The advice thread for random problems

[Purrrrrrr]

Does anyone know if electric blankets are safe?! i see them sold a lot so I’m assuming they are and maybe I’m being over cautious but I just want opinions before buying. I live alone in a flat with plug in heaters (woooo renting 🫣🫡) and it can get cold when I’m in bed/waking up because there’s no way I’m plugging in those heaters overnight. might be a stupid question idk

Todays blankets are very different from the old ones . You can even wash them in the washing machine.. The old ones you had to be very careful with but not these days.

 

[I’mThankyou_]

I live in Devon and rent from a housing association

As long as you have means to hot water, they can leave it a reasonable amount of time.
If you had no running water at all it would be classed as an emergency.
This is the information I was given by Shelter only a few weeks ago. Because you have a health condition you can raise this with them to push it along quicker, though many just take their sweet time as they know they have a "reasonable amount of time".
You can always give Shelter a call for further clarification they are the experts with these sort of things.

 

[Snippysnips]

Lots of people who applied wouldn’t have got an interview. That’s just the way it goes.

Yes but this one had a guaranteed interview option that I clicked on, it plainly stated that if I fell under the mental health/disabilities then I'd be guaranteed a interview as they don't discriminate

Did you declare the MH/disability? As far as I understand all that means is they can’t not interview you because you have a MH Condition/Disability if you fit the job description in every other way. Not that they have to interview you no matter what (for instance, if you applied for a qualified position but didn’t have the qualification).

It didn't ask me to state what it was, just if I had one, they had a statement up saying they don't discriminate an if I had one then a interview would be guaranteed

 

[newaccount2022]

Nah its quite a big estate, used to be all farm land but there's a massive pond so houses were built alittle away from it an the reserve goes round it, when they took off running that night they went down by the pond which is a strange way to go as there's only houses on the two side of it as one side leads to the river an the other has a hill at it an they ran towards the river

Maybe I’m mad but I’d definitely call the police next time you see them I’d ring up and say it’s the 4th/5th time someone has been shining a torch into you’re house. I’d find that very frightening, you seem very brave!!

 

[Justhereforthebantslll]

The annoying thing for me is, many times she’s been the one telling me “message him” she even told him where I would be on my birthday so he could come to the restaurant with a cake for me. This is someone I consider my best friend. She will be my children god mother. I did ask her today if everything was okay and she said “all fine”. I must admit I am a bit scared to ask her to meet, but I will have to bite the bullet.
The thing that worries me is this man in particular is a known liar. She knows he’s a liar. She’s caught him out lying a few times. But half of me would like to think surely if there was a problem, she would have said by now.

 

[monga]

Fridge freezers sounding funny and doesn't feel to cold, think it's on its way out? It's old. Is it worth getting someone to have a look? Would it be an electrician? Orrrrr buy new? Would have to factor in council collection which was £26 when I last used it a few years back, may be more now or they may not take it at all. In which case what do you do? So many questions
Might it just be blocked somewhere? I just did the pokey stick thing to see if that helps. Anything else I'm missing? Not much ice in there as I recently defrosted.

Maybe the gas has run out ? it’s cheaper to buy another in that instance .

 

[Snippysnips]

What councils are charging £50 to empty your bins? I am sure that is not a thing. They charge a one off to upgrade your bin to a bigger one but not to collect the one you have.

If it is that big a deal then collect them up and put in a public bin or take them to the tip or request and pay for a bigger bin. Or you could burn them?

Town next to us that family live in get charged £50 to empty their green an brown bins

It's being tested with them to see if it works in the hopes people are more sensible with recycling, it's ridiculous the amount of bins we have, I've 6 out back an even if one wrong thing is in the bin they refuse to lift it

We also have to pay for 6 month of the year for the brown bin to be emptied because its a "seasonal" thing an they won't empty it at all over winter

 

[BettyCrockerr]

I've tried all that an junk from the royal mail has been limited but the biggest problem is these people that come round with bags an just post that aren't controlled by royal mail, mainly these charity bags, garden/cleaner company's etc

I mean, I’m not sure there’s really anything you can do. Unless you shove them in a post box marked return to sender?

 

[soymilk]

Random question since we haven’t been abroad since before covid! Going to Turkey for 7 days all inclusive on a resort me and my 2 kids Iv already bought floats and sun cream etc sooo my question is will 5000 lira be enough for a week? It’s about £260 roughly.. and then £100 for airport for there and back food or whatever (will be taking lots of food too incase if delays) money is super tight since the inflation and I’m also starting maternity a couple of weeks before we go..

if I were you I would set aside a budget, kind of like as you have done, for airport transfer, spending money etc. But the positive of being all inclusive, is that everything is covered and you could go and no spend anything!
If you wanted to get a souvenir you could go to a bazaar and haggle the prices right down and in terms of airport food etc. I always take a packed lunch with me, there's no harm in doing that. A lot of people don't think of doing it and airports are always so expensive but I always do it and no one ever questions it.
Just save some to one side incase you want a drink, but they have water fountains you can fill bottles up with!

 

[Purrrrrrr]

Neighbours on both sides have cats. My cat doesn't like anyone in our garden.

My cat and the one on the right have never got on and they do fight. Next doors cat however has started coming over to our garden a lot more sitting in her flowerpot. She usually gets chased off by my cat or we bring our cat inside when we hear them hissing at each other. Yesterday the garden door had been left open and the other cat came inside into the house.

How can we stop her coming over? I don't want to stop my cat going out into our garden either.

