morning ladies
We've had some heavy rain here overnight and again this morning.
Hopefully your surgery will come around quickly, OHH. What a lovely offer you had. There are good people out there that's for sure. And I agreewith OHH, popeye, ask WINZ about paying for the surgery. They can only say no. MrK often says if you don't ask, you don't get.
We've also had to ask WINZ on the odd occasion for help and have repaid interest free what was owed. It certainly takes the stress out of finding the $$$ that's for sure. The WINZ superannuation people are much more approachable than the 'regular' WINZ staff members.
Today we finish emptying the freezer into the chilly bins and a bit more into the fridge-freezer. It's amazing what we can fit into the fridge-freezer lol. MrK thinks we could pull the old freezer out of the garage so he can sweep the floor and rescue his tools that have fallen down behind it. The new freezer is very light and I could easily move it on my own. Things have certainly changed over the years. But now we are wondering what else could fall apart on us.
Better grab the chilly bins, give them a wipe out and start filling them. Then I think today will be a sewing/embroidery day.
Happy crafting
Morning all
Overcast day here
Sorted my I spy charm blocks yesterday I need 96 and I have 87 so will need to go to quilt shop good thing I am accompanying DD there tomorrow
Volunteer day today so need to get moving
Enjoy your day
Mattresses km, those are another thing that needs replacing on an all too regular basis. Modern materials it seems only have an eight to ten year life cycle, not like the thirty odd we grew up with, lol.
Not that I miss kapok in the slightest!
Morning everyone
Rather wet here too.
Totally agree Kiwimade, I can move our newer freezers around far easier than the older ones we had. There was a story about the older versus new ones on Fair Go, they simply dont make them like they used to.
Lovely of the lady to offer Hunni and it does take a load off your mind. I have Missy catered for. Kinda stuck a little when it comes to housework cos the lady who looks after Missy will be the one doing it, I assume and she has a tendency to sit at yak. which is hard to stop. There is another one we have had in the past so I guess I have to wait and see who they assign it to.
I have everything sorted now apart from checking my hospital bag, which I might do on the weekend. I know I need to put a bottle of magnesium and some salt in cos I tend to get a lot of cramp in hospital.
Shopping this morning, and Im going to toddle around the oppies on a Lid Hunt.
Can anyone recommend a nice fish cake? I dont mind onion salt, but dont like things with onion pieces in. I fancy a nice fish cake
Have a fab day everyone
(22-06-2023, 08:52 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: [ -> ]Mattresses km, those are another thing that needs replacing on an all too regular basis. Modern materials it seems only have an eight to ten year life cycle, not like the thirty odd we grew up with, lol.
Not that I miss kapok in the slightest!
OMG we had kapok when we were younger. I dont miss them either lol.
That is something else I need eventually. Bed, Teeth, Glasses lol. All expensive stuff lol
Another cold wet day so will be an inside day with housework.
Several years ago I had to replace my old freezer - the old one is solid and heavy so I’ve stored my “emergency” things in it as waterproof and if the roof falls in I doubt it would ever squash
keeps things like my little stove, a sleeping bag, etc etc all in one place in the garage.
Now that's a great idea, venetian! Sadly our garage is a lot smaller than when we lived in town
We replaced our bed and all bedding around five years ago when we both had bad backs. The bed we bought with 70% off and the bedding I bought over time in sales. Was the best thing we ever bought for a very long time.
Our power bill has arrived and bugger me days, it's the princely sum of $34. I suspect our estimated meter readings have been way off. Especially as one meter had a credit on it. Makes me wish I had used the drier more! I usually read the meter on the alternate month but have been forgetting to do it or I read it too late in the month.
I have figured out why the cheap as chips power bill... one of our meters isn't working. And the other one looks like it's on a go slow. Just as well we have a good credit build up with the power company. They only replaced the meters about a year ago...
I am mulling over Spark increasing their plan prices by $7 mere weeks after the toads charged me through the nose to drop my landline - thus giving them an excuse to change the entire old plan. At the same time my Trustpower has gone to Mercury, so I am wondering about doing an all in one. I shall have to ring them and talk to someone who can tell me if it is worth doing. I would lose my streaming subs, so would need to think about that. And my tv is now well outdated, smart, but not very, lol, and I also suspect the Spark modem is getting old, there are drop offs that never happened before...
