Sneaky ways to save the pennies

david_hellier

mandym wrote: »

Phew!! This thread was certainly a read and a half but thanks to everyone for all their great tips.

Like everyone, I've turned down the thermostat on my central heating (combi boiler) a few notches but I've also turned down the temperature of the hot water too so I must be saving a few pennies from not having to heat the water up so high.

Also, after an awful lot of playing around with the water temp I can now run a bath just the way I like it (hard luck to the rest of the household) without having to add any cold water in. Seems a bit silly paying to heat water up only to add cold to cool it down.

You can save more energy by adding hot water to cold water. So fill with some cold water then add the hot to the desired temp.

Aril

When one of the casserole dishes I'd had as a wedding pressie finally cracked and was no longer usable I hung onto the lid as I found that it fitted an old casserole dish that my Mum had given me that was lidless. I've also found this with teapot lids.
Aril

Olliebeak

I've found that 'pyrex bowl lids' make great pie plates if you only want a pastry lid on (cuts the pastry calorie content in half :j) - and also good for doing a 'dish of stuffing' in .

Mrs_Thrify

Morning all. today I am saving pennies by using a free sample of Dove lotion on my skin.
Putting the sc on and making a one pot meal for tea.
Baking some cakes, home made is best and wile the oven is on heating the house.
Tidying up and free exercise pushing the vax around.
Lunchtime lighting the coal fire and burning lots of given wood to heat the house - still no ch on.
Waring in some new Clarks black shoes bought in the sales(ages ago). £29.99 reduced to £19.99.(for work).
Checking the freebie sites.
Using soda crystals a lot today - put some in with the washing. Cleaned some silver using soda crystals and tin foil in the washing up bowl with water. I noticed the bathroom sink was taking a wile to go down so have had the plunger out and soda crystals poured down for 10 minutes, then let the hot water run for a few seconds.
Put the coffee/tea stained teaspoons in a mug with hot water and you guessed it? soda crystals.

david_hellier

I find if you soak the porridge overnight, it microwaves in less than a minute the next morning. you may need to add a bit more water/milk to thin it an cool it after


E=Madcatgirl;9751577]Good tips! I've I'm working at home I fill a thermos with coffee first thing rather than keep on boiling the kettle. I also have two different types of porridge/hot oats. I use value porridge which takes longer to cook at weekends and days at home and only use more expensive quicker cooking oats on work days.

I love the tip about turning the cooker off early. A great tip with electric cookers that take hours to cool down (and heat up!)[/QUOTE]

Primrose

If you want to be REALLY mean with electricity, when you switch your oven off, fill a glass Pyrex jug with tapwater and put it in the oven. It will heat up and you'll a little free hot water, either for washing up, or to put in your kettle for the next cup of tea.

flippin36

I'm sure its been mentioned before on this thread, but when I have boiled the kettle, any unused hot water goes in the Thermos Flask. (Though I am very careful not to boil up more than necessary occassionally I have a small amount left in the kettle). At the end of the day I usually have enough for another cup of tea without needing to boil it for long.

(Apologies if this is repeated, have read some of the thread but not all)

david_hellier

Best to leave boiled water from veg etc in the pan on the cooker until cold in winter as the heat from it is added to ambient heat in the kitchen.

Becky_2

david_hellier wrote: »

Best to leave boiled water from veg etc in the pan on the cooker until cold in winter as the heat from it is added to ambient heat in the kitchen.

Hi david hellier, this probably sounds really daft but what is ambient heat?

thanks

Becky

david_hellier

It means the background heat that's already in the kitchen. By draining off boiling water all the stored heat goes down the drain. Allowing the water to cool off in the kitchen adds to the heat already there.