Hose pipe or water pistol. I've always told my neighbours they are free to do this if my cats go where they are not wanted. if you didn't have a cat I would suggest a motion detector sprinkler

 

[shadowcat5]

@WilmaHun @monga

Thank you both! I have had a message from them now to say that they have a package at the depot after they failed to deliver it. I was 100% it was a scam but I’ve never had any dealings with Evri so I wanted to double check just in case someone had sent me a package that I didn’t know about (my mum has a habit of posting random things to me )

 

[Gossgirl12]

I have a man problem that I'd appreciate some advice on please. I know what I should do but need it clarified if that makes sense..
I came out of a pretty horrific 10 year relationship 2 years ago, towards the end of that relationship I started speaking to an old male friend that I hadn't spoken to for years, nothing in it, just chat, nothing sleazy etc. Since breaking up with my ex, we've talked a lot, met up, I feel like I've been there for him quite a lot with things he's had going on & really grew to like him, he told me he had feelings for me and we get on really well. However, we haven't spoken now in a week, I have covid which he knows about because I posted something on my story about it & he's not even checked in to see how I am. This has happened before, I deleted him off my social media and then he txt me (forgot to block him) saying he was hurt that I'd removed him and asked the reason why, I told him I just didn't feel effort from him and didn't want to waste my time when things aren't being reciprocated, he apologised and said it wouldn't happen again. I wouldnt usually say this in public but the last time i seen him, we had sex and he lasted about 10 seconds, he kept apologising and i made him feel comfortable, didnt make a big deal out of it but i could tell he was embarrassed. But now he's making no effort again, I know I should just delete him again but his reaction last time makes me feel bad. I haven't messaged him as I've been waiting to see if he actually does reach out. What would you do? Just delete him or reach out to him? I don't want to play in to his hands.

 

[monga]

thanks for the replies. No I haven’t got a stomach ulcer. I woke up about an hour ago and was sick and have the worst stomach cramps.

Have you taken a covid test those symptoms have been added to the list of what to look out for .

 

[shadowcat5]

Bit bizarre but can anyone recommend any shops that sell good quality bathers (for pool swimming as exercise not holiday)? I have had 2 from sports direct and they start to bobble really quickly. I don’t mind spending money as long as it’ll last.

 

[Zaggerzoo]

I have just ripped a few little holes in my kitchen floor dragging my old sofa out it’s Lino, is there any way of fixing it?! I can get new flooring but not for a few months, I break at least one thing a day at the moment

 

[Comewhinewithme]

I have a question for larger ladies like myself (UK 18)
I have been blessed with a funny shape, so nice round full tummy, basically I look permanently pregnant due to being larger, its not lower stomach its from right under my chest right down, I think apple shape is usually the term. I see some models same size and bigger but they seem to have flat tummys or a really snatched waist (think a larger Marylin) so they basically suit everything as the waist carrys them.

Ok the actual reason for post, I find I should not be wearing tigh fittings tops etc as they don't overly flatter so tend to go for oversized tshirts etc but I am CONVINCED these make me look massive!
What do you larger ladies with BIG tums tend to go for? Do you find bigger clothes add lbs? I bought one of the oversized shirts (totally in fashion) with the intention of wearing a fitted vest underneath, the shirt swamps me, should probably mention I'm 5'2 also, I ordered 3 different sizes just makes me look huge.
I need to move on from leggings Wide fit trousers, clouttes all again look ridiculous, but the same style on a teeny tiny size 6 looks amazing! The clothes just hang, about 10sizes too big but it works.

 

[Choco88]

Depends what you are feeling?

Bloating?
Pain?
Wind?
Heartburn?

sorry if tmi but im burping a lot, the ones that taste liek
Rotten egg I had some onions rings on Saturday which I think triggered it

 

[Purrrrrrr]

I have something wrong with my arm and have done for a while now. ( yes GP is trying to find out what is wrong) thought I would ask here in case anyone else has had or has the same thing. so we could find some short cuts to a diagnosis

It feels like someone has just punched my arm and gave me a dead arm and all the problems that come with that dead arm. but instead of going away the pain and problems stay.

 

[Purrrrrrr]

So.

I was driving at Asda last month, i think I hit a car (scuffed it) but when I got out to check I think it was just the post and not a car and I’ve had an email / calls off my insurance saying someone has claimed.
Now - I’ve not admitted I’m at fault cos I’ve just said I’m not sure if I was there, the Asda they’re talking about is a while off me and I wouldn’t generally to unless I needed something urgently. please nobody have a go, I don’t want to admit I might have scuffed it cos I genuinely thought i hit the post. My car didn’t have any damage on it.

All they’ve got is my reg, and not sure if they’ve got any cctv either. They’re waiting for more information. I really don’t want to lose the 1 year of no claims I’ve got, 2 in October….. my insurance will go up to around £800 again. Has anyone been in this situation? Thank you x

You think you hit a car but you don't think you were there either.? is it where you thought you hit a car? if its where you thought you hit a car then my guess is you probably did hit the car.

If you don't want to lose your no claims then pay for the car damage out of your pocket.

 

[TheGlossy]

Sorry if you took it as me minimising how you felt with the "hair grows back" comment. I just meant that is how I feel. I've never been overly bothered if my hair went wrong. I used to experiment a lot and I guess I am lucky as my hair grow back quick.

During lockdown I gave myself a "shortcut" haircut I saw on youtube. I looked absolutely ridiculous! I had a bowl cut at the front and a mullet at the back. It looked awful

Fingers crossed you get yours sorted out quick.

Oh no, I didn't take it this way at all Nothing to be sorry about! I agree, it's just hair at the end of the day!

Haha, that's hilarious though! I'd say going wrong with a cut is a bit more annoying as you can't rectify if too short. At least with colour, there's always a possibility to fix.

Thank you