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In this current difficult world situation are you thinking of changing how you run your life?

(125 Posts)
PamelaJ1 Thu 19-Mar-26 08:44:52

Is it time to think of this ongoing situation as having a long sell by date?
I’ve been hoping that it will all be over by next winter but reading an article in the paper today and scanning the readers responses I’m wondering of I’m wrong.

I and a few others on this site have probably had experience of heating only one room so we know that it’s possible but many other things have changed enormously over the years.
Food prices may go up, we certainly aren’t self sufficient any more.
I wonder if the spare allotments in our village will be snapped up. We grow a lot of veg anyway and perhaps people will want our surplus apples this year?

I am already planning my trips to use as little fuel as possible.
Should I be phoning up the solar power installers ASAP?
My family and I have lived through riots (Mao) water shortages during our lives so think it’s a good idea to hope for the best but do a bit of planning, just in case.
Any great ideas, not stockpiling- that just leads to more problems.

fancythat Sun 22-Mar-26 13:59:50

Hadnt thought about caravan maintenance!

I thought it was possible to live on rice and potaotes.
Both, even on their own, have all the nitrients a person requires. I thought.

Being homeless as you say can bring death.
So not what I was thinking of.

So what is the cheapest amount a single person can live on?

M0nica Sun 22-Mar-26 13:53:43

Caravan's reuire maintenance. They are not well insulated so can cost a fortune to keep warm.

You cannot live on rice and potatoes. You would die of malnutrition.

Simplest thing is to become homeless and live on the streets, if you could call that 'living'. Homeless people die young, so that might solve your problem.

fancythat Sun 22-Mar-26 13:46:40

Often wondered how much it costs to live on complete basics.
No car. No tv. No house repairs[perhaps live in caravan]
Just the bare minimum heat.
Rice and potatoes.
3K?
Not that much?

icanhandthemback Sun 22-Mar-26 13:38:37

We spent years being as poor as church mice and so I do worry a bit about being back in that situation if we get rampant inflation caused by this war but I worry more for my children who are finding life difficult anyway. Beyond that, we will meet life's challenges as they arrive. We've got cupboards full of rice, freezers full of food and there are ways we can cut back if we have to. I might plant the garden with more fruit and veggies though.

Allira Sun 22-Mar-26 13:01:15

Basgetti
Oh yes, I forgot!

Basgetti Sun 22-Mar-26 12:59:12

Allira

And here we all are trying to do our bit to combat global warming yet they set the Middle East on fire ☹

There’s no such thing. Mr. Trump says so
🙄

Allira Sun 22-Mar-26 11:24:16

seasider

@Allira. That brought to mind the crochet blanket in the last episode of Happy Valley grin

Oh heck, my poor blanket! 😁

They were always draped on the back of the sofa in This Country!

Do the set designers trawl charity shops or commission them, I wonder?

AuntieE Sun 22-Mar-26 10:19:48

I am certainly not going to grow my own vegetables as I no longer have the stremgth to dig, and find hoeing or weeding hard too.

As I do not live in Britain, heating is still affordable, but I have reverted to the lessons of my childhood and only have electric lights on in the room I am in, or the passage I am walking through.

I also save on water, and make quite sure the washing-machine is full before I consider turning it on.

Buy food as econmically as possible, cheap offers of meat go into the freezer and are eaten as and when needed. And I eat more lentils and chickpeas than I did thirty years ago.

I endorse the thinking that there is no point in worrying about what may never happen, or as my old aunt would have said, the things I will probably not be here to see!

I still have a lot to be thankful for - such as a whole roof over my head, and not living in a war zone, reasonable health, and experience that has taught me to soldier on through the hard times.

MartavTaurus Sun 22-Mar-26 08:20:02

sixandahalf

I did not miss the point. Many people are all ready at their limit and fear rising prices.

That's the point. And no amount of glass half full pays bills.

Really?
Seeing as she included five exclamation marks, I assumed it was a light hearted comment!!

seasider Sun 22-Mar-26 08:19:42

@Allira. That brought to mind the crochet blanket in the last episode of Happy Valley grin

sixandahalf Sun 22-Mar-26 08:12:49

I did not miss the point. Many people are all ready at their limit and fear rising prices.

That's the point. And no amount of glass half full pays bills.

