To think that a lot of cost saving suggestions are a false economy and actually aren’t that cost saving at all?

[GhostFromTheOtherSide]

So increasingly there are suggestions as to how to save energy.

Buy an electric throw/electric blanket/microwave/slow cooker/air friar.

And then people will tell you that these cost almost nothing to run.

Except they often cost £££ to buy, and if you settle for cheap you’re settling for a false economy.

Electric blankets/throws are notoriously unreliable and have a tendency to break.

Air friars are small so if you want to cook whole meals in them you need something like a double drawer ninja which costs a fortune.

So while you will be saving money on the energy, you’re actually going to be spending it on the measures to save on the energy.

Obviously if you already have these items then the cost has already gone.

But if you don’t then surely people should be thinking twice about whether to rush out and spend money they potentially don’t have on items which are going to cost them anyway?

Yes, nothing is a bargain unless you were going to buy it anyway. It's money unnecessarily spent otherwise, no matter how good a deal you got.

For energy saving things you need to look at payback.

My parents have a 40yo gas boiler. They've been told every year when they get it serviced that they should replace with something more efficient. I've had 3 new modern boilers in that time because they don't make 'em the way they did. Parents definitely wouldn't have saved money, no matter how efficient the new boilers were.

The same with double glazing. It cost £10k to double glaze this house. Our heating bills were around £300pa , that double glazing isn't going to pay for itself. There were other reasons to have it done, but saving money isn't one.

Admittedly, sometimes I use the ninja foodi to cook up fish fingers in less than 10 minutes or some chips, but usually I usually use it to cook up chicken breasts, jacket potatoes, salmon, roast veggies and stuff like that and I use the pressure cooker option for brown rice, pulses, stews, chilli, curries. I'm not sure why people think people recommending ninjas are eating only fried food?

exactly,we looked into getting a log burner but the 2.5k outlay plus price of logs we may as well just use that money for gas/electric

@SpaceOP sausages I add 0 oil, I stab them and they cook in the oil that comes out of them, I don’t add any for nuggets (and make these ourselves with egg flour and breadcrumbs) or for chips (unless adding spices then I do toss them in a spiced oil )

It’s similar to growing your own vegetables to save money. I saw someone do a breakdown on the cost of setup and the odds of a successful harvest as a novice gardener even with internet guidance. Some climates were more forgiving than my gardening zone, but it wasn’t great anywhere.

Thermal curtains don't cost a fortune if you make them you can get thermal lining and add them to existing curtains put everything in perspective you don't HAVE to buy new you can upcycle what you have

I have separate thermal linings in our curtains. They were bought separately from Dunelm, the original curtains did not have thermal linings. No good though if you are very poor.

If you have got single glazing, no cavity insulation, no roof insulation, you’re probably paying a huge amount for fuel and a predicted cap of £5000 would look more like £10000 for you.

Ooh, I messed up the formatting there I’m impressed! I didn’t know formatting was even possible!

You can get thermal liners that just clip on to the curtain hooks, they are about £13-25 a pair in Dunelm.

Thats a ridiculous comment to say that people who use air fryers only eat junk food. We've got one and you can make all sorts of things in it. I've done fresh fish, chicken thighs and pork chops etc in it, with fresh veggies or salad to go with it. How is that junk food?

I have an air fryer which was given to me. I have never cooked chips or nuggets in it. I have so far cooked roast vegetables, jacket potatoes, chicken thighs, fish fillets, quorn and meat sausages more economicallythan using the oven. I don't eat junk food ever. I probably wouldn't have bought one myself but don't dismiss them so easily.

AND you have to be able to afford to heat the room in the first place.

That's a solution that doesn't work for you but for many people going back to the office will be a very good way to save on heating bill. Not everyone has an expensive commute and primary age cihldren

I'm not sure why people think people recommending ninjas are eating only fried food?

air fryer - it’s the word ‘fryer’. People assume it’s for fried food and don’t bother going beyond that. I did buy one until recently because of that and it has honestly been a revelation - my electric is down a third in usage compared with last summer and the only thing different is the air fryer rather than the oven. It is making a difference.

