I don’t grow potatoes, they are cheap through the summer, they take up space in the garden and we don’t eat many, better for me to sow something that’s expensive in the shops, 8 runner beans are costing a pound in Tesco and that’s on special offer. French beans similar. I’m sure we’ll cope, we’ll have to won’t we, younger generation will learn how to do the washing at the sink, in a bowl. Same with washing up. All you need is a bowl and a pair of rubber gloves.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Crikey @pansyface, is that typical of prices in rural areas? I eat quite a lot of blueberries and I don't pay that price for them. Recently, Tesco (Rosedene Farms budget range) 89p for 125g, Aldi 99p for 150g, and Sainsbury's, the small branch in town so maybe more than they'd be in the big branch, £1.40 for 150g but I was in town anyway so paid for the convenience.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Not worrying at the moment. Last June I did a 2 year fix with 🐙,my neighbour (who is an electronic engineer, working mainly on railways) thought we were barking,he was paying 16p pkw with Outfoxthemarket, variable tarrif. I fixed at just over 21p day, little over 12p night. Kept the economy 7, enrolled in Council scheme, paid deposit,had solar panels fitted March....he didn't like that idea either... now wishes he had. He has a Nissan leaf, his electricity is now 40p kw, costing him £40 a week just to charge the car. They're both out at work all day We have been using our emersion heater with the solar,20 minutes heats up the tank. Washing is mostly done on cold cycle. It is estimated it will now take 3 years for the solar to pay for itself. Obviously, I realize it won't make as much in winter.
Going back to energy, if I may, there are clear differences between the UK approach to future energy costs and over here. For example, 36% of carbon emissions come from buildings so it stands to reason that insulating old ones and making new carbon neutral regulations for new builds are the way to go yet in the UK new build regulations demand only a 30% cut in carbon emissions whereas in France and Flemish Belgium they have to be almost carbon neutral and may not be heated with fossil fuels.
That means electricity so new homes are being fitted with heat exchangers and PV panels and lots of insulation. France has also had a campaign of government subsidised loft insulation for older stock. We paid 1€ for our loft to have an extra 10cms of insulation installed. Now we are being encouraged to ditch the oil fired boiler and go for a heat exchanger but all our water is already heated by PV or HE so the incentives aren't quite enough yet.
France has also capped energy prices for everyone. Gas is limited to October 2021 prices and electricity price increases are capped at 4%. The difference between those prices and actual production costs is being picked up by the govt, so tax payers, but it seems to be to be more equitable and a great deal less worrying for people than the UK's handouts of £150 here and £300 pounds there.
I don't see why anyone should think it is normal for people to go back 50 years to cold houses with frost on the windows or, worse still, have to choose between heating and eating. Technology and, surely, society have moved on and it should be a simple matter to take out the politics at local and regional level and simply accept that it is sensible and most practical to have a nationally funded policy to improve existing housing stock for all those who need it and starting with the elderly and people with young children.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
I’m sure we’ll cope, we’ll have to won’t we, younger generation will learn how to do the washing at the sink, in a bowl. Same with washing up. All you need is a bowl and a pair of rubber gloves.
We have been using our emersion heater with the solar,20 minutes heats up the tank. Washing is mostly done on cold cycle. It is estimated it will now take 3 years for the solar to pay for itself. Obviously, I realize it won't make as much in winter.
Rosedene are £7.12 kg.
i don’t like them very much, dug the plants out.
That means electricity so new homes are being fitted with heat exchangers and PV panels and lots of insulation. France has also had a campaign of government subsidised loft insulation for older stock. We paid 1€ for our loft to have an extra 10cms of insulation installed. Now we are being encouraged to ditch the oil fired boiler and go for a heat exchanger but all our water is already heated by PV or HE so the incentives aren't quite enough yet.
France has also capped energy prices for everyone. Gas is limited to October 2021 prices and electricity price increases are capped at 4%. The difference between those prices and actual production costs is being picked up by the govt, so tax payers, but it seems to be to be more equitable and a great deal less worrying for people than the UK's handouts of £150 here and £300 pounds there.
I don't see why anyone should think it is normal for people to go back 50 years to cold houses with frost on the windows or, worse still, have to choose between heating and eating. Technology and, surely, society have moved on and it should be a simple matter to take out the politics at local and regional level and simply accept that it is sensible and most practical to have a nationally funded policy to improve existing housing stock for all those who need it and starting with the elderly and people with young children.