How Are You Preparing For Future Price Hikes?

[crookesey]

Is it just me that can’t recall most pre COVID prices in order to compare them with current ones? I don’t dispute that there have been above normal price increases, however I recently purchased a pack of my normal brand of disposable razors and can swear (not prove) that they were cheaper than the last time I bought them.

[fools]

28 minutes ago, Dromedary said:

I think that can depend on what you grow. If you look at the list I did you will notice that most of those on it normally cost a lot to buy even in the market, bar the strawbs. 

It's an impressive list, but presumably it takes some time and effort to maintain, and the yield is likely to be hit and miss compared to a professional computer controlled growing enterprise.

 

I've just finished off some 5p/kilo pre-washed potatoes from the supermarket which would take many hours work to grow myself.

 

The big costs this winter are going to be monstrous gas/elec prices, so looking where savings can be made in that area may be a more beneficial exercise from a purely financial perspective. Along with haggling every service, and not going to mid-range supermarkets.

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by fools

[The_DADDY]

12 hours ago, makapaka said:

I love it - cheap little greenhouse to get seeds going - get em in pots and off you go.

 

Get some fish blood and bone and some chicken muck and feed em that 

Cheers matey. I'll get some of that 👍

4 hours ago, fools said:

might be an enjoyable hobby, but not worth the effort financially

 

electric fence is a bit ott, what about other animals.

 

My bold.

If you have any humane suggestions I'm happy to listen.

1 hour ago, despritdan said:

9.5 million tonnes of food is thrown away each year in this country. The worst offenders are schools, hospitals, restaurants etc but I'm sure a lot of people could save a lot of money by making a list of the food they're going to need for a week and sticking to it instead of impulse buying.

That's an astonishing amount..

I had absolutely no idea we were such a wasteful country.

[fools]

3 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

Cheers matey. I'll get some of that 👍

 

My bold.

If you have any humane suggestions I'm happy to listen.

Get a cat.

[The_DADDY]

Just now, fools said:

Get a cat.

Got one already.

[fools]

Just now, The_DADDY said:

Got one already.

What happens if it touches the fence

[The_DADDY]

1 minute ago, fools said:

What happens if it touches the fence

I don't know. He's not touched it yet. Hopefully he never will but I'm sure it won't be a pleasant experience. 

10 hours ago, Dromedary said:

At the moment I am growing all these just in pots but been doing it also for several years so some are already established.

 

Out the back:

 

5 different varieties of tomatoes: gardeners delight, purple plum, yellow pear, golden sunrise and also 4 different varieties of cherry ones in hanging baskets.

Some mixed salad leaves with rocket. (cut and grow type)

Radishes.

Red onions, spring onions.

Loads of strawberries with some just started to ripen well.

The Rhubarb is doing very well.

Blackcurrant, redcurrant, raspberry, gooseberry, blackberry.

And two types of mint which is growing like mad.

 

Out front it's mainly herbs but also lavender and marigolds.

 

Oregano, chives, rosemary, thyme, coriander, bay laurel.

Chillies, jalapenos, habanero, cayenne.

 

All doing well and the neighbours come and pick herbs when they want.

 

Just needs a bit of time and tlc.

 

Exactly what I have done. Bought a small greenhouse in Feb cost £25.

Crikey. That's an impressive list.

Nice one 👍

[fools]

Perhaps deterring visits from the cat population with an electric fence may lead to an increase the rat population. They do a valiant job of maintaining order usually.

It's a little indiscriminate.

[The_DADDY]

11 minutes ago, fools said:

Perhaps deterring visits from the cat population with an electric fence may lead to an increase the rat population. They do a valiant job of maintaining order usually.

It's a little indiscriminate.

I'm sorry, what cat population?

It's rats we have a problem with, not cats 

Maybe it'll help if I went through the methods I've used to try and control the problem 

1. Poison.

I was fine with this until I found out how painful and drawn out their death is.

2. Borrowed a friend's terrier who was supposedly an Ace rat catcher. He never got one 🙄

3. Air rifle.

I'm an accurate shot and would dispatch around 5 to 8 a week. One shot one kill until it wasn't. I grazed the rat with a hollow point and yeah it died but it screamed in agony until it did. No more shooting for me after that.

4. Electric fence (well 3 actually) and thus far non of my plants have been eaten and no attempt to get in the greenhouse has been made.

 

I'm not sure about you but it seems the fence is the way to go but if you have a better method I'm all ears 👍

[fools]

If you found a dead cat, someones pet, possibly yours, clinging to your fence one day, would it change your pov. Surprised it's a deterrent for a rodent that can burrow under the fence.

 

Depends where you live I suppose, my area is full of cats - they seem to keep rodents at bay, and contrary to popular belief, rarely bother with birds, who just fly away when danger approaches.

 

Never heard of electric fences in residential areas before.