This shows how much you know about how to use an air fryer. I use mine so much since getting one, that I only use my oven for making cakes, and warming up pizzas that are too big for the air fryer. I do not live on junk food, and cook proper food in batches, if need be in my air fryer. You do not just have to cook nuggets and chips in them, and a large one does not have to be ultra expensive. How ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

The only way to save money on food is to either eat lentil dhal everyday (which some people would cream their pants at the idea of everyone doing on here) or eating processed food.

Basically wealthy people are trying to save money as this is hitting the middle classes now too and are now thinking they are the fountain of knowledge for the feckless poor. Very patronising.

I've been doing all their suggested advice before they were even having to reconsider if they can afford to put the heating on in the spare room or whether to put the expensive gin back on the shelf in Waitrose.

Here are my tips for things that really do save money:

A 3 minute egg timer to get you out of the shower. It is possible to shower in 3 minutes and if the water's only lukewarm you won't want to linger. Egg timers cost about £3 from Tiger.

Close fitting lids for pans so you steam veg in a tablespoon of water rather than boiling a panful. Protip: you can cook practically anything in a pan on the hob.

Microwaves - about £40 and reheat in a fraction the same that a pan on the hob does.

"Plug in oil heaters cost pennies to run"

Maybe if you're only using it for a half hour to take the chill off. DD's radiator broke and I had a small one in her room last year. I'm on pre pay meters and the extra electric cost me another £15-£20 a week, and that was before any price hikes! That was also with me "rationing" her to a couple of hours in the morning and evening.

So many people saying they will use one to just heat one room when wfh. Trust me, I can heat the whole house with my gas radiators for less. You won't save money.

That being said, my heated throw is good. I sit under that for 15 mins on high and I'm sweltering! Plus they're pretty cheap. I think mine was £20 from Amazon.

Air fryers are clearly very poorly named. I had no idea that they are basically a fan oven.
They need re-branding

Plenty of free/ subsidised insulation available. We insulated our 3 bed terrace for €50 with and additional 150mm of fibre wool. So now there is 250mm of insulation. The room temps upstairs are about 3'C warmer now without the heating on.

www.which.co.uk/reviews/home-grants/article/home-grants/free-loft-insulation-and-free-boilers-from-energy-suppliers-a85i81F3XKdd

Window film is also a good solution too to reduce draughts from poor window seals. See image.

I think a lot of money saving suggestions don’t factor in the time needed to save the money. Suggestions along the lines of ‘Buy x from Aldi, y from the Co-op, z from Poundstretcher’ are all very well but in reality most people have busy lives and need to get their weekly shop done in one place. Not to mention the potential expense of getting to lots of different shops.

Knowing the £££ value you place on your own time is important.

You are not being unreasonable, I've seen the worst advice thrown around this website about our current crisis....a lot of mumsnetters seem to want others to sell their houses too just to pay bills (jealousy maybe?)

People with middle to lowish incomes are prepping for several winters of recession and chosing whether to buy items this year that will last several years. Its always much easier to be frugal from a start point of having had surplas.

People with nothing arent going out and buying things as they have nothing to invest in themselves.

I think, OP, you have to think long term. I have bought an air fryer which is already saving me money and actually paid for itself within 6 weeks. I have also bought some winter weight curtains for my kitchen/diner where we live most of the time - at the moment there are just thin cotton ones up. I have purchased oodies (found a good discount) and some additional throws/blankets and hot water bottles. Probably forked out £275 in preparation for the winter. That’s way less than the predicted rise in gas and electric and I’ll be able to use all of them again next year.

of course, for many people, finding £275 right now is an impossibility. But many of us can do our best to help ourselves in the hope we keep the bills to a manageable level. It is all good advice for people who are beginning to realise the extent of the problem because some of it can be implemented, even on a budget. EBay/Marketplace/Vinted/car boots/charity shops are all good places to look for blankets and throws, unused air fryers, jumpers, thicker bedding and lined curtains.

I've got an airfryer that cost about £30 in lidl. Its great. Can easily cook a whole meal in it, have to cook one bit like the chips, then cook the sausages or whatever but sausages take 8 minutes or so, so the chips are still hot by the time we eat. (2 adults, 2 children) My slow cooker also cost me about £30 about 5 years ago, still going strong and used all the time. These things don't have to cost a lot.