Why do these things all happen at the same time? I'm starting to wish I hadn't dropped the landline at all!
we also got that e mail, OHH. It seems everything is going up and up and up and up...
Just heard from son about our power meters and he will check it all out after his break. Sounds like contractors will be coming out to replace them (again!) at no cost to us - that makes a change! And yes, we could have left it and had buggar all power bills, but it will eventually catch up to us and then we'll have a massive bill. I'll keep making our fortnightly payments in the meantime to cushion any large blow we may end up with.
Good afternoon on this wet and windy day. Plenty of thunder and lightning during the night.
A sombre day to match with the passing of my 102 yo FIL. He lived a long, hard working life but wouldn't wish that advanced age on anyone. Cremation followed by Memorial in a few weeks. End of an era.
Not much getting done around here today, will get out the knitting soon.
Stay warm and dry all.
Well, that was easy - Electric Kiwi here I come. Once everything clicks over I will sort out streaming wants v needs, with luck it will all even out once settled. Not looking forward to swapping out the router but no doubt I'll manage it, albeit with lots of naughty words. I'm sticking with my mobile plan, Spark's $15 rollover seems the cheapest around, and it is quite fun watching that rollover accumulate seeing I never use most of the minutes, texts or data lol...
(22-06-2023, 01:29 PM)Roma Wrote: [ -> ]Good afternoon on this wet and windy day. Plenty of thunder and lightning during the night.
A sombre day to match with the passing of my 102 yo FIL. He lived a long, hard working life but wouldn't wish that advanced age on anyone. Cremation followed by Memorial in a few weeks. End of an era.
Not much getting done around here today, will get out the knitting soon.
Stay warm and dry all.
That is a grand old age Roma, but I am with you. Decrepitude just isn't worth the card from the New Boy.
IM absolutely freezing.
So much for a quick trip up the road.. Did do the 3 oppies before I went to the supermarket. I got 2 lids ..
Went into new World, No ripe bananas, tag 2 agria potatoes, which are tiny golf ball size, but at top prices and then no Pepsi Max.
So I left.. Decided if they could give me the first 3 things on my list they weren't getting any other money.
Rang MrP and told him I was going to Pukekohe. Travelled over no faster than 70kms an hour, someone going slow.. Went to the 2 oppies there. No further lids..
Went to pak n save and Im glad I took my bags and Brolly cos it absolutely Hosed down. Didn't take long to throw 3 bags in the boot.
Home travelling slow behind a few trucks and cars.. Was nice that everyone was being responsible on the roads.
Im going to contact Foodstuffs.. The NW here is just getting rediculous now.
Wow Kiwimade that sucks re the meters, but So glad your not the type to decide oh well I wont pay it.. So many people do, then moan when they cant cover the costs knowing full well they are using the power and will have to pay for it eventually.
Hunni Im with Skinny. I pay $17 a month and thats unlimited texts to here and Aussie, 2gb of data and roll over minutes, Ive got over 2000 at the mo. And Skinny to Skinny is free.
(22-06-2023, 01:29 PM)Roma Wrote: [ -> ]Good afternoon on this wet and windy day. Plenty of thunder and lightning during the night.
A sombre day to match with the passing of my 102 yo FIL. He lived a long, hard working life but wouldn't wish that advanced age on anyone. Cremation followed by Memorial in a few weeks. End of an era.
Not much getting done around here today, will get out the knitting soon.
Stay warm and dry all.
Sorry for your Loss Roma. What a grand old age.
I was going to post that you should pay that cheap bill quick, KM but then read your next post - oh bugger! Hope they can sort it without too much difficulty.
That's tough Roma but as you say, such an age isn't invariably a good thing.
Govt tackling massive profits made by banks is all well & good (if anything actually gets done to rein that lot in) but I found myself wondering why the devil they don't address the massive profits the supermarkets are making, merrily raising their prices every damned week while we're all struggling to balance our weekly food budgets .
I'm sorry for your loss, roma. But, wow, just wow, what an age.
We're waiting for the freezer delivery people, they have phoned to say they are on their way. Old freezer is empty and dragged out of the garage. The car has been moved so the delivery van has easy access to the garage. Our fingers are freezing after all that lol.
(22-06-2023, 03:10 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: [ -> ]I was going to post that you should pay that cheap bill quick, KM but then read your next post - oh bugger! Hope they can sort it without too much difficulty.
That's tough Roma but as you say, such an age isn't invariably a good thing.
