Proper old-fashioned saving the pennies

ashmit

For pans you don't have a lid for, use a plate.

I've been meaning to ask for ages - does anyone know whether it's more energy efficient to boil water in the kettle for cooking or heat it from cold? I have a gas hob if that makes any difference. And what about rate of heating - if all else is equal does it make more sense to boil water rapidly or slowly?

Lillibet_2

'Fraid I use an old fashioned kettle on the hob (gas) instead of an electric kettle 'cos I don't have very much counter space & it's one less thing to clutter it up. But I always keep spare boiled water hot in a thermos if I know I am going to need it for cooking/more tea etc in the next couple of hours

Caterina

I am so glad to hear about all the rubber band pickers, I no longer feel lonely in this much sneered at activity (my kids are TOTALLY ashamed of me for doing it!).

Also, I have a question re. electric kettle vs. saucepan to boil water for tea etc.:

I have always thought that gas is more economical.

My husband thinks that not only an electric kettle is better financially but he also said that when the gas flame hits the metal of the pan it produces more CO2 than the electricity of the kettle, so electricity in this case is also environmentally better.

Any scientist here that can give me a reply on this issue?

Thanks all

Caterina

crana9

when i was at school our home ec/food teacher said they had "researched" his at school: kettle/microwave/hob. kettle came out most economcial.

Caterina

Thank you, Crana9 (but I shall not tell my husband otherwise I would never hear the end of it hehehehe)!

Frugal tip:

If you have a fireplace where woond can be safely burnt, scavenge in the skips, there is always plenty of good wood to be found to chop and burn - I just finished sawing some really nice pieces that I found in a skip in front of my house.

Caterina

Spendless

Frugal tip:

If you have a fireplace where woond can be safely burnt, scavenge in the skips, there is always plenty of good wood to be found to chop and burn -  I just finished sawing some really nice pieces that I found in a skip in front of my house.

Caterina

Sorry Caterina but ROFL at thought of you in the skip ;D. What did your kids think?
I don't know about Martin with his own tv show I'd love to see you and 160 make a progamme about living frugally

Caterina

Spendless,

my kids HATE!!! it when I rummage in the skips! If they see a skip when they are walking with me they say 'No mum please!' even before I go diving in!

On this occasion I was with my husband who is not as easily embarrassable as the teenagers and who agreed that the wood was too good to leave to waste in the skip!

My husband, on the other hand, is very embarrassed when I ask for rebates on goods that do not come up to 100% standards, as are my kids.

But all my family are used to my frugal ways really and they all benefit from it, as I explained to them that the reason that we live as well as we do is because of the way I look after the pennies!

I would LOVE IT if you'd make a film on frugal living (I always wanted to be a film star ;D) but I wonder whether I would qualify, as our lifestyle is not always as frugal as I would like it to be.

On the other hand, it is certainly much more frugal than the average mum/dad/2kids family lifestyle so maybe I can have some hope! heheheheh

Ciao

Caterina

Sarahsaver

Ive got loads of firewood from the neighbours who were having some building work done.
My dad was a 'saver' whereas my mum was a 'spender'. Luckily im more of a saver. He made a sign once to put near piles of wood he saw at the side of the road, to avoid getting into trouble for taking it - 'FIREWOOD PLEASE HELP YOURSELF' ;D

16011996

Sorry Caterina but ROFL at thought of you in the skip ;D. What did your kids think?
I don't know about Martin with his own tv show I'd love to see you and 160 make a progamme about living frugally

i'm up for that but i'd want someone nice to play me, (too many bags under the eyes for a filmstar). ;D

Edinburghlass_2

Ive got loads of firewood from the neighbours who were having some building work done.
My dad was a 'saver' whereas my mum was a 'spender'. Luckily im more of a saver. He made a sign once to put near piles of wood he saw at the side of the road, to avoid getting into trouble for taking it - 'FIREWOOD PLEASE HELP YOURSELF' ;D

Funnily enough I just saw such a notice at the weekend and thought what a good idea. It was beside some trees that had come down, presumably in the wind, and been cut up.