Ways to cope with the fuel and living cost rises. Any ideas welcome.

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
With all the worry about the cost of fuel and general living rising how are we all feeling. I thought I’d start this thread so that we can support each other this winter and maybe come up with ideas others haven’t thought about.
We’re lucky that we’ve only a small flat to heat but I’ve got the throws out ready and the heating hasn’t needed to go on yet. I always keep a good stock of food in but I’m adding a couple extra bits to my weekly shop so that if I need money elsewhere I can manage for a few weeks. I’ve also cut down on using the tumble drier, we’ve no outside space so I rarely get the washing up to date but that’s not the end of the world. Lightly used clothes can be used a few times and I change into my scruffys when indoors to cut the washing pile. Also, the dishwasher only is used for the smaller bits, pans, etc are now washed by hand. I think it will be lots of little cutbacks that will make a difference.

Please feel free to join in with any tips .

biscan25

If you are working from home in winter, only heat up the room you are working in if you have thermostatic valves fitted to your radiators.

Hard_Up_Hester

I cook on my woodburner  to save on gas. I know this isn't something everyone can do but have you thought about a thermal cooking bag. https://m.facebook.com/maryclaremakes/ these are brilliant. They enable you to cook a casserole with just ten minutes fuel.

Siebrie

@Hard_Up_Hester an old sleeping bag will do! The thermal cooking bag looks lovely, but anyone with limited funds or unwilling to spend money: just cook whatever you want to cook for a few minutes, then wrap it securely in a sleeping bag for 3x the normal cooking time. If you are worried about spills, you can put a towel in first.

I work from home a few days a week, in the kitchen, which has a tiled floor. I have my feet firmly planted on some sturdy cardboard (delivery envelope), have a long garden cushion on my kitchen chair, and have my legs wrapped in a thick fleece blanket.

cuddlymarm

Cooking extra uses less power. I’m cooking roast veg today which will do towards tomorrow’s lunch and an extra chicken leg which will be stripped in a curry tomorrow. If you want a veggie meal roast veg goes nicely in a curry sauce too.

Floss

biscan25 said:

If you are working from home in winter, only heat up the room you are working in if you have thermostatic valves fitted to your radiators.

I don't have TRVs but I do have Hive heating which I've programmed differently for the days I am in work / at home / weekends, and is easily changeable via the app.

joedenise

I soak and cook a whole pack of dried pulses and then split into usable portions and freeze.  Costs the same to do 100g as 500g or a Kg.

Also try to batch cook things like curries, casseroles etc and freeze.  Much cheaper to reheat than to cook from scratch.

CCW007

Joedenise I do the same with things like brown rice which take a long time to cook - cook the whole bag, portion up and freeze.  

GaleSF63

If possible make toast on a fire that's already in use. If you don't have a toasting fork, but can find some wire you can make one. 2 lengths of wire, a bit more than twice the length of the finished fork, doubled over, then plaited or twisted to the last 2 or 3 inches, then spread out into 4 prongs. 
My mother made mine about 40 years ago. I used to use it on a gas fire with a metal grill in front; the toast came out striped but perfect!
This is the end of the one she made for my grandmother. 

cuddlymarm

I used to love toast made on the fire. Mum used to do jacket potatoes in the ashes too 😋

peony40

Hi Jodenise, I really like the idea of freezing brown rice, how do you reheat it? Do you reheat from frozen and in the microwave?

Many thanks

(For some reason I could not reply to your post, it said the body of text was too short, even when I added another paragraph.)

sorry, should be for ccw007, my fibromyalgia fog is on maximum today!