2023 Frugal Living Challenge

sams247

Hello to all

My challenge for 23 has been created by my recent move.  Rent a little cheaper but now live in remote village - before I could walk to shops etc, now I have to drive (no bus route here).  I used to batch cook but now have no freezer (no space for one) and I have wall heaters and not night storage as I had in my old place.

So......... I have been devising plans to go shopping on certain days and not just as and when, I have been heating only one room and then turning heat off after a while and managing in hoodie and blankets for as long as possible, and I have started a meal planner/grocery challenge.

I got membership to National Trust as a gift, so will use that for my days out.  I will use library a lot more for my books and I shall dig up a lot of my old style recipes and have far, far less take aways (helped by the fact none of the delivery guys come here!)

jackieblack

Can I please ask for some help/advice?

My oven died yesterday, just as I was about to put a joint of beef in 🤦🏻‍♀️ so we had to pack all the prepped veg, meat in the roasting tin etc in boxes and head back to my daughter and son-in-laws house (45 minutes away) to cook dinner.

I now need to find an alternative means of cooking (new oven not an option at the moment) - I’m tempted by a halogen air fryer… does anyone use one? (I understand they’re quite economical to cook in so thinking some frugal people might have experience of them.)

Two questions I have are: can the lid be removed to check progress during cooking? (If the heating element is in the lid, can you put this down somewhere?) and how much space do you need to have clear around it?

It’d be cooking just for one mostly, two once or twice a week. I used my oven mainly for roasting meat and doing the crispy top on cauliflower cheese. When my granddaughter is visiting I’d like the option to cook her things like fish fingers and chips.

Thanks in advance for any help 🙂

ETA: This is the one I’m looking at https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07S1D9VJY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&th=1

mama67

jackieblack said:

Can I please ask for some help/advice?

My oven died yesterday, just as I was about to put a joint of beef in 🤦🏻‍♀️ so we had to pack all the prepped veg, meat in the roasting tin etc in boxes and head back to my daughter and son-in-laws house (45 minutes away) to cook dinner.

I now need to find an alternative means of cooking (new oven not an option at the moment) - I’m tempted by a halogen air fryer… does anyone use one? (I understand they’re quite economical to cook in so thinking some frugal people might have experience of them.)

Two questions I have are: can the lid be removed to check progress during cooking? (If the heating element is in the lid, can you put this down somewhere?) and how much space do you need to have clear around it?

It’d be cooking just for one mostly, two once or twice a week. I used my oven mainly for roasting meat and doing the crispy top on cauliflower cheese. When my granddaughter is visiting I’d like the option to cook her things like fish fingers and chips.

Thanks in advance for any help 🙂

ETA: This is the one I’m looking at https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07S1D9VJY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&th=1

I have the Ninja foodie 15 in 1
Only time I use my oven now is for pies and pastry products as not keen on how they come out in the ninja. 

Its been

joedenise

I've got a halogen oven and use it quite a lot.  It's not exactly the same as that one but similar.  I think you'll find it fine for just one or two - I use ours for 2 of us.  Having said that I tend to use a Remoska more than the halogen although that's not as good for pastry except reheating.

My halogen the lid can't be removed but it hinged so can be lifted up out of the way so that you can check how food is cooking but, as with an oven, it will cool down a bit and need to reheat.  There is a light inside which comes on and off and can be a bit annoying if you are somewhere where it can be seen, ie if you're in the kitchen while you're using it but other than that it's fine.

I certainly think it would be worth it for you if you can't get an oven at the moment.

MadamMim2013

Just popping in to say thankoo.. reading posts on here has prompted me to finally search up instructions for the heating thermostat and I’ve now set the timer instead of it firing up every time it drops below 17 degrees!
A £329 bill last month after a £215 previous was enough to prompt worry, we’re not lazy about saving electricity usage either, this was the last thing we had to try..
Hoping it’ll make a difference, even a small one.. Over £10 a day on Elec/Gas is shocking, this time last year it was at its highest £4! 

aspella

2023 has got off to a good start - £110 received from Makemoneywithoutajob from the free daily draw.

jackieblack

joedenise said:

I've got a halogen oven and use it quite a lot.  It's not exactly the same as that one but similar.  I think you'll find it fine for just one or two - I use ours for 2 of us.  Having said that I tend to use a Remoska more than the halogen although that's not as good for pastry except reheating.

My halogen the lid can't be removed but it hinged so can be lifted up out of the way so that you can check how food is cooking but, as with an oven, it will cool down a bit and need to reheat.  There is a light inside which comes on and off and can be a bit annoying if you are somewhere where it can be seen, ie if you're in the kitchen while you're using it but other than that it's fine.

I certainly think it would be worth it for you if you can't get an oven at the moment.

Thanks 🙂 - does it need much clear space around it? 

I haven’t got a lot of spare worktop space and all my worktops have wall cupboards above. I can’t see any mention of this anywhere…

Callow64

I have a halogen cooker like the one you want to get. I use mine constantly as my oven broke several months ago. 

I use it just like an oven. Even managed a turkey crown for Christmas.
The top does heat up, I put it on my surface but mine is granite. When I lift the handle it turns off and you can check food.

TornErse

Hi all 
 
I am hoping that I can join you guys on this venture, I am planning on retiring in Spring 2023 so need to be more accountable and careful with my reduced funds, and I also want to be more sustainable and live my life without waste.  I lived on a budget during 2022 roughly equivalent to what I would have on a pension, it did go amiss a few times but I managed to tighten the purse strings and feel optimistic I can do this!  I am also well aware that there are areas I can cut back on without reducing my quality of life.  And I am more than impressed with what people on this site achieve on small budgets with a bit of imagination and some careful planning.

cw18

jackieblack said:

Two questions I have are: can the lid be removed to check progress during cooking? (If the heating element is in the lid, can you put this down somewhere?) and how much space do you need to have clear around it?

Having found the instruction manual on-line ( https://www.daewooelectricals.com/downloads/1637236417SDA1032_Halogen_Air_FRyer_IM_3yr_Warranty.pdf ), it appears you can (and should for some types of cooking) remove the lid during cooking as it comes with a stand for it - but it doesn't say how this impacts cooking times.

NOTE: Always use the tongs provided to remove the basket or rack from the cooking bowl and use the supplied lid stand for supporting of the lid during and immediately after cooking.

and

5. This appliance has a safety interlock built into the carrying handle which will prevent the appliance operating unless the lid handle is in the fully folded down (horizontal) position and it clicks.

and

How to fry/roast
You can get the effect of deep frying without all the oil by spraying the food lightly with oil. The food will need to be turned regularly during cooking.

The Daewoo site says it's 36cm x 36cm, and I can't see anything that says you need a minimum of anything more than that when using it.   I'd say it's a case of being sensible, and not having it too close to anything that could be damaged by heat.