Govt tackling massive profits made by banks is all well & good (if anything actually gets done to rein that lot in) but I found myself wondering why the devil they don't address the massive profits the supermarkets are making, merrily raising their prices every damned week while we're all struggling to balance our weekly food budgets .
Lilith - it’s not the supermarkets increasing their profits it’s the cost of everything coming into the supermarket that is responsible for the increases most of the increases are govt requirements to compensate for carbon emissions - over the last 3 years wages right across the food spectrum have gone up 44% - a trolley boy now gets $25.74 an hour - $2 less than a hospital technician - those cardboard tags on the bread bags cost millions of dollars to develop and have added 17c to the cost of every loaf of bread and that isn’t including all the lost product the bakeries have had because they aren’t as efficient the plastic ones - Fonterra are paying millions of dollars into the carbon emission scheme because they still use coal costing us all about 40c a litre at the checkout - this money was used partially for rebates on EV cars .We have the highest transportation costs in the OECD because our fuel tax is so high and we pay GST on that tax .The government decided it wasn’t fair that our manufacturers growers and retailers received a 25% prompt payment discount - added millions of dollars to bread manufacturing for example and the indoor tomato growers for example- so we are paying more at the checkout and the power companies are making more money .Recently the supermarkets all went to considerable expense to meet new regulations that were brought in for recyclable plastic - cost $900,000 but there was nowhere to send the waste so it all sits idle - another grand plan to allow customers to bring their own containers into the deli - the specifications for the cleaning facility to wash your container before the store could fill it were very expensive $400,000 it sits unused but if it wasn’t completed the shop has to pay more into the emission trading scheme . Brad Olsen conducts an audit every month on Foodstuffs - their margin increases are being held under the rate of inflation but the suppliers costs are running at 12% increase .The most frightening thing is that companies like Ernest Adams and Irvines Pies have ceased production as the costs of doing business is so high - it’s the same all over the world but we are noticing it more because of 15% GST and our high transportation costs .Costco was supposedly going to drive prices down but they very quickly found the costs here are so high they aren’t even competitive -
Some of the original owners who were in the business for 30 years and own their stores freehold have made a lot of money but they invested millions of dollars - today if an operator invested his money in bank bonds he would be better off than servicing a multi million dollar debt owning a supermarket while having widespread shoplifting and his staff being assaulted all the while people think he is a crook .The Commerce Commission have hired 25 public servants who are working on food prices - the government have just passed legislation that the duopoly both open wholesale departments and sell to other businesses - they have both had their wholesale departments up and running 8 months - only 1 business has registered so that has been another colossal waste of money .Climate change is a real frightening risk to us all and you are certainly doing your bit when you pay your bill at the checkout -
Not to mention the vast discrepany between wages and property value increases - along with rents, low user discounts being wiped out and all those tag two vegies on the shelves at first grade prices...
Nope, it is getting silly. TG for a freezer and the ability to do fabulous things with left overs!
Popeye, Skinny is Spark, I considered it, but their $15 plan seems the cheapest for this low user!
(22-06-2023, 05:32 PM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: [ -> ]Not to mention the vast discrepany between wages and property value increases - along with rents, low user discounts being wiped out and all those tag two vegies on the shelves at first grade prices...
Nope, it is getting silly. TG for a freezer and the ability to do fabulous things with left overs!
Totally agree Hunnie.
I emailed Foodstuffs cos ours sells Tag 2 agria that aren't much bigger than golf balls for $4-49 a kilo.. Loose ones often being brought by the older or single person homes, cos they go to seed so quickly.
In Pak n Save the meat on the smaller trays are often dearer per kilo than the larger trays. Not many Council flats would even have room for a freezer larger than any that come on the fridge.
So once again the smaller households suffer
I am very efficient with my freezer, using Jamie Oliver's trick with flat freezer bags, and avoiding bulky stuff that can't be split up first. I am even experimenting with making my own - or rather hers - cat food...
Needs must when the budget drives!
(22-06-2023, 04:37 PM)JanW Wrote: [ -> ] (22-06-2023, 03:10 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: [ -> ]I was going to post that you should pay that cheap bill quick, KM but then read your next post - oh bugger! Hope they can sort it without too much difficulty.
That's tough Roma but as you say, such an age isn't invariably a good thing.
