Age 60 want money for a holiday and to do some renovations

Cricketer said:
We're getting to the root of it now. I suspect it's the other half who's not turning off the immersion. Fair play to Bronte by the way. S/he's like a financial meditation guru - "when the mind wanders, bring it gently back to the breath."
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Bronte's got the Patience of a saint
 
BrenWW said:
It's 0.17c / unit, Electric Ireland,
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Job 2
How often did you read the meters on your last six bills? Tomorrow you should phone electric Ireland to see if you can get a better rate. Shop around. Also request your annual spend is spread evenly over 12 monthly bills by direct debit. Here is how it’s done.
 
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There was an Aga originally with central heating, but I it was removed and nothing put in it's place. The rads are rusted inside by now I'd guess.
 
BrenWW said:
It's 0.17c / unit, Electric Ireland,
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You should change provider immediately, as an example Energia are offering new customers 13 cent per Kwh for the first year, that’s around 25% less than you are currently paying.

When your year is up you switch again.

Changing provider for gas or electric is far easier than other services, sign up on line, your new provider does all the work, cancelling existing providers etc, it could not be easier.

Check out Bonkers or similar.
 
I second above

Check out https://www.bonkers.ie/compare-gas-electricity-prices/ and switch providers
If you indeed have several freezers in use, get all the food used up from some and plug them out.

What about doing some spring cleaning, throw away and selling some of the stuff you do not need (like surplus freezers) on ebay/gumtree/adverts and then considering to rent out a room to increase your cashflow ?
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/owning_a_home/home_owners/rent_a_room_scheme.html

The money earned via renting out a room and reducing spending can be used for renovations / increase energy efficiency and for holidays.
I would definitely not heat with electricity - that is super expensive. Installing a Gas or Oil boiler would have paid for itself quickly in comparison to what you spent now
 
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Bronte said:
I shall give up on you if you haven’t job 2 done by it’s deadline.
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Done Checked with EI first about the equalizer and 'loyality' stuff, call center woman with 'Russian' accent/service ethic said they'd give me 100 if I went DD, didn't register when I told her by registering with Energia I'd save 1100/yr....
 
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[QUOTE="Merowig,
Tried a few times on those sites, did sell a sliding porch door but the rest didn't move... Have a load of paintings / farmers market food equipment and other craft stuff, put it up every now and again and then forget to renew the ads.
Rent a room... Bad experience once, never again..
Have plenty of logs so maybe a log stove would do the job of heating the main room...
 
CU guide to good value renovation .creditunion.ie/blog/the-complete-guide-to-home-renovation-costs/

Tradesmen.ie. w.tradesmen.ie/trades?gclid=Cj0KCQiA34OBBhCcARIsAG32uvMJQg3iKraqKaB9SKPQaU3BDGmEbfgJ79-fn81fHMo7NfcVoUl8olsaAtIaEALw_wcB
 
TTI said:
Also all electric heaters are 100% efficient at turning electricity into heat so it doesn't matter what type of electric heater you use.
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While true it is better to be trying to heat a room with an oil filled radiator than a fan heater, you won't need to keep it on as much or as high to get same result.

Freezers/fridges not as heavy as you might think unless they are very old or not working properly, I run two freezers and two fridges and they are not a major extra cost even though anything constantly on is a cost but the electric heating would far outstrip the cost of a freezer. Although dedicating yourself to using up what is in them will probably save a good bit in grocery shopping for a few weeks anyway. I stocked up recently and don't anticipate shopping for the best part of 3/4 weeks and even then only for essentials.
 
BrenWW said:
Done Checked with EI first about the equalizer and 'loyality' stuff, call center woman with 'Russian' accent/service ethic said they'd give me 100 if I went DD, didn't register when I told her by registering with Energia I'd save 1100/yr....
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Before I get too excited .... and move onto Job 3, what is it exactly you have done?
 
Bronte said:
Before I get too excited .... and move onto Job 3, what is it exactly you have done?
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Bronte said:
Before I get too excited .... and move onto Job 3, what is it exactly you have done?
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Registered with Energia who were the best deal on Bonkers.ie, tho they say there's a E230 'standing charge' that I don't see on EI, so that might reduce my saving to c.E900/yr E2.46/day compared to E3.01/day ....
 
BrenWW said:
Registered with Energia who were the best deal on Bonkers.ie, tho they say there's a E230 'standing charge' that I don't see on EI, so that might reduce my saving to c.E900/yr E2.46/day compared to E3.01/day ....
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Ok that sounds like progress. Have you actually paid the €950 bill yet as I have an idea for that. I'm giving you both a question and a job this morning, if you get them done by this afternoon we will move on.

Meanwhile for the next month aim to empty the freezers of food to give you and your lovely wife some breathing space on costs.

Question 5 - heating

How many electric heaters do you have in the house, can you tell us the brand names and types as in oil fired or blow heaters. Are they on all the time. And you have a gas cylindar as well. I suppose it's something like this

[broken link removed]

Job 3

I doubt this one will get you talking to a lovely Russian lady but you might have a nice chat all the same, firstly get out your PRSI number and then telephone :

Social Welfare Buncrana Donegal: 1890690 690
Ask them for:

1. Your PRSI record to be sent in the post to you
2. Have a chat about how many more years of PRSI you need to get the full state pension
3. Discuss any gaps in your prsi history and ask them to send you information on how you might be able to buy back prsi (this might be a different department so ask for the name of it and telephone no
3. Don't forget to mention to them your wife is a dependant, if she has any PRSI paid then ask the above for her too.

If the 1890 is not free, than ask them to call you back, tell them you are broke. They are generally lovely people in that office.
 
BrenWW said:
Registered with Energia who were the best deal on Bonkers.ie, tho they say there's a E230 'standing charge' that I don't see on EI, so that might reduce my saving to c.E900/yr E2.46/day compared to E3.01/day ....
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Every electricity supplier has a standing charge, including EI, so don't worry about that
 
there are differences in the standing charges, but I did the comparison exercise very recently and Energia are the best deal overall, especially for heavy users.

I notice you're still talking about renovation loans - if your intention is to sell and downsize, just do that as soon as is practicable. Any money you spend on renovations you almost certainly won't get back. Even if you're planning to stay in the house, your financial issues are now, and any energy upgrades you make will take decades to save you money.

(I estimated the payback on insulation for our draughty 70s gaff at about 23 years. The hell with that, I'll just keep turning the heating on until Eamonn Ryan drives a dump-truck full of grant money up to my door...)
 
ATC110 said:
I need a lie down after this thread-it’s like meth for the eyes
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I think we are doing very well. BrenWW has already made a saving of nearly 900 annually. And if he eats out of his freezer for a couple of months he'll have even more savings, plus he won't have to throw away perfectly good food. Stuff in the deep freeze loses it's nutrition and taste over time. It's only a week since he first posted, we should have it all sorted by the summer.
 

The replies aren't the problem..
 
I understand in regards to tenants - once bitten twice shy - and it can be uncomfortable - you need to screen who you get in - asking for work references and landlord references - one option could be just to rent out short term (up to 6 months) and only prolong it if it is a fit.

Tenants’ rights and responsibilities

The rights and responsibilities of people who rent from private landlords or approved housing bodies.
www.citizensinformation.ie
It is relatively easy to remove a tenant in the first six months.
I would go with someone working, non smoker , no pets, or perhaps an international student who is here for half a year/a year only.

A log stove is nice but I would see that only as a supplement to a gas or oil boiler.

Just continue to try to get rid of surplus things via adverts and other sites. You might have a holiday there in the end
 
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