Lifestyle or money saving changes you are making due to rise in energy cost

[xsquared]

Are you doing anything to save money to pay for the energy you use?

We are now paying double what we used to and I am seriously thinking about things we can do to save money.

So far, I have bought my own coffee into work in an insulated cup/thermos.

We are also considering getting rid of one of our many streaming services and I think the most obvious one to get rid of would be Spotify Premium, because at least I can still listen to it, but just with adverts.

While I don't see the need to think about Christmas for at least another 6 months, that's a good point.

This is not going to be one for spending money on things that no-one really wants or needs.

I choose to use my electricity on a tumble dryer. Unless you have a massive house with a lovely utility to dry clothes it's not always an option to have them on a rack somewhere. Also if you don't put the heating on how will they get dry properly. I hate crusty semi dry clothes.
Yes I will line dry when it's warmer. I hate dryer preachiness.
Otherwise heating is off we have a log burner for winter and are stockpiling wood. Pick this up free through DH work.
We don't spend on much stuff we can cut back ,shop at Aldi already.
I have started to buy a few bulk items like cat food and loo roll make a small saving.

The ‘eco’ programme is precisely that - although it runs for longer it uses less electricity overall because heating the water to a higher temp uses a lot more power .
so you SHOULD use the eco setting where possible

@BarbaraofSeville

While I don't see the need to think about Christmas for at least another 6 months, that's a good point.

This is not going to be one for spending money on things that no-one really wants or needs.

The reason I think doing it early is best is firstly people are less likely to feel all hurt about it well away from the festive season when it's all goodwill to all men and sense goes out the window. Also, there's always one person who starts buying in August so best to pre empt them 🤶

While all these ideas are good, I do worry about their impact on the economy, especially on small and local businesses.

If anyone can afford it, please consider buying a coffee from an indie cafe, a book from the bookshop and some flowers from the market stall. Otherwise when you do want them they may not be there.

We have turned off the heating, plan to go a year without new clothes and always dry clothes outside or on an airer. I darned some socks last weekend and DH has mended the kettle.

@FourChimneys

While all these ideas are good, I do worry about their impact on the economy, especially on small and local businesses.

If anyone can afford it, please consider buying a coffee from an indie cafe, a book from the bookshop and some flowers from the market stall. Otherwise when you do want them they may not be there.

We have turned off the heating, plan to go a year without new clothes and always dry clothes outside or on an airer. I darned some socks last weekend and DH has mended the kettle.

I agree. I started a thread about this before Christmas but most posters disagreed with me. The impact on small businesses could be catastrophic yet the multinational oil and energy businesses will just get richer (and not pay any tax on their profits due to being based outside of the U.K.).

You’ve done well 😊

putting up solar panels :( not really helpful.

Eco cycles cheaper, need more time tho

I have cut out everything I can - no heating, no logs for fire (can't afford) no tumble driver, car gone. I have bought a table top grill oven and use that instead of the main oven - excellent.

I have started to fix and repurpose things. I made a nice throw-on dress out of a top and old skirt. I had a heated overblanket that packed in but it was lovely and thick., so I cut out the wires and the blanket is great as it is.

I use the slow cooker a lot.
My favourite thing to do in there , loved by everyone from 16-83 is:
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DETOXING MOROCCAN HIGH-PROTEIN SOUP.
www.halfplanetpreserve.com/recipes/anti-inflammatory-detox-moroccan-high-protein-soup/
I use greengrocer and baker and only use supermarket for stuff I can't get elsewhere (like Quorn). Supermarkets are not the cheapes or the best at anything.

I am growing potatoes in tubs and sacks. it's so easy - just water them. I didn't even bother spending money on seed potatoes - I buy a sack of potatoes from Lidl and when they are running out and some in the bottom of the sack are sprouting, I plant them. I have done this every year for 5 years now.
Grow herbs and make plain food nicer. I bought a selection from Amazon for £7 ish.
If you have the money, make a really good pantry and prepare for winter.

Lidl and Aldi fab, I wish Aldi had been here years ago, only here 2 years, better if 20.
i wonder why (only small lidl before) I bought soo much tesco stuff, at least trying to price match Aldi, tho poor range to compare

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Brit box gone switched phone provider opted out of pension dishwasher never using screaming at my 4yr old every time she leaves a light on

Oh please don't talk out of your pension! Seriously you will literally regret that.

@MrsSkylerWhite

20o washes. Everything is perfectly clean and fresh, even on the quick settings.

You can buy aerial liquid which works on a cold wash.

Take off clothes and hang them up to air and wear a few days later. Only wash them if they look dirty or smell. Wear warm clothes when it’s cold with vest.

Would like to buy before next winter a suspended clothes drying rack. Washed bedding and towels at a lower temperature for the first time but added some sanytol.

Fill bowl with hot water to wash dishes, drain and then freshly refill to rinse, no running water.

Shower to wet, turn off water while shampooing and soaping, then switch on shower to rinse.

I already have an electric under blanket on my bed with a 13 tog duvet on top and an electric throw for the sofa, so I don’t heat the flat. I would like to have for next winter insulation blinds for the windows.

Always take a flask when I go out for hot or cold drinks and a picnic for eating.
Thinking of buying a dry fryer.

Yes, that's what I meant. Many people talk about how they 'don't have time' to use the eco cycle, but half the time, you see that they're doing multiple loads a day of clothes and towels that aren't even dirty because they've only been worn for a few hours.

