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No school like the old school
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Hubby and myself are feeling very excited at the prospect of trying to keep our winter bills down this year.
Been collecting free wood all year for the log burner, getting a clothes horse for in front of the fire to cut down on drier usage and will be making coffee on top of the stove to save boiling the kettle a million times a day. Been collecting blankets for snuggling up and collecting hot water bottles.
Does anyone else have any "old school" life hacks that they refuse to give up or have gone back to after realising modern isn't always better? I'm all about the saving money this year!!  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I slow cook casseroles on top of my burner.
My last electric bill was pence under £50
My last water bill was pence short of £60
Household bill reduction is a sport  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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i have to live like this as on very limited budget - always had blankets on sofas - go to bed when its cold - new quick boil kettle is very efficient just dont use more than you need each time - never had a a drier - |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I slow cook casseroles on top of my burner.
My last electric bill was pence under £50
My last water bill was pence short of £60
Household bill reduction is a sport "
Wish our burner was big enough to cook on but I can't fit the casserole on top  |
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By *mmmMaybeCouple
over a year ago
West Wales |
We have no gas here so have storage heaters, but it was a no brainer when I moved in as I worked for an electrical equip supply outfit. Gas C/H was going to cost £4.5k I bought brand new old stock storage heaters & connection bits for £280 all in (they liked me, a lot! £10 each heater!) & a sparky mate fitted it for two roast dinners & beer
Kitchen has a wood burner in with a back boiler connected to the emersion heater. Fuel for it is free as long as I help cut the trees down with a local farmer
S |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"We have no gas here so have storage heaters, but it was a no brainer when I moved in as I worked for an electrical equip supply outfit. Gas C/H was going to cost £4.5k I bought brand new old stock storage heaters & connection bits for £280 all in (they liked me, a lot! £10 each heater!) & a sparky mate fitted it for two roast dinners & beer
Kitchen has a wood burner in with a back boiler connected to the emersion heater. Fuel for it is free as long as I help cut the trees down with a local farmer
S"
Fortunately/unfortunately it was a brand new combi boiler in the house when we moved in. Would have rather had a stove with a back boiler personally but at least it wasn't an expense we had to deal with at the time, trouble is its so expensive to run so we're paying for it in a different way. |
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Standard way of living for me.
An all electric flat means I don't even turn the water heater on all that often. I've perfected a daily shower in one bowlful of water heated by water from the kettle (proper scrub down before I get naked though) and I'm not the sort of person that washes clothes just because I tried them on.
Turning the oven on is for Christmas and I sold the car because I live in the city. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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We have no gas. Whole house is heated by one stove with oil central heating on for just an hour in the morning and a couple in the evening. Plus a warm dog |
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Manage incoming solar radiation to work in your favour by opening and closing doors, curtains and blinds to allow heat in and then to trap it.
I sometimes dry clothes in my non-humid greenhouse on hotter days - it's always hotter there than outside. (No wind to blow it, but ok for a clothes horse). An hour can get stuff heated and dried).
Check your out of contract dates for energy and all utilities etc, so you can move costs down. Check your electricity tariff too. If you have economy 7 then use thee cheaper night tariff for energy intensive things. If you're on it, check it's cost effective for you, as it has a higher day tariff than standard. You can switch for free.
An under sheet mattress topping cover will often increase bed warmth. It's also good to add a flat sheet between you and the duvet, which traps some warmth.
Close down rooms you don't need in winter, so you're not heating all rooms.
Keep room temperature lower - it saves a fortune. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'm going to buy some sausage dog draught excluders for my doors. We had a new boiler and radiators fitted this summer,I'm not going to sit and freeze this winter because of icy draughts. I have to have the heating on or my joints sieze up,but I turn the upstairs ones off and let the passage one heat the upstairs. The kitchen radiator has never been on and I haven't had a tumble dryer for years,because it shrinks clothes. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have the most amazing pair of thermal house socks.
When I get home from the office or the gym, I immediately change into jeans and slip them on. It's like hugs, for my feet and I'm never cold.
Pop a house brick in the toilet tank and it reduces your water usage significantly.
If your going to hear your house from a log burner, then get used to living in one room, and curtains over the doors will help to seal in the heat.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"This thread is like watching an episode of The Good Life.  "
True.
But there's some great ideas and very contented people here.
And you can't buy contentment.... |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"This thread is like watching an episode of The Good Life.
True.
But there's some great ideas and very contented people here.
And you can't buy contentment...."
This  |
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I had a new boiler last year and save quite a bit but im all about recycling and granny stuff.
Blankets this year proper crocheted or patchwork from the charity shop. Bought s real proper granny shawl the other week and i wear a woolley hat in the house.
Im trying to turn my dining room into a grannys sitting room.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I'm going to buy some sausage dog draught excluders for my doors. We had a new boiler and radiators fitted this summer,I'm not going to sit and freeze this winter because of icy draughts. I have to have the heating on or my joints sieze up,but I turn the upstairs ones off and let the passage one heat the upstairs. The kitchen radiator has never been on and I haven't had a tumble dryer for years,because it shrinks clothes. "
In my old house I made some out of laddered pairs of tights stuffed with fluff, tags, newspaper and whatever else I could get in there. Probably a massive fire hazard but they kept the draughts out. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I live on a narrowboat :-
Gas comes in bottles - 2 or 3 bottles a year at, say, £30 each.
Electric about £3 a week including keeping the batteries charged
Fridge, lighting, all 12v off batteries
Heating, takes 10 minutes to heat through using the same red diesel as the engine. Use less than one tank a year.
Washer/dryer - don't have one. £5 a fortnight at the laundrette
Run the engine for an hour (costs about 20p) and plenty hot water for a shower.
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