MartavTaurus Sun 22-Mar-26 08:08:55

sixandahalf

*Governments are exploring emergency energy support for consumers already battered by a cost of living crisis*

For those of us not buying Gucci boots.

I think you missed the point there.
I read it as dalrymple23 could choose to buy either but opted for the more sensible boring choice!

loopyloo Sun 22-Mar-26 08:06:45

Dalrymple, is it a solar powered generator?

Witzend Sun 22-Mar-26 08:04:21

petra

Allira

Should have kept my Ewbank ......

What? You mean you threw it out 😂

I have an old Ewbank that a friend was going to throw out.
I love it! Gets all the bits up so quickly, without all the faff of getting the vacuum cleaner out.

Not long ago I bought a modern version for a dd who’d bought a house with plain, dark carpeting in the sitting room, that shows every tiny speck. It’s brilliant.

sixandahalf Sun 22-Mar-26 07:54:51

Governments are exploring emergency energy support for consumers already battered by a cost of living crisis

For those of us not buying Gucci boots.

Beautyschooldropout Sun 22-Mar-26 02:12:56

dalrymple23

Anticipating Armaggdon, I bought a generator!! Only large enough to keep the freezers and the computer going. But enough for survival. Most of my chums would have bought Gucci boots! They cannot comprehend my excitement!!

Why are you excited??

Beautyschooldropout Sun 22-Mar-26 02:11:37

Meanwhile I live within an hour of the USA/Canada border. When Trumplethinskin gets bored of Iran, where is he looking to conquer next??

LOUISA1523 Sun 22-Mar-26 01:52:22

Mojack26

DT said 'he's thinking of pulling out of the war against Iran!' Why am I not surprised, after he's caused world wide chaos......He is Israel's puppet.. and all the chaos deflected away from Epstein Files as he is up to his neck in it!

Today he's saying the opposite....he's given Iran a 48 hr deadline

LOUISA1523 Sun 22-Mar-26 01:51:32

We have 6 years worth of ( free) wood for our multi fuel burner ....we now only run 1 car now DP is retired .....I'm 61 and thought about retiring as well ...but will carry on doing 3 days as times are so uncertain....I don't mind my job at all so it's no great hardship

Mojack26 Sat 21-Mar-26 16:44:08

DT said 'he's thinking of pulling out of the war against Iran!' Why am I not surprised, after he's caused world wide chaos......He is Israel's puppet.. and all the chaos deflected away from Epstein Files as he is up to his neck in it!

Allira Sat 21-Mar-26 14:36:31

petra

BlueBelle

Petra I apologise I wasn’t meaning to infer you were made of stone it was a general reply to your post.

No sweat 😉

However, Petra is derived from the Greek for rock or stone.

It means strength and stability

😀

petra Sat 21-Mar-26 14:34:23

BlueBelle

Petra I apologise I wasn’t meaning to infer you were made of stone it was a general reply to your post.

No sweat 😉

Allira Sat 21-Mar-26 14:18:22

MaizieD

Allira

David49

Whitewavemark2

Going back to the ME. Keep listening and reading that we may very well in the not too distant future have a 1970s situation.

Well, we all lived through and survived that, so no doubt we will do the same.

The only worry I have is that I don’t think that the U.K. is in such a good place economically to deal with the shocks.

Im expecting reduced speed limits, probably not power cuts, maybe oil rationing in some form, we are better place than many in Europe that depend much more on imported gas and oil

Im expecting reduced speed limits

We'll be going at 10mph on many roads and 30mph on motorways here then!

When the oil price rocketed in, IIRC, 1973 the government introduced a 50 mph speed limit on motorways and a 60mph limit on major roads (which looks a bit strange to me now). The public complied very well with these but I can't see the same compliance happening if they tried it today..

I remember the fuel protests in 2000, having to drive a 200 mile round trip, watching the petrol gauge and hoping I would get home.

dalrymple23 Sat 21-Mar-26 14:12:12

Anticipating Armaggdon, I bought a generator!! Only large enough to keep the freezers and the computer going. But enough for survival. Most of my chums would have bought Gucci boots! They cannot comprehend my excitement!!

Sadie5803 Sat 21-Mar-26 13:45:55

At the end of the day we have very little control over this awfull mess brought on by unaccountable governments, i just take each day as it comes , i make sure my family are ok, after that and just hope for the best