Preparing for Winter V

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
I’m working on the theory that’s any preps and money I can save now will be there in case we need them. Hopefully not.
We don’t know how bad the fuel price rises will be so any cutbacks now can only be good for later. We’re one if the many who’s providers has gone bust so we’ve been given to BG. They’ve sent us a letter which basically tells us nothing so I’m being cautious. My food preps done earlier are now allowing me to get on with Xmas without having to use credit or savings.
I agree about layers, I have very few clothes that get put away for winter, I just put more on.

Primrose

I follow the economic media fairly carefully and virtually all sectors seem to be brewing up for a perfect storm over the coming months.  In my view  all sectors of the economy are going to have a difficult time this winter so a little thought and preparation now is going to leave people better prepared for later.

I think if nothing else, the pandemic has forced many people to think carefully about their values and priorities and many of the "fripperies" of the consumer society in which we live have proved to be items we can actually do without.  This won't be good for the overall economy but many of these items actually come from China or elsewhere in the Far East rather than giving employment to people here, Certainly I think we're going to see some fairly hefty price increases over all sectors of the economy in the coming months so money saved now on unnecessary "fripperies" will help to pay fuel or grocery items over the winter.   

boultdj

One of my crochet blankets went very baggy in the middle, it's been undone and made into a big ball ready to do again, will keep me warm making it and then again on the bed.

Toonie

Still no heating on here, though we did give in Thursday night and popped the duvet on the bed. It was finally cool enough for us to want it, but so strange as we've not used it for at least six months! Felt very heavy even though it's a fairly thin one.

As I grew up with very little I've always felt better having a store cupboard with basic supplies in. It gives me reassurance that if, for whatever reason, I couldn't get to the shop, I'd have enough to keep me going for a while. It's a safety net, and an investment against difficult times ahead.

shoei

I'm back at work this week after a fortnight off mostly doing prepping but more time that expected was spent repairing fences for the animals before winter.

This has meant our new boiler is still just sitting there waiting to be fitted as we need to relocate the oil tank but we have chopped up lots of wood for the log burners.

I'm currently under investigation for suspected Crohns and this is impacting on my energy levels so I have treated myself to a soup maker which arrived yesterday.  I can't have most tinned soup due to dietary requirements and fresh soup is so expensive!  I'm hoping that whilst it is an expensive outlay it will help when I'm busy working all day and don't have much energy.

We have also started using the slow cooker more now the weather has turned but I'm really trying to reduce electric consumption which doesn't seem that easy.

I'm off for my flu jab this lunch and have already had my covid booster so they are sorted.

Pantry was all sorted yesterday and stock take completed, luckily I don't need to get much in! 

Primrose

shoei   Crohns and all similar diseases are miserably exhausting so hope the soup maker works for you.  I don't know whether it has a facility for blending and mashing, but if you want to make bulk batches for freezing, a stick blender is an invaluable tool for whizzing everything down.    I freeze home made soup in one pint plastic milk bottles and although I like chunky soups too,we  find the plastic milk bottles are really sturdy for freezing.  Unfortunately though it's impossible to feed chunks of food through the open tops. 

Laura_Elsewhere

@Primrose, we kept the rather attractive plastic trays from ready-meals we used to buy, sage-green outside and cream inside and the rim... anyway, prettiness aside, it's very easy to put a chunky soup into a rectangular tray, of course. Then we use the plastic liners form cereal packets cut up into rectangles as covers while the soup cools and then pop them into the freezer with their cereal-packet cover still on. Once frozen, we can take them out of their trays and store them vertically, about the dimensions of a small hardback pocket-edition book! We just put a sheet of cereal-packet cut to size between each one, and have a bag with a load of soups taking up optimum space in our small fridge-freezer. 
When we take one out, it does stick out of the top of our soup bowls but after the first two minutes' pinging it's easy to push it down into the bowl without it going everywhere  
We jsut wash the trays and dividing sheets/ covers in the usual washing-up and re-use...

Uniscots97

Primrose said:

shoei   Crohns and all similar diseases are miserably exhausting so hope the soup maker works for you.  I don't know whether it has a facility for blending and mashing, but if you want to make bulk batches for freezing, a stick blender is an invaluable tool for whizzing everything down.    I freeze home made soup in one pint plastic milk bottles and although I like chunky soups too,we  find the plastic milk bottles are really sturdy for freezing.  Unfortunately though it's impossible to feed chunks of food through the open tops. 

Try putting an icing bag in the milk bottle then spoon your soup in. Most chunky soups will go through and I find a piping bag easier and wider than most funnels

Primrose

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Primrose, we kept the rather attractive plastic trays from ready-meals we used to buy, sage-green outside and cream inside and the rim... anyway, prettiness aside, it's very easy to put a chunky soup into a rectangular tray, of course. Then we use the plastic liners form cereal packets cut up into rectangles as covers while the soup cools and then pop them into the freezer with their cereal-packet cover still on. Once frozen, we can take them out of their trays and store them vertically, about the dimensions of a small hardback pocket-edition book! We just put a sheet of cereal-packet cut to size between each one, and have a bag with a load of soups taking up optimum space in our small fridge-freezer. 
When we take one out, it does stick out of the top of our soup bowls but after the first two minutes' pinging it's easy to push it down into the bowl without it going everywhere  
We jsut wash the trays and dividing sheets/ covers in the usual washing-up and re-use...

Novel idea.  Had never thought of storing frozen  soups flat like this.  Unfortunately we never seem to use ready meals so might have to obtain some similar trays before we could give it a try.   With winter coming I suspect our soup consumption will definitely become more frequent. 

Auntycaz

I've tacked a spare door curtain to the back of my back door curtain for a bit of extra insulation. The spare was from my previous house and wasn't quite long enough to use on its own as the curtain pole is very high, but by tacking it just under the curtain tape it now reaches the floor. It's surprising how much difference the extra thickness has made. I'm going to do the same with my front door.