Economising

It must be very hard for you apricot. Do you have a freezer? I make meals in larger quantities, then actually measure them out into containers (You use less if you actually weigh them out I find) and freeze them. Then when I use them, I make sure I remove them from the freezer in time to fully defrost, so reheating/cooking does not take as long. Also if you make sure there is lot's of veg in the dish you don't waste veg or use gas/electricity cooking them. We actually eat far more meat than we need, so if the dishes are stuffed with cheaper veg, and a smaller quantity of meat, it is probably good for our weight too!
Although food shopping on line carries a small delivery charge, I feel you save more than the charge if you plan your meals for the week, and only order what you actually want. There is far less waste that way, you don't pick up things that you don't need, and you don't have the cost of petrol going to the shop. You can also perhaps order from a cheaper shop than your local one.
I wish you luck x

Gas and electricity prices are worrying apricot, I agree. Like nanapug, I cook double or treble portions and freeze. Keep vacuum flask by kettle and put unused boiling water in to make next drink. Have you got top notch roof and wall insulation? There are grants for this. You could get away with baths every 3rd or 4th day with stand up washes in between.
I'm sure others will have ideas too.

apricot I'm also concerned about how the increased gas and electric charges are going to affect us as the summer trails off into autumn and winter. My partner and I decided to get rid of the car. Petrol costs have spiralled and the thought of laying a couple of hundred pounds out for insurance just 'put the tin hat on it'! We're selling the car to our daughter and her husband (at a reduced price, in order to help them have a younger and better car than the one they currently have) and as they won't be ready to buy it until early autumn, we're gradually weaning ourselves off it, by making more effort to use buses with our passes. Like you, I think I know most of the recommended ways of economising, having had an early wake-up call to that sort of thing as a very young wife and mother! Like nanapug suggests, it's a good idea to shop online. I've done it a couple of times and I've not been tempted by things that I didn't need. I'm also planning to pick up presents for friends and family on sites such as ebay, starting soon and being strong about NOT adding in other presents as Christmas nears! Good luck!

apricot; I've been worrying about this for ages, ever since my monthly repayments went from £72 per month to £142. My central heating broke down last winter and I was using electricity to heat my water. I'd also decided to keep my thermostat on 60 degrees all the time [I tend to turn it up and down but it's supposed to work out cheaper keeping it at a low but constant temperature]. I'm not a great foodie, and tend to eat a large bowl of porridge for lunch which is both filling and nutricious. Don't leave anything on standby at night. Tried not using the car much, but got a bit depressed with just being at work or home! Wore a hat in the house most of last winter; looked so like a 'bag lady'. I'm hoping that, having used less gas/electricity during the summer my monthly payments might come down, but that's a pipe dream with prices going up again.

apricot have you looked into getting a water meter fitted, my father in law changed last year and has had his payments dropped from £42 to £16 per month, he has a deep bath every other day as gets relief for his arhritus and showers the other days, he waters his and neighbours gardens when needed(no hose pipe bans here) uses automatic washing machine as he does his own washing,so he is not careful with his usage really. He was astounded by the saving he has made.

If you contact your water authority they can give you as estimation over the phone of your usage on the amount of water you use i.e:- how many occupants,do you have baths/showers, automatic washing machine, dish washer if you have a swimming pool etc. Our water authority is Northumbrian Water but I would imagine that all the authoritys are similar.

Crimson, that does seem like a very big jump in your payments, did you fall into debit. I would check your annual statement to make sure that your level of payment is necessary.

Crimson, that does indeed seem a huge increase. I'm with Staywarm and for the coming year my payments are to be very much the same as they've been for the past year - £50 less than yours. Granted, I have a two bed end terrace and can turn off the radiators in the two rooms not used all the time, change into fleece jumpers and trousers as soon as I come home during the winter, and have a hot water bottle rather than an electric blanket, but I don't think I've been stinting myself unduly. If I were you, I'd have a look at other suppliers.

Apricot have you had a benefit check to make sure you are getting your full entitlement? CAB can help with this and there's a good web page on
www.direct.gov.uk
that lets you calculate what you should be getting.

Changing energy suppliers might help. We pay £82 per month for a four bedroom detached house for electricity and gas with EON and I like a warm house so I put it on when I want but we dont have a gas fire - they burn gas at a tremendous rate. I do wear more clothes these days and make double/treble lots of sauces caseroles etc and rehaet in the microwave. we do live an a new house so its very well insulated. We had LPG in our last house and that was £200 per month for gas alone in the winter for a three bed semi but we couldnt have cavity wall insulation as it was stone built and nnorth facing - very chilly - so we had to move.

We have a memory foam mattress (bad back) and it keeps a very warm bed, perhaps too warm on these hots nights. My GP has taken me of HRT so I am having hot flushes all the time. its a serious point when i was on HRT i was permanantly cold.

Lets hope this winter is not too harsh and doesnt start too soon

We also use a 'radiant' fire, rather than have the heating on when it's chilly. We used that as a top-up as well, while keeping the heating a bit lower in the winter. It's supposed to be a lot cheaper (something like 4 pence an hour on the one bar?) It's gives a cosy warmth, and of course can be moved to wherever you're working about the house.

