Cost of Living #5

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I got that 4 minute shower timer, and as predicted I cannot do it. If I had short hair I'd be able to do it easily, but it's washing by hair that takes me to about 5 and half minutes. It's more about energy use than water, as water is a fixed price each month, a shorter shower means less energy used, and I'm trying to get my bill as low as I can.
 
4 minute showers were the norm for me for about 20 years. Its easier when you dont use hot water 🤣 but I cant wash my hair every day.

I've stopped having shorter/cooler showers now. Especially since I shower at night, its good to get warm before bed. No need for electric blankets or anything like that. Also, turns out needing to conserve water so there is enough for everyone was a big fat lie. So I just use what I want when I want. My gas bottles still last 5-6 months. I started using the hot water in the kitchen too now. I'm done with cutting back on that sort of stuff. The quality of life is low enough.
 
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Absolutely agree.
nightshade said:
I got that 4 minute shower timer, and as predicted I cannot do it. If I had short hair I'd be able to do it easily, but it's washing by hair that takes me to about 5 and half minutes. It's more about energy use than water, as water is a fixed price each month, a shorter shower means less energy used, and I'm trying to get my bill as low as I can.
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We're being asked to conserve water right now. I turn the water off while I shampoo, turn on to rinse, then off again to condition. I'm sure my shower still takes more than 4 min, but it probably cuts off a couple minutes of hot water running.
 
Stake fodder said:
We're being asked to conserve water right now. I turn the water off while I shampoo, turn on to rinse, then off again to condition. I'm sure my shower still takes more than 4 min, but it probably cuts off a couple minutes of hot water running.
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I thought about that, but it takes seconds to apply shampoo and conditioner, compared to rinsing it out.
 
I was brought up putting a bucket under the shower while it got to temp,and then tipping that bucket in houseplants or in the garden, or using it to soak clothes. I still do it intermittently now, when my buckets arnt being used to catch rain drips! Haha.

Chicken is back down to $10 a kilo, so I've ordered 2 kilos and hope it does me until next year. Eggs have also come right down in price, back to $5 a dozen, so ordered some of them too. Plastic cheese is $4.75. Lamb is on special a lot at the moment, being in season. Must put more butter on the order too!
 
Sooo just did my taxes for last year and turns out I apparently owe the state of Germany almost 2,000 $ 😵 i wasn't sure how that's actually possible as i was unemployed for half a year. apparently, when you get benefits, those are tax free, but then when you later earn money again, they add the amount of benefits to your income to sort of belatedly tax you for them.

so that kind of throws off any budgeting I've done for the month. i also got some other unexpected bills this month for annual insurance plans I forgot were renewing now (about 300$ worth) so will be super tough to get through the end of the month!
 
nightshade said:
got that 4 minute shower timer, and as predicted I cannot do it. If I had short hair I'd be able to do it easily, but it's washing by hair that takes me to about 5 and half minutes. It's more about energy use than water, as water is a fixed price each month, a shorter shower means less energy used, and I'm trying to get my bill as low as I can
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Don't feel bad, I take about 20 to 35 minutes in the shower including washing my hair so 5 minutes would be a great achievement for me 🙃
 
Bop said:
Don't feel bad, I take about 20 to 35 minutes in the shower including washing my hair so 5 minutes would be a great achievement for me 🙃
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I think for people who have thick hair it's impossible to get hair washed properly in under 4 minutes with body washing as well. Especially long thick hair.
For me it's the rinsing out that takes the longest, but I know I've been using way too much shampoo lately. I downgraded the shampoo from bars to bottle, to save money, but I use too much liquid shampoo. You only need about the size of a 10p (American quarter) for normal hair, and I've probably been using double it lately. So I'll have shorter showers once I get that back down. Conditioner I use more of because of the length, I used to try to leave it on for a long time but now it put conditioner on, wash body, rise off and get out of the shower.
I certainly don't wash my hair everyday, twice a week unless I'm going out somewhere special or I've gone swimming.

@Tueuse de Vampires would it help to switch some of the insurance plans to monthly or can you pay for 6 months this time so not all together?
 
TamsinValencia
TamsinValencia
could u wash ur hair in the sink before like they do at the hairdressers
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@TamsinValencia my hair is waist length! It's not easy for them to wash, no chance I could do it in my sink, plus I think it would take longer and more water that way!
 
nightshade said:
@TamsinValencia my hair is waist length! It's not easy for them to wash, no chance I could do it in my sink, plus I think it would take longer and more water that way!
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This is why I cut my hair. Showering is much less time consuming now. Also, washing in winter time is such a project because I need to walk the dog and finding time for my hair to dry between walks is a pain. It being a bit shorter helps a little.
 
TamsinValencia
TamsinValencia
yeah I used to have really long hair and washing it took so long. Now its shoulder length and easier.
Skanky Vamp
Skanky Vamp
dry shampoo is great in winter times
November
November
Yep, thats why I kept my head shaved for so long. Now I dont let it go past my shoulders. Much easier with thick hair to have less length, less heavy on the neck too!
I use dry shampoo, and then put it up in a ponytail, so it's not really doing much but makes me feel better!
 
My energy supplier is doing one of its saving sessions, an hour where you try to lower your usage to get money back from your bill. It started at 5:30, which is when I finish work, so couldn't really plan it. I've gone around and switched off everything I left on this morning, just things like the phone charger, and the kettle. High usage items the I rarely switch off, I've got the candles out instead of putting the light on.
I'll probably not do every session they do, but it'll be interesting to see if it makes any difference to my bill.
 
Has anyone else just stopped getting haircuts due to them being so expensive now? I refuse to pay $80 for a haircut, which is the cheapest I can find one from a trained stylist. I'm letting my hair grow out and just going to attempt to trim it myself. I already have been trimming my own bangs for years.

I've also stopped buying eggs. They're just too expensive and I can't justify it.
 
NotASlayer
NotASlayer
$80? Good grief!
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Joan the Vampire Slayer said:
Has anyone else just stopped getting haircuts due to them being so expensive now? I refuse to pay $80 for a haircut, which is the cheapest I can find one from a trained stylist. I'm letting my hair grow out and just going to attempt to trim it myself. I already have been trimming my own bangs for years.
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I agree, I wanted to get my hair highlighted but I can't justify spending £200 or more.
 
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