Cost of living crisis 2022 - what have you cut back on?

[mavhc]

USB 2 or 3?

[Ditto]

Not at Château LeMarchand! Mme LeMarchand is naturally beautiful and has her hair tidied maybe once a year. That's only "expensive" because ladies' cuts always are compared to men's. Never goes to the beautician or nail salon. I haven't had a haircut since Lockdown 1.

Practice run for the imminent Valentine's day perchance

[LeMarchand]

Also have a solar USB battery pack for it which seems to never ever run down (which I vaguely recall cost about the same.)

Very interested in that. Which one do you have?

 

Me too. I find that charging in the car going to/from work usually keeps my phone reasonably well topped up and have a solar battery pack on the windowsill near "my" seat at night if I need it, but the solar efficiency is a bit pants and it takes forever to charge the pack from the mains if it discharges.

[JRA]

Very interested in that. Which one do you have?

One of these little things: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354255374974?hash=item527b440a7e:g:NRoAAOSw09VjBJTA&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8Kfqzs4GdBIYvC9mjvYMT3g7t3nzQmbX2gmBtFa6P6iaknVbmtd2zJfu0BdM%2FgiFUi6w2J3tbGOJcC9u7u8FOk0VnX7%2FOgmU%2FvO0tyTki7q%2BOGbKwdre0vRQD7YTGhbcHXUvba3%2B3GkdGeyUrH5JOES7Q88zwpzAlntCE4d33Rnd6X%2FmY97Z9BLfGM11U7BYhIhpoHwqLv8X53GRNiE%2Fz4xKs4YFcw7BW71%2FvxUE2TXF5WGUTYpoesP2lRItzGoy0064waavDzhm8zCM861abXi5uhuSyYICwJasdr3oRPoLnUpAxcayTMZIRoAsWJJctQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6rZt7e-YQ

 

Claims* 9000000mAh.

[LeMarchand]

One of these little things: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354255374974?hash=item527b440a7e:g:NRoAAOSw09VjBJTA&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8Kfqzs4GdBIYvC9mjvYMT3g7t3nzQmbX2gmBtFa6P6iaknVbmtd2zJfu0BdM%2FgiFUi6w2J3tbGOJcC9u7u8FOk0VnX7%2FOgmU%2FvO0tyTki7q%2BOGbKwdre0vRQD7YTGhbcHXUvba3%2B3GkdGeyUrH5JOES7Q88zwpzAlntCE4d33Rnd6X%2FmY97Z9BLfGM11U7BYhIhpoHwqLv8X53GRNiE%2Fz4xKs4YFcw7BW71%2FvxUE2TXF5WGUTYpoesP2lRItzGoy0064waavDzhm8zCM861abXi5uhuSyYICwJasdr3oRPoLnUpAxcayTMZIRoAsWJJctQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6rZt7e-YQ

 

Claims* 9000000mAh.

 

Looks very similar to mine (but mine has a QI side with leads that push flat so the torch is on the end). Maybe I've got a duff one.

 

Going back to beauty, as if on cue:

 

[enjay]

One of these little things: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354255374974?hash=item527b440a7e:g:NRoAAOSw09VjBJTA&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8Kfqzs4GdBIYvC9mjvYMT3g7t3nzQmbX2gmBtFa6P6iaknVbmtd2zJfu0BdM%2FgiFUi6w2J3tbGOJcC9u7u8FOk0VnX7%2FOgmU%2FvO0tyTki7q%2BOGbKwdre0vRQD7YTGhbcHXUvba3%2B3GkdGeyUrH5JOES7Q88zwpzAlntCE4d33Rnd6X%2FmY97Z9BLfGM11U7BYhIhpoHwqLv8X53GRNiE%2Fz4xKs4YFcw7BW71%2FvxUE2TXF5WGUTYpoesP2lRItzGoy0064waavDzhm8zCM861abXi5uhuSyYICwJasdr3oRPoLnUpAxcayTMZIRoAsWJJctQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6rZt7e-YQ

 

Claims* 9000000mAh.

 

I've a little bit wary of buying electronics on eBay, so I've bought one from Amazon instead - that said, it looks remarkably similar! It says it needs to be outside in direct sunlight, and sure enough it doesn't charge on a well-lit windowsill. Do these actually have to be outside, or was it just because yesterday was a bit gloomy?

[JRA]

I've a little bit wary of buying electronics on eBay, so I've bought one from Amazon instead - that said, it looks remarkably similar! It says it needs to be outside in direct sunlight, and sure enough it doesn't charge on a well-lit windowsill. Do these actually have to be outside, or was it just because yesterday was a bit gloomy?

 

Mine will charge on a windowsill but it is slow. It gets left there days though. Sometimes gets charged in the car but not frequently. Allegedly outside in sunlight is far better so I'd imagine gloomy windowsill wouldn't do much.

