Any old style tips for newly single older vegetarian lady

Cornwell27

So this year I've gone from having a very decent standard of living in a married couple, to being single for the first time in about 40 years and need to make some big adjustments in lifestyle. I've always enjoyed being thrifty so I need to rediscover those traits.  I've recently moved into an all electric flat, and have had the shock of my life with how expensive it is to heat, so I'm currently sat in bed with a hot water bottle and 1 small light on rather than try and heat any other rooms.  I usually use my slow cooker, microwave and toaster for meals as I don't want to put the oven or hob on for long.  Has anyone got any other tips they can think of that I can start doing?  I've worked in admin my whole life and am still working as I don't get state pension for another 10 years, but my salary will not leave a whole lot spare, as the flat I've bought has quite a high service charge, which I'm now regretting 
Thanks for reading 

PollyWollyDoodle

I know it means spending money, but a heated electric throw is a really good investment - ‘heat the person, not the room’.  

Batch cooking - as you say, you’re mostly using the microwave and slow cooker, but if you do put the oven on, make sure it’s full.  I usually cook once to eat twice, I either freeze the second portion, eat it for lunch the next day or dress it up as something else.  In time you might find a small air fryer is a good investment, I don’t know if your microwave is a Combi but if not an air fryer would give you some different options.  

Lots of other ideas if you read some of the long-standing threads on here eg the grocery budget one. It sounds as if you’ve got some big adjustments to make. Make sure your budget has some ‘fun’ space. I buy most things secondhand, use the library a lot and cook everything from scratch, but going out for coffee with friends is essential for me, so choose your pleasures!  

kimwp

Electric blanket for your bed - it heats the whole bed, so you won't be tensed, trying to squeeze round a hot water bottle. I put mine on about ten mins before going to bed, so it's warm, then usually switch it off after another ten mins as it's too warm. 13.5 tog feather (wraps round you) duvet and a blanket and I get too warm most nights without heating the room.
Otherwise - multiple base layers, thick jumpers and blankets.
Try not to save money by being cold - I really hurt my neck the first winter of living in my house because I didn't put the heating on and was tensed against the cold.

RAS

Seems counter-intuitive but if you find yourself getting cold, do some exercise. I sometimes realise that my feet are getting cold because I've been sitting too long. So I put my coat on and go for a fairly swift walk. About a mile (to and fro a local store) will warm me up. Or walk up and down the block stairs if its chucking it down.

Obviously meal plan. Particularly important now you are single as you want to cook once, and eat 4 times so need to freeze portions. Grab tomorrow's soup and main out of the freezer the night before and pop it in the fridge. Planning makes it easier to keep on top of that, rather than having a freezer full.

Work out when the local supermarkets have their reductions and pop in on the way home, but don't buy anything else. You may need to alter your plan but it's good to get variety.

Check out your local library if you have one. Ours is a warm space. Read a book, use the computer, do a jigsaw, make a cuppa.

If you've have a warm drink before bed, boil extra water and keep it in the thermos for the morning?

Prudent

An electric throw is a good investment. I have just replaced mine and the new one cost £25 from eBay. It is soft fleece on one side and Sherpa on the other side. It envelopes me in soft warmth which is so relaxing. They are portable so I am not always in bed if it’s cold. 

When I get up in the morning I do some free YouTube exercise videos. As well as the health benefits they warm me up enough to have breakfast and a shower without putting the heating on. In the evening I do gentle free Pilates videos as they stop me getting too stiff from sitting under the blanket.

Remember you are not alone with the cost of living crisis. It is easy to feel miserable in a cold flat. I try to see it is a challenge that lots of people are living through and we are a community embracing resilience. There are plenty of chatty and supportive people on these boards. I have enjoyed being part of the Frugal living board/thread this year. Lots of good tips from like minded people.  

I agree about the socialising budget. I live extremely frugally but set aside a budget every month for socialising and hobbies. These things make me feel like I have a good quality of life rather than a life of hardship. I would rather buy my material needs second hand and have time for meaningful relationships and fun.

annieb64

If you belong to Facebook keep an eye on the local pages. Our local community centre is having a "Warm "  day this week where people can get advice on heating, benefits and even collect a free winter coat.

