My Grandparents ( WW1) and my Mum as a baby 1920
When my grandparents were bringing up their 5 daughters in the 1930's they lived in a draughty victorian house with no mains water, just a well in the back garden complete with a live in frog (Granny said it ate all the flies) no electricity just gas for lighting and cooking. They then survived WW2 with all the rationing and trials that entailed. Although they worried they did however succeed in bringing up those girls and while they may at times have been hungry, nobody starved, I think of them a lot these days and weigh their experiences again my own recent worries. It certainly has the effect of shrinking my worries right down!
There's talk of fuel prices going up by as much as 40% over here! Food prices are also increasing rapidly - worrying times indeed. We rely on gas fired central heating and have had a condensing combi boiler fitted for 2 years now, this only heats the water we use and certainly made a difference to our gas bill, apart from only running it for a very short time each day in the winter, I am not sure what more we can do, the house has double glazing, wall and loft insulation. I run round behind Mr C turning off all the stand by buttons, have replaced light bulbs with the energy saving ones, things are not too bad yet but then again it's summer - longer, warmer days, the winter will be the challenging time! Doors will be shut, might even make a couple of draught excluders, heavier curtains put up at the windows and doors for a start and hot water bottles and cardigans employed.
Our cooker is a multi fuel one, gas hob and electric oven - one way to go is to bulk cook only - maybe try the cook once a month for the freezer method this book recommends http://www.amazon.com/Once-Month-Cooking-Spending-Delicious/dp/0805418350
Mr C often has problems choosing my birthday presents, I truly am happy with all that I have and rarely desire more but this year knew I would be able to use one of these and hopefully save a lot of electricity so this is now on order and I can't wait to start trying it out! http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!2511
There is still a lot more we can do to cut back our fuel usage and our food costs - a real work in progress and a steep learning curve but when I think of Granny's problems I realise just how lucky and blessed we are.
1 comment:
I think it's a matter of getting used to something and the losing it that's causing the problem. Our grandparents had never had our luxuries so didn't miss them the way we will when the oil supply eventually runs out (or, as is happening now, more countries demand their share).
It is difficult making ends meet but as you say, we're blessed really. And in comparison with much of the world, spoilt rotten.
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