 

Did it tell you to do the first full charge off the mains? I do recall it needed that.

[enjay]

Sometimes gets charged in the car but not frequently.

 

As in, on your dashboard, or you plug it in to charge?

 

Did it tell you to do the first full charge off the mains? I do recall it needed that.

 

No, but the leaflet didn't say much. I can certainly try that.

[Andrew_C]

Charging inside is probably hampered by the glass blocking UV. UV is the most energetic wavelength of photons.

[enjay]

Charging inside is probably hampered by the glass blocking UV. UV is the most energetic wavelength of photons.

 

Hampered is fine, it just means it would take longer but if it is permanently sitting on the window sill, it doesn't really matter.

[mavhc]

Of course getting hot isn't great for batteries, nor is getting cold

[Ditto]

Blimey, looking after your rechargeable batteries is beginning to sound like looking after your off-spring!

[JRA]

Blimey, looking after your rechargeable batteries is beginning to sound like looking after your off-spring!

 

Leave them in direct sunlight on the window sill for weeks? Got it. Quite keen on The Offspring.

As in, on your dashboard, or you plug it in to charge?

 

In the car it's usually plugged in.

[enjay]

Did it tell you to do the first full charge off the mains? I do recall it needed that.

 

I checked the leaflet yesterday and it does say to mains charge it first time. I did that overnight, so I'll ask Mrs Jay to put it somewhere sunny today and see what happens.

[BOOT]

Another rate hike. My mortgage is now 17.33%.

[Ditto]

Another rate hike. My mortgage is now 17.33%.

Sadly I was expecting the rise, the impact on your rate and your post. I know you've had feedback before on this site, I understand your circumstances a little but not the full details. I am convinced, but accept I could be wrong, that there must be a way for you to get a better deal.

 

At my work we have a weekly team meeting where most weeks a member of staff offers a thought for the day. This week one of our receptionists reflected on the book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse. There is a 30 minute animation which is available on iplayer. Our receptionists pulled several quotes from this book, but one struck a cord with me and it's this. "What is the bravest thing you've ever said? asked the boy. 'Help,' said the horse."

 

As with earlier posts on this, I'm trying to respectfully offer advice and don't want to pry. I will happily remove the post if you wish. But I would just ask you to ponder the quote.

[BOOT]

I've exhausted every option. I don't meet the lending criteria. Simply: I don't earn enough to qualify for the mortgage I already have.

[LeMarchand]

May be taken down for abuse, but Wickes are apparently 25% off most things with a code: https://www.hotukdeals.com/vouchers/25-off-everything-at-wickes-4081509.

 

Wish they did TVs!

[nicholab]

Also now I am checking the tyre pressure more regularly as I seen the difference it makes in fuel economy.

 

I also set a limit of £50 pounds fill for both cars. This helps your mind set I got to fill up again that means I driven 250miles. Also your not paying to drive fuel round.

[CHiLL]

After coming off a (very) good energy deal (March 2021 prices) that Octopus accidentally extended my contract with, onto the current pricing...it's been eye-opening. I've gone from spending £1.50-£2 on the average day to about £5 for a two bed maisonette. Lucily I already have some cost saving measures in place, like a door curtain for the top of my stairs keeping the curtains drawn all day while I'm at work to keep the heat in, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have a termostat, just a time controlled boiler, so I've amended the timings to 10 minutes in the morning, 15 mins just before I get home and another 20 mins at about 7pm. Edited February 6, 2023 by CHiLL

[maark]

Really noticing food inflation when I went tesco yesterday.

e.g. used to be two packets of cheese for £3 - now £4 with one packet of mozzarela £2.60

that is 33 percent inflation and gas/electric way higher than that.

So headline figure of inflation is not representative of typical cost increase to average person.

I got rid of virgin tv box and landline - reduced monthly broadband bill from £58 to £28

[enjay]

Really noticing food inflation when I went tesco yesterday.

e.g. used to be two packets of cheese for £3 - now £4 with one packet of mozzarela £2.60

that is 33 percent inflation and gas/electric way higher than that.

 

The onions I buy used to be sold by weight, and one would cost around 12p. Now they're 30p each. It's only 18p so it won't break me, but as a percentage it is eye-watering.

[nicholab]

It really worth getting a digital programmable thermostat it seems the last thing anyone bothers about in their home.

 

Does anyone have their own OBD2 dongle for their car/motorbike and have any software they recommend?

Edited February 6, 2023 by nicholab

[JRA]

VAGUELY related (sorta) but sausages I noticed are flippin' £2/pack in Sainsburys, and if you do buy them there's often TWO DAYS until they expire.

 

Heck is going on??

[Andrew_C]

Does anyone have their own OBD2 dongle for their car/motorbike and have any software they recommend?

Yeah, but it is Guzzi specific. Beware chip-set issues. ISTR "London Electric" Lon-Elec were favoured, but I've had mine so long I can't remember the details.