Moorviews

Heated throws are so much more effective than a hot water bottle as they thoroughly warm you through and you don’t have to go to bed very early. I use mine on the bed too as the bedroom is unheated. Huddling and feeling cold is depressing so as already advised, make sure you move around, whether that is housework (radio on, dance and stretch) an energising online yoga or Pilates class, or getting out for a brisk walk. Wear a padded gilet indoors and fingerless gloves. Having a bath is more warming than a shower, although it does use more water. I was in your situation at one time and had a routine getting in from work. I didn’t have central heating or double glazing. I would keep my coat etc. on whilst getting all the curtains closed and my meal on to cook, dealing with the cats needs, putting the electric blanket in the bed on low with my leisure clothes in the bed. By then I would be feeling rather warm and would change out of my uniform into the pre warmed clothes and have my meal and watch television. I liked to start the day with a nice hot cup of tea in bed, followed by a hot bath. Keeping warm is better than getting cold and trying to warm up. 

Back then, I didn’t have a slow cooker but used a pressure cooker for batch cooking, stews and pulses. A freezer is a good investment if you don’t have one already. I would sometimes have a batch cooking day where several things went into the oven to fill it. I considered that cooking good food for one was just as important as cooking for others. It is also a good way to warm up. There is a thread with this title on the Old Style board which I think you might enjoy. 

I hope that you have warm window coverings too as these really help. Although not part of my life plan, being on such a tight budget and only having my self to look after and please did still feel like I was living well. There is a utuber called Ali who shares her life on a tight budget. 

Moorviews

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5774513/cooking-for-one-mark-three/p2056

Just adding this in case you haven’t seen it yet. 

Prudent

Moorviews said:

I hope that you have warm window coverings too as these really help. Although not part of my life plan, being on such a tight budget and only having my self to look after and please did still feel like I was living well. There is a utuber called Ali who shares her life on a tight budget. 

I love watching Ali, she lives in the neighbouring town to me and like myself is an early retired teacher on a budget. If anyone wants to watch her, the channel is called Ali lives well on less.  

Working_Mum

Welcome C27 to a really kind, warm and supportive community. 

I'm a similar age to you, have 2 grown up children who are rarely at home and am single (have been for 15 years). I have trained myself over the years to see the good in every single situation and it has helped enormously - at the moment I'm focussing on the fact that a week on Saturday it is the winter Solstice and  the days will be getting longer   

You are now completely free to make decisions about your future. I decided that I would only have people or things in my life which i really loved. This means I've stepped back from people who've drained me or dragged me down. I want my life to be filled with fab stuff and it means curating it quite closely and being aware of the impact of other people and their vibe. I downsized in 2020 and had a lot of work done to get it how I wanted it - do you have a vision for your lovely new home? If so how do you want it to look and feel and what are you doing to work towards it?? I had to make all of my furniture etc do a few jobs i.e a sideboard houses my tv plus crockery and drinks cabinet and looks fab at the same time!  I've found lots of inspiration online and then had fun working though charity shops and Fr33cycle to find what I need to enhance my home. Establishing "my" 2020 style was hard at first but a great way to live the life I wanted.

These Boards are a wonderful source of inspiration - this thread is a lovely journal of one lady's (of a certain age) journey to find joy on a budget:-

La Dolce Vita - 2024 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

The Old Style Forum has lots of threads about being frugal and preparing for Winter - I read and re-read them regularly at various time of the year to make sure I'm prepped for the coming season.

I don't have a microwave but do have an air fryer (which I love) and a heated throw(couldn't live without it at the moment!) and I picked up a couple of stone hot water bottles from Fr33cycle for keeping my feet warm whilst working - I compared my gas and electric consumption to last year and I am already operating at about half of what I did last December so that will translate into proper savings. I'm with the cephalopod provider and they have dashboard I can check regularly to see where I'm at. 

The main thing I'd like you to understand is that whilst your life (to this point) may not have panned out exactly the way you had planned it you are a wonderful human being who has the capacity to make positive and healthy choices so that you can live the life you richly deserve. Make yourself a plan or a vision board and then step into each day deciding to move towards your goals.

I've subscribed so i can follow your journey.

Good luck,

((WM))

Cornwell27

Thankyou so much everyone for the warm welcome and helpful ideas. I’m feeling much better about things today - have walked to the gym and sat in the steam room and hot tub as I can’t do anything strenuous for a few days after having a wisdom tooth out, back to work tomorrow and I’ll start making some time to plan and read up. I’ve got a sweet potato and lentil concoction in the slow cooker that should do me for at least 4 meals 👍🏻