make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

kidcat wrote: »

Pops - depending on the house size, age and how many rooms you actually heat it may cost alot less than you think to heat. Our last house was a five bed detached about 1970s style, we paid almost £200 for gas and electricity. We now live in a five bed three storey house but its only 7 years old and has a boiler thats only 4 years old, insulated properly and thermostats on all radiators, we now pay about £115.

Previously we could never get the temp above 16c even with the heating on, whereas here it never drops below 19c. Usually its 21c minimum, and DS is much happier with it.

Maybe you could look at closing some rooms off for the winter and save on heating them entirely.

That's a good idea...I don't live downstairs and really only use two bedrooms for everything. I should probably close the doors and not leave them open. Someone said I should watch out for dampness...But in all the time I have avoided using the CH I haven't seen any...

I'll look out the bubblewrap soon and I have a rusty radiator so I'll try the tip given earlier...

I also if anyone can remember the tip given have a smelly washer so if you could remind me what to do regarding the washing cycle and what to do regarding bleach and what type to use and which compartment to put it...I was told originally you should do this occasionally...

Thanks for all the introductions, I'd love to reply to them all...

I have health problems too(I may have mentioned them before)Kidney troubles, possible arthritis but it could be ME going by the symptoms and there sometimes is blood problems(High Blood Pressure)but another with a fancy name that causes stiffness of the joints...my problems are causes by an immune system problem and I am on very strong medication including Antiimmune system tablets, Blood pressure tablets, diuretics, steroids.

[Deleted User]

I'm sitting here dribbling, it all sounds so yummy specially rice pud with apples and raisins Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Hungry now!!!!!

Popperwell

Thinking of doing something I haven't in years even then not very often...a stir fry in my new wok with some Quorn Chicken Pieces(nearly thought about using the slow cooker)but I don't think this will take much doing...or use much energy. The Quorn seems ok but I don't see it being that much cheaper than meat. I'm only doing small portions.

I haven't eaten anything yet:o

Unless you count a Mugshot Sweet and Sour Noodle thingy in a mug...

It is decidedly colder here today but I am going to quickly pop out to the supermarket before it closes for the BH early. Will try not to spend much today...mainly getting salad stuff. Wonder if there are any whoopsies, they don't seem to put much of anything out in that way...

If I can stay put and have the room I think I'll get back into making my own wine and try and take up my cocktail making again...

On the cocktails it's the initial cost of buying the spirits that are needed but may again see if I can make my own, I have the equipement and space here but might not if I had to move...

Had a whisky and cola last night very nice...but it was a prepared one in a can just to see if I'd like it...I did so if I can learn the measurements I can do my own...

I also found on here a thread telling how you can filter cheap vodka and make it taste better so I will look into that...and eventually perhaps start baking again(mainly for fun)I don't think as a single person I can make things cheaper than the local supermarket.

Been ages since I ate cake, ice cream, custard, rice pudding, scones, crumpets so something else I should have a go at eating again...

mardatha

Elect been off here since breakfast time and only came back on at half 2. I got my sock finished cos I wasn't distracted by you lot.
Oh how interesting doing intros, I like that! - I'm 62 going on 12, married for 900 years to the RV, who's the biggest grump this side of Suez.
I live at nearly 1000ft in a tiny village on the edge of grouse moors and love it very much. This is why I got into prepping as we get really bad weather and the nearest shop is a bit of a trek.
Three grownupthankgod kids who all live nearish, we're a close family.
I like ghosts, hauntings, seances and all spooky stuff, and am training to be a medium. I like sweeties, reading (supernatural horror), knitting, wartime stuff, cats and hawks.
I don't like shops and I hate cooking.
And I have 41 boxes of teabags !! :D:D

SDG31000

Hello everyone

I hope you are all enjoying this typical bank holiday weather. It is grey and cold and blustery here, definite comfort food weather.

Intro...I'm a slightly mad, married mother of two boys who are 13 and 16. They speak to me occasionally to let me know they are still alive. I have 5 sleeps until my 38th birthday and I have been married to DH ( aged 41) for 17 years. We live on the outskirts of Leicester city centre in a modern housing estate, but I was born in the Black Country, came here for Uni and never left.
I'm attempting to learn to knit, am a bloody good cook and baker, and kill everything growing thing but ivy.
I suffer from depression and have for a long time. Some days are better than others but the good in my life definitely outweighs the bad and I consider myself lucky.

