Useful money-saving tips for Winter 2022

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

I’ve dug out my Shirley Goode cookbooks from the 70s, anyone remember her cookery slots on Pebble Mill? Like most here there doesn’t seem to be much more I can do to cut fuel bills so now it’s where can I shave the food bills.

We tend to have our room doors open which isn't very efficient on a cold winter’s day/ evening so I’m going to start keeping them closed.

Wheat bags are lovely and warm under a blanket and in bed. I wonder whether hot water bottles are cheaper to warm up?

Anyone cooked risotto in a slow cooker?

I got rid of my pressure cooker about 2 years ago. It had been made redundant by my slow cooker. Yes, you could cook rice in it. My mother always cooked rice in hers.

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?

M0nica

TeacherAnne I too feel the cold. It is a family joke, how well into the summer, I will be found wearing woolly socks and a sweater.

If you cannot have cavity insulation. Houses can have wall insulation fitted inside or out. If you are renewing flooring, you can get insulated underlays. DD has a 100 year old house with suspended flooring, floorboards with an air space under, and when she was replacing the flooring she put down a foil-backed underlay, which gave insulation and also cut out all drafts. This is what she used www.howdens.com/joinery/floors/underlay-and-damp-proofing/underlay/4-in-1-foil-backed-3mm-low-density-polyethylene-underlay-108sqm-obj-sku-family-sdh0915 She used it under laminate , as shown, but I do not see why you could not overlay it with a sheet of floor paper then carpet underlay and carpet on top.

Obviously all these alternatives cost money and I know many people will have enough trouble paying bills, to be able to improve insulation, but if the opportunity arises, there are alternatives to cavity insulation for walls, and extra insulation for floors.

Adding insulation to the floor sounds like a good idea, I’m having new carpets in two bedrooms soon so I get some prices. It’s a shame my lounge had laminate fitted six months ago though! Like you say, it depends on the initial outlay compared to possible saving.

I’m on a two year fixed price deal which ends next month, I dread finding out how much my bills will be going up - I’m still paying around £100 a month dual fuel!

Forlornhope

I read somewhere that each of us gives off the warmth of an electric light bulb (don’t recall the wattage). Perhaps we all ought to be far more sociable and take turns to spend evenings filling the living rooms in each other’s houses.

We've just come back from the theatre and the man sitting next to me could have powered the national grid ??

Callistemon21

Thanks for all those who are in favour of air fryers.

I'll have a think
Might need to rearrange the kitchen.

I'm reading these comments with a growing feeling of despair as I have an aversion to kitchen gadgets, and my husband keeps telling me how wonderful air fryers are according to people he speaks to.

I think I could be fighting a losing battle, but equally I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face ?

Another vote for the air fryer. I’ve had mine about 6 months and I love it. I’ve only used my oven a couple of times since I bought it. It’s a Tower 4.2 litre and I paid £45 on Amazon.

Delicious jacket potatoes 5-6 mins in microwave then brush with a little olive oil and another 5 mins in air fryer. I cook a portion of chicken for 15 mins in air fryer with peppers and onions and plonk the spud in beside them for the last 5 mins. A tasty dinner in little more than the time it takes to preheat the oven.

I might do some extra bus trips into town (hopefully warm buses) and mooch in some warm shops (if they haven't turned the heating off.

GrannySomerset I have a camping stove and can boil water for hot water bottles, tea, soup etc which is a great help when we have power cuts - I don't know if this'll help you at all?

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

I have just bought a halogen heater from Amazon. I decided to do it now when the weather is still warm as they will fly off the shelves when it is cooler. Silly to heat the entire house when I want 2-3 hours of warmth in one room only.

I read somewhere that each of us gives off the warmth of an electric light bulb (don’t recall the wattage). Perhaps we all ought to be far more sociable and take turns to spend evenings filling the living rooms in each other’s houses.

Callistemon21

Does he come with it, Casdon?
Can he cook?

I hope so!

I'm not laughing. I have one of those, and they are excellent for wearing around the house when it's chilly.

Does he come with it, Casdon?
Can he cook?