Cooking in a crock pot (slow cooker) is economical on electricity, and is very nice and welcoming when you come home. You put your stew on first thing on a morning, and it is ready for the evening meal.

We buy as much as we can in bulk, when things we normally use are on special.

Crimson that is a bit worrying, having to keep your house at 60 in the winter. Are you an active person? If not, this is not good for your health. Even if you are, not at all cosy.
We will all have to get on the case! Is your accommodation fully insulated to current standards? That includes a big wodge of insulation in the loft - several duvets worth. Not an inch or so that was put in 40 years ago.
Here is my starter contribution - the EST is the best source of advice for energy efficiency.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
If not fully insulated look there for grants etc.
Also - if you happen to own a south facing roof there are companies looking to put solar panels. They get the "feed in tariff" - that is, the money for the electricity. You get free electricity when the sun is shining . We have solar panels and I now tend to use my hungry electric oven when the sun is out, if at all possible. And the other appliances.

I think that lots of grans have good economising ideas: my favourite is to make porridge every morning, using Co-op oats, dried milk & the microwave.

I really recommend Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert website. He is ferocious!
The forums on the site sprawl so much they make this one look tiny, and there are a few strange posts (so unlike our own dear gransnet) but on everything from investments to benefits, from consumer rights to thrifty & green ideas, every money-saving idea from vouchers to energy prices is dissected, both by Martin's team and the posters.
I find it really worthwhile.

Thanks everyone. The only thing I hadn't thought of was the water meter. I have no car which means shopping locally (only Waitrose, which is expensive) I'm a veggie and don't feel the cold too much but this winter I'll be home all day and needing the heat on.
Whilst we're all economising on some of the lowest pensions in Europe, how much is this country spending in Afghanistan?

You have a point there, apricot!

DH just chipped in about those of you who are struggling to keep houses warm.
He is in the know and he says EST may not be the best place to get help.
If you are not insulated up, or if you are not sure, and if you are on a lower income you may be entitled to free insulation - loft and or cavity.
There were Warm Front grants for a long time and there may be a bit of money still available for these. Otherwise contact your energy company and ask them about grants. They have an obligation to "promote energy efficiency" consequently fund insulation grants for those who need them. If you are not sure if you have the recommended insulation then you should be able to get a free survey and advice.
The other thing to look into is if you have an old, inefficient - that is expensive to run - gas boiler (or a broken one) you might be entitled to a grant to get a new one.

Just a cheery thought - when I have been at home all day, I find the cost of heating less than I expected. Even at one point when we needed to heat the house for 24 hours a day, the cost was not as prohibitive as you might think. If you insulate as well as you possibly can (see above) then maintaining a gentle heat is more cost-effective than heating up a cold house twice a day.

I got free loft insulation recently because I'm over 70. Worth finding out about this, if you have also reached this advanced age.

Nobody has yet mentioned the importance of making sure your house is fully insulated. There should be 12 inches of insulation in the loft and, if your house has been built since, roughly, 1920 the cavities should be filled. If you are over 70 or in receipt of a disability benefit this can be done for free. In fact I keep getting rung up to inquire about insulation in my house and to be told about the availability of grants. If you want to find who can help you ring your local Age UK(Age Concern as was).

Go round all windows and doors and check whether there are any drafts coming in and if so use the cheap stickybacked foam strip you can buy in DIY stores to seal the gaps

If your radiators are against an outside wall put reflective material behind them. Just strips of cooking foil with the highly reflective side facing the radiator is sufficient, just tape it to the wall at the top, but you can buy rolls of polystyrene-foam backed foil at DIY stores that is easier to handle and cut to fit, again secure with sticky tape.

Even if you have double glazing draw your curtains as soon as it gets dark and if you have radiators under the window tuck the curtains behind them or push them right onto the windowsill so no heat can escape behind them. Make sure your curtains are lined, if not with special thermal linings then ordinary linings, or even another pair of curtains. Charity shops are often a good source of wellmade lined curtains. Have door curtains as well as window curtains.

Make sure you have your central heating serviced every year, not just for safety but also efficiency. If you can afford it replace your existing boiler with a condensing boiler. My son replaced his 1984 boiler with one and his gas consumption fell by nearly 30%. Again inquire about whether you can get a grant to help pay for this.

I am surprised how high some people's monthly bills are. We live in a large 4 bedroomed detached house built in 1467, so not built with energy efficiency in mind, and last year our gas bill averaged just under £70 a month. We have undertaken all the measures suggested above plus a little DIY internal double glazing (we are Listed so cannot change our single glazed windows), replacing our boiler, using low energy lightbulbs and some wall insulation inside (no cavities to fill) and we have halved our gas consumption over 10 years.

Last but not least, buy an electric blanket, they are bliss.

Good comprehensive post FlicketyB, insulation makes a huge difference.

This web site takes you through the steps necessary to check your eligibility for home insulation grants and gives you the contact details for providers
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/redesign_est/gidtool

So does ventilation.

If your house hasn't got a cavity wall you can now have an insulating material put on the outside. Your council should be able to help.

Oh yes Baggy. I can't stand a stuffy house.