop on the back of my stocktake.

[Arwen Thebard]

"I am getting too old for being on the road at 4 am and doing a non- stop 10 hour shift.The money is great,but the aching bones are not! Time will tell."

Hope it works out for you, probably the best move anyone can make in their life IMO.

That old saying, Work to live - Not live to work

[Arzosah]

Economic prepping is *so* important.

1. I now have a spreadsheet listing where my savings are, and it now lists the current rate of interest (these are my pension savings, that I'm living on at the moment, as I can't work). Knowledge is power and all that - I'm rejigging the proportions of stocks vs cash, going to cash. There's a line on the spreadsheet that reads "bug in cash" believe me, everything gets counted.

2. I've worked hard at keeping my elec and gas usage down, and the utilities supplier decreased my direct debit by £5 a month.

3. Rejigged my broadband and mobile, saved £10 a month on each.

£25 a month savings from faffing about online, which pays for my water bill, which has increased, sadly, though I'm hoping that had something to do with the building works. And savings can come from some mad things: I had £1100 with the Nationwide, it was an old ISA. I transferred it to a new ISA I was opening up, and the rate of interest went up by 1.5% p.a. Thats only £16, but why shouldn't it be in my pocket rather than someone else's? It took an hour or so, which is a fine financial return on the time investment, given my situation.

[Mad Scientist]

Good for you! Better than a poke in the eye!

[itsybitsy]

We are currently doing an audit ( well,more like a list ) of our food stockpile. We are also keeping a list of what we eat in one month.Then we can tailor our stores to how we live now, as we have no children at home now.We can then definitively say how long our stores will last.

We had our first quarterly electricity bill too,since Madam left.She has not been gone a full three months yet, but the bill was 38% cheaper! The aim of this exercise in economy is not so much about ' disaster' prepping as economic prepping.It will take a year or two,but we want to scale down our spending and I can cut my hours of work.I am getting too old for being on the road at 4 am and doing a non- stop 10 hour shift.The money is great,but the aching bones are not! Time will tell.

Turmeric can help with aching joints, or Chondroitin & Glucosamine Nutritional Supplements.

[Arzosah]

Turmeric is £3.30 a kilo from my Asian supermarket I keep it in the freezer to keep it fresh(er). Third of a teaspoon in porridge every morning, I'm getting used to spicier food

[jansman]

Top tip, thanks! Mind you, I find fishing to be rather therapeutic too

[Arwen Thebard]

Economic prepping is *so* important.

1. I now have a spreadsheet listing where my savings are, and it now lists the current rate of interest (these are my pension savings, that I'm living on at the moment, as I can't work). Knowledge is power and all that - I'm rejigging the proportions of stocks vs cash, going to cash. There's a line on the spreadsheet that reads "bug in cash" believe me, everything gets counted.

2. I've worked hard at keeping my elec and gas usage down, and the utilities supplier decreased my direct debit by £5 a month.

3. Rejigged my broadband and mobile, saved £10 a month on each.

£25 a month savings from faffing about online, which pays for my water bill, which has increased, sadly, though I'm hoping that had something to do with the building works. And savings can come from some mad things: I had £1100 with the Nationwide, it was an old ISA. I transferred it to a new ISA I was opening up, and the rate of interest went up by 1.5% p.a. Thats only £16, but why shouldn't it be in my pocket rather than someone else's? It took an hour or so, which is a fine financial return on the time investment, given my situation.

Well done Arzosah, why doesn't everyone do it these days? More fool them.

[Arzosah]

Thanks Arwen

The last bit of my new ISA has just clicked together. It takes a while, this stuff, and I have some sympathy with anyone who tries and gives up. Though I've just heard of a family member who works full time and has a phone contract for £90 per month as well as broadband that's a bit over the top ...