Friday 4 March 2022

This time last year

 Domestic heating oil was around 48p per litre. When we bought some last month, it was 69p a litre. Yesterday, when my neighbour ordered some, it was 90p per litre. I suspect it will be much higher still shortly.

Unfortunately for them, their fixed rate electricity deal finished the end of February. They weren’t quick enough to lock into a new deal. After a discussion between us, it was decided to find a fixed rate deal ASAP, with no exit fee. Should they by some miracle find a better deal later on, they won’t get penalised for moving.

Prices are rising on everything. Petrol has risen by several pence this week, more to come there as well. People are starting to panic buy. 

We are all aware of food price hikes. I read yesterday that South Korea gets 60% of their cereal crop, mainly corn, from the Ukraine. They are desperately trying to find just under 400,000 metric tons elsewhere. As everything is locked in place before sowing starts, can’t see them achieving it. That is just one country.

Homesteading blogs I read are also reporting on major price hikes on animal feed, fertiliser and other items needed for their livestock. Those prices are having to be passed on, their customers aren’t happy. What can they do other than have less animals, keep more for their own families thereby creating more shortages.

I am constantly amazed by how people are burying their heads in the sand because it stresses them out too much to think about it. Stressing out won’t feed and water you and yours, keep you warm next winter, get you from A to B.

Every time you shop, if you can, buy a little extra, don’t clear the shelf. Keep your car fuel topped up always, look at how you can adjust here and there to cut back.


20 comments:

  1. I bought plain,self raising and wholemeal flour yesterday, I fear it's going to rocket in price. Next supermarket visit I will get extra pasta. I am so against the "rewilding" of our farmland, we should be growing as much food as we can in this country.

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    1. Me too. They will soon have to start using it. They can still leave strips for wildlife.

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  2. We have really noticed the price hike on fuel and the garages running out of diesel so quickly or only allowing £30 worth per customer.

    Although I am still doing my Challenge I have decided that I will spend last months remaining money which was just over £25, on buying a small core supply of flour, rice, pasta and tinned tomatoes. Just a couple of each will be a handy standby and also save me money further into the year.

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    1. Oddly enough I thought of you when typing this. Obviously worried about you clearing your food cupboards!

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    2. I realised last night after thinking about this that actually as I went over my allocated money in February I actually only have £19.09 left to spend. Which I will on a box of 'emergency supplies. I can get a lot with that money if I shop wisely!

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  3. Just reading a book called "Our land at War" about how much overgrown land was put back into production in 1940.But now I wonder how much of that land has now been built on. I wish we grew more and had enough people willing to harvest it

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    1. Me too. I read somewhere that ‘gleaning’ after harvesting was reappearing. No way now could we sustain ourselves, too few acres, many more people. Everyone would have to garden and don’t know how. I have been noting more where wild fruit grows.

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  4. Never mind rewilding, where I live productive farmland is listed for development thanks to the powers that be back in the late 80's early 90's putting it in "area plans" etc. There is enough brown land locally that already has service provision which could easily be built on in a very effective way; this is not an industrial area so would be pleasant to live in. I agree we will need arable land to feed people very soon. Planning madness.

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    1. Agreed. I think it criminal that brown belt land is left in favour of green belt.

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    2. Around where I live we are seeing what had been for decades protected Green Belt agricultural land now being developed for housing by our local council. The net effect has been to almost eliminate any of the countryside between villages, the whole area becoming just horrendous urban sprawl, even though there is still much brownfield land available. Just one of the consequences of our politicians of both major parties welcoming over 300,000 immigrants a year for 20 years now.

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  5. Diesel is currently £1.53 a litre where we live - roughly £60 used to fill our tank - yesterday £60 only three-quarter filled it. Absolutely everything is increasing. Our son's gas/electric monthly payment has gone up from £76 to £245!! There's only 3 of them in a small semi as well, not a huge house!! It'll be a squeeze for them as baby no.2 is due next month. We're planning on growing a lot more veg this year. We recently set 3 fruit trees, but won't expect much from them this year. Tough economic times ahead for sure.

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    1. That is a shocking electric/gas increase. How people are expected to cope I don’t know. We are already planning on using our wood burner next year as our main heat source.

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    2. My advice would be not to pay by direct debit, but to pay for what they use, with a monthly bill. I do wonder about some of the rises these companies are imposing. My payments increased by £5 each, to £52 (electricity) and £57 (gas), and I'm now way ahead with both, despite being home all day using both fuels... I expect refunds at tge end of this month. I live in a 2 bed bungalow now, but lived in a 3 up 2 down(bathroom carved out of a bedroom) terrace with 1 child and a 2 bed semi (again, 3 up, 2 down) with 2 children until the elder went to uni. I utilised every bit of space for good storage and didnt have too much unnecessary 'stuff'. People used to be horrified that my daughters shared a room!

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    3. They like to be warm! Their boiler only does heating and hot water is by emersion heater, all very old and very expensive. Can’t help them really other than advise.

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  6. Prices are steadily rising and people need to be prepared for even higher costs. I am trying out appliance cooking to see if that gives us a bit of savings on electric bills. It might take awhile to see but I am keeping my fingers crossed. Combining errands, and stocking up on a few items when you can is a great idea.

    At least youngest house bought his home before the mortgage rates went up. He locked in for 5 years as well. When I have made too much in the way of food (even after having a second meal from it) I freeze it to take to him. Helps him keep his food bill down a bit.

    I will be planting more food in containers this summer, leaving more room in the garden for other veggies.

    God bless.

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    1. We all need to chip in where and when possible even if it is just advice. People I know have noticed food and fuel increases but are not even attempting to adjust.

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  7. In the US our gas was $3.69 a gallon which was high but overnight it went up to $3.99. Heard on the tv it might go as high as $5.00 per gallon which has never happened in my area. Luckily my husband is retired and we don't travel much except for a doctor's appointment or food shop. What is it with some who don't watch their food shopping, gas consumption, or heating.

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    1. I have no idea. Money to waste or think the government will help out?

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  8. Our son has just got solar panels installed. As he already has a heat pump, he doesn´t need any gas or oil, and will produce most of his own electricity. We have very sunny days at the moment, so he can sell the electricity he doen´t need to his electricity supplier. Quite a good deal.
    Hilde in Germnay

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    1. Grand idea. Our Prime Minister wants us all to have heat pumps but a lot of properties here wouldn’t suit them. I know two people who had them installed and aren’t happy with them.

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