Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

givememoney

Great thread

Haven't had a chance to wade through it all yet so if I am repeating something someone else has suggested I appoligise.

I now wash everything at 30 degrees. I find it makes no difference at all to the outcome other than it gets rid of some stains that stayed at 40. I assume the hotter temp. sealed them in.

If like me you wash your hair everyday consider using conditioner to wash your hair. There again I have found no difference to the outcome of my hair but it saves money on shampoo, water because you only have one application to wash and rinse plus you save on time because it is quicker.

Steamers - I did have an electric steamer but outed it in favour of a conventional steamer you put over the top of a saucepan. This works much quicker. I used to find steaming potatoes took a long time so I have gone back to boiling them and putting other veg e.g. carrots, brocolli, cabbage etc. in the steamer on top and they are all done in 15 - 20 mins.

frugglewump

Penny-Wise wrote:

We have the sort of heating that heats the radiators and hot water tank & won't do them independently :mad: . I wonder if it would still be cheaper to keep the heating on all the time? I guess we could take readings & do it for a couple of weeks on constantly & a couple of weeks on and off and see which used more gas.

That's exactly the style of heating we had in our last place. We found it was cheaper to leave it on all the time & control the radiators with a thermostat. We set the hot water to 55C ish and left the thermostat on 10C whilst out/at night. Gas bills were around £20/month in winter.

As a 1st floor maisonetter it really helped when we put a door curtain at the top of the stairs.

eilz

frugglewump wrote:

That's exactly the style of heating we had in our last place. We found it was cheaper to leave it on all the time & control the radiators with a thermostat. We set the hot water to 55C ish and left the thermostat on 10C whilst out/at night. Gas bills were around £20/month in winter.

As a 1st floor maisonetter it really helped when we put a door curtain at the top of the stairs.

I also have this kind of system, but during the night I usually have the heating off, but one of those oil filled raditors in two rooms, surely this would be cheaper to run then leaving the boiler no right?

doddsy

Which is more cost effective? To use a Tefal electric steamer, or a stainless steel one on the hob. Any ideas?

Great Thread!
doddsy

mirry

doddsy wrote:

Which is more cost effective? To use a Tefal electric steamer, or a stainless steel one on the hob. Any ideas?

Great Thread!
doddsy

i would imagine if you have a gas cooker then the electric steamer would be best, i read some where that electric has gone up 29% and gas 45%.

doddsy

No Mirry, it's an electric hob. No gas in there here parts!

mirry

I just telephoned british gas (who I have electric and gas supplied from)
I asked for an advisor on energy saving in the home and this is what was said....
QUESTION:
Is it cheaper to stick the central heating on for 2 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening OR just keep it on 24 hours on a low setting ?

ANSWER: It is cheaper to just put it on morning and evening HOWEVER if you have a huge property like a 5 bedroom detatched house then it could work out just the same if you kept it on constantly.

Gas fires are better than electric fires and gas cooker are slightly better than electric cookers. Things like a food steamer, toaster ,sandwich toaster are very cheap like the price of switching a light on.

Energy saving light bulbs save money in the long run.

He advised me to log onto https://www.house.co.uk with my account details where they will do me a energy savers report.

hope this helps someone.

mirry

doddsy

then a plug in steamer would be much better, I tend to cut things up smaller then they steam alot quicker.

givememoney

Judi wrote:

I know its probably going to be a very silly question, but can you cook a whole chicken on the hob/gas burner? The reason i ask is because i dont use my oven much apart from the weekend roasts and when i do i often think it would be more economical to cook all the food on the hob.

Dont suggest a slow cooker though, ive had several and during colder days its too cold in my kitchen for the slow cooker to cook (unless you cover it with loads of towels for insulation which defeats the object really as the towels need washing cause they smell of the food i've cooked).

What about a Remoska electric cooker

http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/!7795_7669_1111

you can buy small or large and I must say I don't possess one but I know a couple of people who do and they are supposed to be fantastic.

full-time-mum

Judi wrote:

I know its probably going to be a very silly question, but can you cook a whole chicken on the hob/gas burner? The reason i ask is because i dont use my oven much apart from the weekend roasts and when i do i often think it would be more economical to cook all the food on the hob.

You can indeed, if you have a pan big enough - in fact, I've just discovered this and find it far superior!

Put the chicken in a big pan together with
2 leeks, trimmed and well washed
2 onions (one studded with cloves)
3 sticks of celery
2 carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthways
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme

Poach gently for about an hour and a half - skim off any skum (keep water levels topped up with boiling water, if necessary)
Lift out chicken (carefully as it is liable to collapse)
drain liquid through sieve to remove solids
leave liquid to stand and lift off any fat from surface with kitchen paper.

You should have more than enough stock for gravy and probably enough as the basis of soup.

Just off to buy some chicken now, I think.....