So if you combine with actually waiting until clothes are dirty or smell to wash them, you have less washing to dry anyway.

We don't have a massive house btw and sometimes the airer gets in the way but that's life. But a lot of the time you can plan your washing so it's ready to hang out on a dry day (obvs disclaimer about if you have the outside space and are sufficiently able bodied to hang washing out). Do a load or two in the evening or set the timer to start very early in the morning if you don't want the machine on overnight.

I've always lived pretty frugally relatively to my wage.
But things I'm doing differently:

• eating out less. A basic meal out is now typically £80 for the two of us and often disappointing
• fewer trips to the pub for one drink each. We would do this after a sunny dog walk etc. We often now prefer to sit in the garden, which we've really invested in through the last 2 years
• pushing my hair cuts from once every 6 weeks to once every 10 weeks

Been doing these things a while for environmental reasons.

I have a flask near the kettle. Any unused boiled water goes in there so I have to boil the kettle less often.

I use a slow cooker as much as possible so hardly use the oven.

To a pp that said don’t use eco cycles. Although they take longer they use less energy- but you need to be organised because they take a really long time!

We have deleted all the scheduled heating times on our Nest thermostat and are instead keeping it on Eco and only switching on for a bit when we get cold, obviously much easier to do in April than it will be in winter but it’s at least stopping it coming on when nobody is in the house except the cat, or in the middle of the night.

Being much more cautious with lights being left on, we used to leave the under cabinet lighting on in the kitchen over night to illuminate the kitchen and dining room for the cat 😂I also had a habit of putting the small bedside lamp on in the bedroom if I nipped upstairs for a wee in the evening, as it always seemed nicer to then go back upstairs to bed to the room with the lamp glow, it also cut down on the times where we both plop into bed exhausted only to realise we’ve not switched the big light off. But gone are those days now.

Spare duvets/blankets on sofas
Heating rarely even goes on in winter.
One quick shower a day
Definitely need to cut down on takeaways.
Getting my allotment in a few weeks
Contemplating keeping quails for their eggs.
Doing more DIY instead of planning for trades people
I don't have any subscription except the union...

We live pretty cheaply. We moved from London to Essex in December and that cut our rent by £400 a month. We no longer have to use public transport so saved at least £100 a month there. We have cheap phone contracts, sky, we do have disney plus but our children use that alot. We live in a flat which benefits from heat from the other flats surrounding. We shop in charity shops a lot, I got my youngest Ds a joker imaginext set and car yesterday for £1.50. He is also starting school this year and I picked up three pairs of school shorts/trousers from m&s for £1! Have also picked him up a couple of school shirts for free from the school shop. We buy Christmas gifts/cards/gift bags in the sales. I don't buy the children their main or any character gifts in the sale but things like books, puzzles, board games, Lego can all be picked up if they go in the sales.

We turn electric devices off when not in use, put washing out to dry, the usual things. We also make use of free activities, the beach, park, library. DS1 attends a free youth club and is always signed up to a sports club run by school. He also got a bursary for a free guitar lesson every week. The only thing we pay for him is cubs, but I do consider it good value although we pay extra for days out/camps.

We could make use of free playgroups at the children's centres for Ds2 but I do prefer attending church ones, particularly as one is our church but they do come with a small cost. We are also awful for picking up small shops throughout the week so vowing to get better at that as well as try and use the oven less. I do try and often do no spend days as well.

Not in the UK, but for years my motto has been " second hand first", not just for clothes. My latest purchases have been hand towels and bath mats. People often donate them brand new because they've been given them in a colour they hate or what they ordered online wasn't the colour they imagined.

Another thing I look for is new tea towels - people seem to be given special ones from friends on holiday, never use them and then donate when they downsize later in life.
I also buy platters and serving dishes, if I need extra, so cheap and many plain white.

Definitely cut out the excess gift giving. It's crazy to buy so much for extended family.

I have always hated shopping and laundry so I am frugal by accident instead of design. I’m also allergic to many scented products so I can’t try new products ever, can’t use fabric conditioner, wear perfume, no scented candles or air fresheners.

I have a gift, birthday card and wrapping paper cupboard, I buy gifts throughout the year if I see something in a sale. My family have never bought for adults, children up to 18 only.

@Reigateforever DH built sliding poles on top of high kitchen cupboards which work as a suspended airier, it means that it can be fully put away but I did have a suspended airier before and they are fab.

In strict lockdown we bought clippers and I did DH and DS hair. I got DH to chop my pony tail a bit shorter and as I just have a long bob and it really is ok we have just kept doing each other’s hair.

I haven’t bought any new clothes since lockdown just ordered some new underwear online. I think stopping buying clothes unless really required such as outgrowing, school uniform or stuff falling apart can be a major saver. DH buys really decent shirts, I’m handy with a needle so I may have a go at turning a collar.

I have already bought some. In case prices go up.
Intending to cut down presents by half.
Could be more if prices go even worse this winter. Dont think the somewhat grownup kids will mind. They thought we overspent[prob only average in the country actually] anyway.

We are down 1 car, that has covered the extra bills. Everything else is the same except we are wasting a lot less food and careful with lights etc. We are doing all we can to support the local businesses in our area, I love buying clothes and getting my hair done, it is great for my mental health to feel ‘put together’. My DH also loves to shop for clothes from time to time, we make a day out of it and don’t plan to cut back on that. Would rather forgo the extra car!