Govt tackling massive profits made by banks is all well & good (if anything actually gets done to rein that lot in) but I found myself wondering why the devil they don't address the massive profits the supermarkets are making, merrily raising their prices every damned week while we're all struggling to balance our weekly food budgets .
Lilith - it’s not the supermarkets increasing their profits it’s the cost of everything coming into the supermarket that is responsible for the increases most of the increases are govt requirements to compensate for carbon emissions - over the last 3 years wages right across the food spectrum have gone up 44% - a trolley boy now gets $25.74 an hour - $2 less than a hospital technician - those cardboard tags on the bread bags cost millions of dollars to develop and have added 17c to the cost of every loaf of bread and that isn’t including all the lost product the bakeries have had because they aren’t as efficient the plastic ones - Fonterra are paying millions of dollars into the carbon emission scheme because they still use coal costing us all about 40c a litre at the checkout - this money was used partially for rebates on EV cars .We have the highest transportation costs in the OECD because our fuel tax is so high and we pay GST on that tax .The government decided it wasn’t fair that our manufacturers growers and retailers received a 25% prompt payment discount - added millions of dollars to bread manufacturing for example and the indoor tomato growers for example- so we are paying more at the checkout and the power companies are making more money .Recently the supermarkets all went to considerable expense to meet new regulations that were brought in for recyclable plastic - cost $900,000 but there was nowhere to send the waste so it all sits idle - another grand plan to allow customers to bring their own containers into the deli - the specifications for the cleaning facility to wash your container before the store could fill it were very expensive $400,000 it sits unused but if it wasn’t completed the shop has to pay more into the emission trading scheme . Brad Olsen conducts an audit every month on Foodstuffs - their margin increases are being held under the rate of inflation but the suppliers costs are running at 12% increase .The most frightening thing is that companies like Ernest Adams and Irvines Pies have ceased production as the costs of doing business is so high - it’s the same all over the world but we are noticing it more because of 15% GST and our high transportation costs .Costco was supposedly going to drive prices down but they very quickly found the costs here are so high they aren’t even competitive -
Some of the original owners who were in the business for 30 years and own their stores freehold have made a lot of money but they invested millions of dollars - today if an operator invested his money in bank bonds he would be better off than servicing a multi million dollar debt owning a supermarket while having widespread shoplifting and his staff being assaulted all the while people think he is a crook .The Commerce Commission have hired 25 public servants who are working on food prices - the government have just passed legislation that the duopoly both open wholesale departments and sell to other businesses - they have both had their wholesale departments up and running 8 months - only 1 business has registered so that has been another colossal waste of money .Climate change is a real frightening risk to us all and you are certainly doing your bit when you pay your bill at the checkout -
Jan, that's quite a (single paragraph) rant you've posted. Worth unpacking some of your claims...
New Zealand has quite moderate taxation of fossil fuels. The
chart in this link compares tax rates on fuels in all the OECD countries. We're actually towards the bottom of the list. Note that this is US sourced so is in USD and US gallons. Also being "tax" it will be inclusive of the GST or VAT component.
Yes we have high transportation cost but this is due internally to our relatively low population and its low density. Externally that is only to be expected as NZ is very geographically remote so import and export freight rates will reflect that isolation. It is a prime reason that we should be value adding our products as much as we can so as to get maximum 'bang for buck' for the volume it occupies on journey to our markets. Logs and milk powder are glaring examples of how not to do this.
Our isolation is also a strong reason for us to support local production in our own consumption. The idea of importing food that can be produced here, and eating what is in season to do so, is a big step in this direction.
EV rebates in the Clean Car Rebate system are funded by taxation of high emission vehicles and the system is about to be rejigged in order to redress that balance. Also worth considering that the CCR on an EV is actually less than the GST in its price.
The food price increases we're seeing now are often weather event related and that will only worsen as our climate reacts further to the emissions we've burdened it with for the last century or so. Blaming price inceases on government policy and wanting tax breaks to remedy this is akin to building wave barriers to combat sea level rise - it's pushing sh*t uphill with a pointed stick and destined to failure.
The theft thing is just appalling, and I totally get how frustrating that is for business people. I'd like to see thieves named and shamed, our local liquor outlet blows up the photos and puts them on the shop window. Trouble is most of these scumbags come in from other suburbs so they don't get recognised and potted. The have no shame whatsoever, and no real excuse. They aren't impoverished in anything other than their moral standards, and their actions make it harder for the genuinely in need...