If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that she is frugal.
There is an article in today's Guardian about the rising cost of household prices. Electricity, gas, council tax and water are all due to rise this Spring.
We cannot do anything about the council tax but she certainly has done a lot about controlling the costs of the other three necessary items that we use on a daily basis.
She goes out of a room, she turns off the light. Nothing is ever left on 'Standby'. She wants a cup of something hot to drink, she puts just enough into the kettle or boils more and puts the rest into a thermos.. one that actually keeps the liquid hot!
There's a heavy curtain in front of our front door, this means we have a snug warm hall as no cold air whistles through any gaps.
There are blinds in both our bedroom and sitting room, they are down and the difference is amazing as they stop the cold coming into the rooms.
The curtains are interlined, unfortunately the silly builders put the new bedroom radiator below the window and long curtains stop heat circulating, so during cold weather she picks up the curtains and lays them onto the shelf which is an extension of the window ledge.
The gas combi boiler is only on during the day at a low degree and goes off at about 9pm, it comes on at 7am but the radiator valves are set at high, all except for the one in the sitting room which is on low.
She washes up once a day at night.
She is frugal with gas for cooking and very seldom uses the oven, apart from red meat, food is steamed over a small amount of water in layers.
Yesterday's supper was a small amount of chicken stock brought to the boil in a saucepan, a large handful of flat Vietnamese rice noodles, two pieces of kale, a Spring Green and a handful of frozen seafood was added, the lid went on and it steamed for about 8 minutes.
The contents were all put into a dish, she added seasoning and off we went to enjoy a tasty supper.
She buys whatever fish are on special offer at our fishmonger and freezes them, they are taken out of frosty white larder aka freezer and left to defrost between two plates on the morning of a day when she decides that's what we are having for supper.
As she eats a variety of steamed greens at every supper, the fish are steamed by being placed on top of the vegetables, she much prefers steamed fish to fried or poached fish.
She doesn't eat lunch but breakfast and supper, that's it. I, of course, have food available for me all day long, Harrisons dried food, grapes, seeds and a piece of cabbage and kale are always there as well for I love those crunchy stems!
Unless, of course, she goes out to lunch, then for supper, she'll have a bowl of sauerkraut and some fruit and her large old Danish beer mug from Copenhagen is always full of hot water with freshly chopped ginger and turmeric with a chunk of fresh lemon or lime.
So do something about those drafty doors and windows, turn your boiler down and wear more clothes.
Men can wear a cotton t.shirt with short sleves under a shirt or sweater or a thermal vest, lightweight or heavy duty woollen instead of cotton or nylon socks which hold absolutely no heat whatsoever!
Keep your head covered when you go outside and wear gloves and long socks if you are wearing trousers. She has woollen tights that she wears under her trousers.. and very cosy they are too!
Have your gas boiler serviced once a year properly by a CORGI registered engineer.
And now I am going to tell you two things that will make you a bit sick.. with envy.
Her last gas bill was £11.67 and the one before was £4.14.. ok, yes we do live in a small flat.
The last electricity bill was over £60.00 which was a high one but the weather was cold and so the blinds were down and curtains are drawn and she leaves my daylight bulb and light on for me plus the television.
Take control of your expenditure and yes, change your supplier if you do a comparision and find another supplier who will be cheaper for your level of gas or electrical expenditure.
But I say put a proper wool blanket on top of your duvet if you use one on your bed and wear more clothes.. simples!
GeeGee Parrot.
February 10th, 2019.
There is an article in today's Guardian about the rising cost of household prices. Electricity, gas, council tax and water are all due to rise this Spring.
We cannot do anything about the council tax but she certainly has done a lot about controlling the costs of the other three necessary items that we use on a daily basis.
She goes out of a room, she turns off the light. Nothing is ever left on 'Standby'. She wants a cup of something hot to drink, she puts just enough into the kettle or boils more and puts the rest into a thermos.. one that actually keeps the liquid hot!
There's a heavy curtain in front of our front door, this means we have a snug warm hall as no cold air whistles through any gaps.
There are blinds in both our bedroom and sitting room, they are down and the difference is amazing as they stop the cold coming into the rooms.
The curtains are interlined, unfortunately the silly builders put the new bedroom radiator below the window and long curtains stop heat circulating, so during cold weather she picks up the curtains and lays them onto the shelf which is an extension of the window ledge.
The gas combi boiler is only on during the day at a low degree and goes off at about 9pm, it comes on at 7am but the radiator valves are set at high, all except for the one in the sitting room which is on low.
She washes up once a day at night.
She is frugal with gas for cooking and very seldom uses the oven, apart from red meat, food is steamed over a small amount of water in layers.
Yesterday's supper was a small amount of chicken stock brought to the boil in a saucepan, a large handful of flat Vietnamese rice noodles, two pieces of kale, a Spring Green and a handful of frozen seafood was added, the lid went on and it steamed for about 8 minutes.
The contents were all put into a dish, she added seasoning and off we went to enjoy a tasty supper.
She buys whatever fish are on special offer at our fishmonger and freezes them, they are taken out of frosty white larder aka freezer and left to defrost between two plates on the morning of a day when she decides that's what we are having for supper.
As she eats a variety of steamed greens at every supper, the fish are steamed by being placed on top of the vegetables, she much prefers steamed fish to fried or poached fish.
She doesn't eat lunch but breakfast and supper, that's it. I, of course, have food available for me all day long, Harrisons dried food, grapes, seeds and a piece of cabbage and kale are always there as well for I love those crunchy stems!
Unless, of course, she goes out to lunch, then for supper, she'll have a bowl of sauerkraut and some fruit and her large old Danish beer mug from Copenhagen is always full of hot water with freshly chopped ginger and turmeric with a chunk of fresh lemon or lime.
So do something about those drafty doors and windows, turn your boiler down and wear more clothes.
Men can wear a cotton t.shirt with short sleves under a shirt or sweater or a thermal vest, lightweight or heavy duty woollen instead of cotton or nylon socks which hold absolutely no heat whatsoever!
Keep your head covered when you go outside and wear gloves and long socks if you are wearing trousers. She has woollen tights that she wears under her trousers.. and very cosy they are too!
Have your gas boiler serviced once a year properly by a CORGI registered engineer.
And now I am going to tell you two things that will make you a bit sick.. with envy.
Her last gas bill was £11.67 and the one before was £4.14.. ok, yes we do live in a small flat.
The last electricity bill was over £60.00 which was a high one but the weather was cold and so the blinds were down and curtains are drawn and she leaves my daylight bulb and light on for me plus the television.
Take control of your expenditure and yes, change your supplier if you do a comparision and find another supplier who will be cheaper for your level of gas or electrical expenditure.
But I say put a proper wool blanket on top of your duvet if you use one on your bed and wear more clothes.. simples!
GeeGee Parrot.
February 10th, 2019.
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