I've had a quiet few days at home as DH is on holiday for the week and tends to spend the first few days asleep recovering from work. We did go for a wander around town yesterday and picked up four Christmas presents and one birthday present. Not very OS but two were in the sale and it all helps avoid the panic in December.
Lunch today was very garlicky tomato soup using the oven roasted passata I made on Saturday as a base. Dinner will be pizza if I can remember to get the pulled pork out of the freezer. My lot consider it an essential topping now.
I have also been knitting lots of little hats for Innocent Drinks Big Knit. Thanks again for the wool mardatha I'm putting it to good use. I'm up to 18 now and having fun making up different ones. My favourites are little pixie ones with a plait and a bell I'm waiting for another lot of bells from eBay before I do some more and am trying to finish the wrap I'm making for DMIL's Christmas present instead.
I'd better go and rescue the banana cake I'm making for a friend's son. He took some of it to college last term and has all his friends willing to be his slaves in return for some more lol

Take care

Pooky

Pops - are you supposed to be drinking with those meds?

Got side tracked today and have started making some patchwork blankets for the sofa, using an old duvet as the inner it, making the covers removable for washing. Had a happy few hours planning the design and cutting all the bits. Just need to do the sewing tomorrow. It's all from CS bargain fabrics (mostly duvet covers and valance sheets - there's a lot of fabric in a duvet cover) the duvet was given to me, so for two lovely sized quilty throws it will have cost less than £3. :T

We pay £78 per month for gas and electric here (3 bed semi) but that was based on their estimate of what we will use. We hardly had the heating on last winter, I never had rads on in bedrooms and always sleep with the window open, we used the open fire to heat the living room/dining room and an electric heater in th e kitchen when the solar panels were generating. Last quarters electric bill was £19 because of the panels and the gas was £8 (have the water heating on gas once a day when cloudy, otherwise I turn the immersion on and heat it electrically via the panels) I did however pay £100 for coal last year (got £35 worth left) and £70 for a large trailer load of logs (got some left and have restocked with pallets and donated wood). I'm hoping to put the DD down to £50 this month, they wanted to see a years usage before they'd let us drop it.

Possession

Mar I'm catching up with you! I tried a Mr S Basics teabag today and even by my fussy tea standards it was perfectly nice. So onwards and upwards to the teabag mountain.....

We are paying £100 a month for gas/elec for a 4 bed house for 4 of us, with someone pretty much always home as I work from home.

Byatt

My electric for my small and not so perfectly formed 200 year old plus cottage in winter is about £80 per month (or was on the key meter, I'm hoping there will be some improvement now i'm on a credit meter), and that's not using (don't have) CH, have 2 storage heaters but didn't use them, well, no that's not strictly true, used the kitchen one in the coldest months because it's like an iceberg in there. Only used heating in the evening, a small convector heater for a couple of hours. Sat in a slanket, jumpers and a hat! Body adjusted so wasn't as bad as the year before.

I'm planning on using the wood burner this year if the chimney sweep gives the go ahead, not sure how safe it is.

Anyway, I don't know why it costs so much to run this place as I've cut back to the bare bones...

Have a useless tiny water tank which has to be heated during the day as well as night just to get warm water...it's never so hot I can't put my hands in it, so supplement with kettle.

My DD's flat on the other hand is super efficient and she pays less than me, and it's always warm. Too warm in fact.

Mrs_Chip

Well, in all my born days I never remember an August Bank Holiday where the weather was so ghastly. It has poured all day, and is blowing a gale.

Good job I had to be busy prepping for buffet on Saturday. This morning I boned out a rabbit, pheasant and two partridges for a game pie and made a good stock with the bones. The meat is marinading in brandy and triple sec, will make the pie on Wednesday. Also made SC K&S pie, still cooking, I hope it's good!

Also made some mini filo cups for canapes and used the rest to make a filo apple pie with apple from the freezer.

Iced and finished one of the diamond wedding cakes yesterday, looks very retro as I covered the bad flat icing with loads of piping, very 1952 style!

Got a salmon in the freezer to poach and dress on Friday and making a big dish of Coronation chicken (but a much lighter version with fresh mango and creme fraiche), I'll do some pillau rice to serve with it. Several salads and four puds, cheese board and all the trimmings.

We switched to EDF yesterday, after Swalec announced a 9% hike in prices from october. DD will be £31 a month. Hoped there would be a free Zingy with it,but they seem to have missed a trick there!
OH haqlf is muttering about the leccy going off, and it will be my fault. Talk about risk averse!

ETA- Before anyone asks, Mar's RV stands for Ratty Virgo, it always gets everyone! Iv'e got a Ratty Gemini, so know where she is coming from...

fuddle

I'm embarrassed at how much per month I'm paying for gas and electric.

Gas £104
Electric £42

I'm paying off my arrears though. I want to get the gas down to £70 per month. I think that is achievable, especially as we only spend £20/£30 in the summer months.

Sadly, I actually think i'll have to up the electric DD though as I'm now getting into arrears with that.