Useful money-saving tips for Winter 2022

vegansrock

Anyone use a pressure cooker? My mum used to have one which made a loud noise. Don’t know what modern ones are like . Can you cook rice in them?

Modern electric ones are marvellous things. My mum had a stovetop one that was terrifying, and it put me off getting one for years. I got an electric one a while ago, and there is no comparison. You just switch it on and leave it.

I cook rice and pasta in it, as well as soup and other things. You do have to do a manual release of pressure to stop rice or pasta overcooking, but that is just flicking a switch after it beeps.

Don`t get a calor gas heater if your home is prone to damp. They give out a massive amount of water vapour and also need ventilation. An electric heater does not need ventilation nor does it give out water vapour

I have a duromatic pressure cooker, wonderful and have been using it for very many years, Cooks beetroot in 12 minutes. Potatoes in 6

I cook brown rice in my zojirushi rice cooker but 2c at a time, which gives me many portions to freeze. It came into its own in the days after I was widowed, I used it to cook a full meal, in order to eat properly. Basmati rice with frozen fish on top with greens on top of that

Pasta will cook in boiling water, switched off, with the lid on

Many of my appliances are getting old now but going strong. Tiny kitchen but I squeeze them into cupboards. Air fryer is tower 2.2 litre, does 1-2 people and I bought another on special offer, very lightweight and I stuff into another cupboard. I would sometimes need two for a full meal

I like vegan food, love veggie food and can stretch a 1lb of shin into 7 tasty meals, 6 for the freezer

I made risotto in my pressure cooker for about 30 years.

I am going to add to my freezer stock, some more organic grass fed salted butter and some more grass fed shin. They will only go up in price over winter

Jaxjacky

We’ve bought the children mobile calor gas heaters, going to get one for us too.

We have had a mobile calor gas heater for years (we have an open plan house) which is fabulous placed in the centre of the house when we have had a broken boiler or loss of gas for some other reason.

But, the price of replacement cylinders has tripled in recent years and will presumably go up again now. And, I can't manage the cylinders myself and dh is finding them more difficult lately.

Someone mentioned the possibility of keeping an air fryer in the oven. Would it fit?

So far I haven’t even thought of an air fryer, because I don’t have much spare worktop space - still less cupboard space. My slow cooker has to live in a wall cupboard - I have to get dh to get it out, too heavy for me (I have a weak L wrist) so don’t even use that as much as I should.

When I have an instant coffee drink, I fill up my mug and heat the water for the time it is hot enough, in the microwave, not wasting electricity nor water.

To put an air fryer in the oven you would have to remove the shelves, and some of them are heavy to move about. I wouldn’t want to lift a Ninja in and out of an oven - it would be dangerous, I think. Other types are lighter, but I don’t think using the oven as a cupboard is ideal.

When pooch was a puppy, we bought a microwavable heat spot that kept its warmth in a cover overnight from Amazon
SnuggleSafe Microwave Wireless Heatpad with Fleece Cover £14

It’s a really obvious thought…..that dawned on me last year….shut doors! Keeping heat where you want it.

My dad (bless him) puts cling film over key holes to ‘stop the draft’
After years of living with him, I now fling all windows wide open

Your dad would have got on well with my dad I think fanny. He is utterly unfailingly generous but by God our childhood home was freezing. I consequently am the opposite.

Yes, I grew up to the constant refrain of 'were you born in a barn?'. I think it's a generation thing, as my friend's budgie used to say 'Shut the door, Jo', which it learnt from her dad constantly saying it

Galaxy, yes! My dad is extremely generous (especially regards ‘big things’) and yet incredibly stingy with small things

Doodledog ?

Jaxjacky

We’ve bought the children mobile calor gas heaters, going to get one for us too.

Beware though, calor gas heaters throw out a lot of moisture and you can end up with damp and mould.

Like honeyrose and Beautiful, I wear a dressing gown over my clothes if I’m cold. It can be quickly removed if someone calls.
I have been considering a heated throw, which I’m sure would make me even toastier, but I’m not one for keeping still. Any thoughts would be gratefully received.
Beautiful mentions Iceland’s 10% discount for the over 60s on Tuesdays. If you load £20 on Iceland’s bonus card (in stages, in one transaction, or in multiples) the company adds £1 for each £20. Paying by loaded bonus card on Tuesdays if you’re over 60 gives a 15% discount. There is additionally a one-off opportunity, available till the end of August, to load £100 (in stages or in one sum) to receive £15 at the end of November.
However…it pays to keep an eye on other supermarkets’ prices.
Some goods are comparatively expensive in Iceland. This week I found 3 cartons of passata in Home Bargains for £1.
(Of course, other food retailers are available.)

Nannagarra I really recommend a heated throw, heats up very quickly for a low price.

Thank you mokryna. I’ll look into it. Is there a particular one you recommend?

No sorry, as not in the UK but I am sure others can help.

Nannagarra, I've bought the Dreamland Relaxwell heated throw, £60. They have many good reviews and have been recommended by a lot of people on Mumsnet. Argos did sell them but have been out of stock for a long time, I bought direct from Dreamland and it arrived in a few days (free postage).

No amount of being thrifty is going to solve this. The energy companies are taking the ... and the conservatives are enabling them. Having Amber Rudd on the board of British Gas and Liz Truss former employee of Shell seems to reveal a profitable conflict of interests the ConParty doesn’t want to solve.

Thank you Razzamatazz. ?

I love my soup maker - just throw in all that veg that's not much good for anything, and leave it to do its thing - but they're expensive.
I just had a look on Gumtree - two at under half retail price within a few miles.
Lots of people have 'gadgets' in their kitchen doing nothing.