To start a Prepping for Poor People thread?

[TooBigForMyBoots]

I'm poor (household income well below £20k). With the energy price rises, CoL crisis and possible power cuts ahead I'm wondering what tips other people in my position have to give to prepare us for the winter ahead.

As this is a thread for poor people, recommended purchases should be £7.50 or less. This is not the thread for recommending Agas, sheepskin boots, 70quid blankets or moving house.

Feel free to move this to Prepping or CoL @MNHQ if you think it's better there.

[HikingforScenery]

@WalkthisWayUK

Work on the 80/20 rule.

There will be some things that you do that make a big impact on your spending. Concentrate on them first. I use about 30% of the street’s average household gas and electricity. Washing is once a week. Cooking 4 times only using the oven. The rest is heated up the next day. I only ever put the heating on for an hour at a time and have good, heavy curtains, keep doors closed in winter, heat only bedrooms before bed and one sitting room.

I keep thermometers in each room so the temp is optimal and never too warm or too cold. I don’t think I ever put the heating on for more than 4 hours even on the coldest day. But I get the heat to stay in. I do sit with a blanket - everyone has their own blanket if they need it for watching TV, but it’s really not freezing or having to wear a hat or anything. I don’t sit in the kitchen in the winter as it is freezing and heating it would be too much. There are always ‘cold’ rooms so best not used very much if possible.

Electricity is minimal really, I don’t think faffing about with lighting is worth it - we need lighted staircases etc for safety. I boil the kettle 4x a day and have a microwave and dishwasher, used every 3 days.

I don’t drive a car. I don’t have the heating on all day. I don’t buy a load of stuff. I make presents for people. I like eating pasta, my fridge isn’t full at all ever and I feed 4 people and a dog.

Wow, one load of washing per week for four people?! Are there children/teens?

[PurplRainDancer]

@Momo8

Boil the kettle ten minutes before you fancy a cup of tea or coffee. When you actually come to make the drink, your kettle will take less time to boil, thus saving energy.

😂😂😂

[YourLipsMyLips]

How is growing your own cress a money saver? Who even eats cress? It's not like it'll fill you up if you're on a budget.

[Paperthinspiders]

Get rid of your TV. Why is it considered an essential item? That is a huge saving on electricity.

[TightDiamondShoes]

Know your labels and understand your fabrics. I’m head to toe in merino, cashmere and lambs wool. Most 99p from eBay/Vinted - and natural fibres don’t require much in the way of washing. Most people buy acrylic tat which doesn’t keep you warm.

[MyneighbourisTotoro]

Check out what your local library is offering, our local is opening its door to allow people to stay warm, offering hot drinks and asking for donations for coats to give to those who need them, there may be other places offering similar help.

[Sago1]

A 55lb sack of potatoes costs between £6 and £9, if stored in a shed or garage they will last a long time or buy and split with a friend or neighbour.
I batch cook many jacket potatoes, cool, scoop out the flesh and mash with butter,milk and leftover cheese, refill the skins with the mix and freeze.
Defrost and heat as needed.

[Charlize43]

If you drink a lot of tea or coffee during the day consider boiling a full kettle and then filling a thermos (mine is good for 4-5 cups) as this reducing the times you boil the kettle in a day saves on the cost of electricity.

I only boil the kettle two times a day now, whereas before it may have been up to 8 times.

[lovelilies]

The kids and I have sheepskin slippers (eBay- £20 a pair but well worth it).

Air fryer instead of oven for most things (B&M £40)

We all share a super king (this isn't to save money- I can't get them to leave 😂)

Bought clippers for £27 and groom the dog myself

M&S do some REALLY cheap food if you go with an open mind! Olives for 19p etc.

Sell/buy on Vinted

[lovelilies]

I have a 'one cup' kettle where it boils and fills one cup at a time. Had it years but they're still available to buy. I got is as my arthritic wrists make it risky pouring hot water from a heavy kettle

[Momo8]

For a cheap dish, mix 50g pine nuts, 80g basil, 50g parmesan, 150ml olive oil, 2 garlic cloves and 2 handfuls of hay.

Hay Pesto!

[Waystation]

@Momo8

Boil the kettle ten minutes before you fancy a cup of tea or coffee. When you actually come to make the drink, your kettle will take less time to boil, thus saving energy.

😂 😂 😂

[ChocolateCrepe]

I got the kids those blankets with arms from B&M the other day - £10 for smaller children and £12 for older ones, sorry I know that’s more expensive than the thread is supposed to be but that’s the cheapest I’ve seen them

Fluffy sheets for the DC to be warmer in bed (can’t afford to replace the whole bedding but just replacing the bottom sheet is making a difference)

I used to leave the bathroom light on overnight for the DC but I’ve recently bought a toilet bowl light and am seeing a difference in the electricity use

Lots of slow cooker meals - nice and warm and comforting and much cheaper to run than the oven

just going to hang around here now, I’m always on the hunt for more tips 😊

[Threadkillacilla]

Go to bed when the kids do if you can. It's warmer and saves electricity.

[Sunshineismyfriend]

@TooBigForMyBoots

Start saying Hello to other school mums (not the ones in a quiche). I know that this is a difficult thing for some, but the cold and dark is easier if the DC think it's an adventure and you have another adult to talk to.

You might strike it lucky and score a new friend in a different energy area.😁

This gave me a good chuckle. Thank you. I needed that. (Not the ones in a quiche 🤣)

[BiddyPop]

I agree with filling the oven if it is on. Dd makes baked potatoes on a Sunday for the next few days when cooking meat anyway, and I'll add a crumble or roasted veggies tray as well.

Or make lamb chops with small diced potatoes and roasted root veg for tonight but also roast some chicken to have in a salad or toss into a stir fry/sauce tomorrow (as just reheating, needs less time on the hob).

If you have an electric or a steamer pit for the hob, use all the tiers. Boil potatoes in the bottom and have your meat/fish next and veggies on top. So only using 1 ring.

[QuandaleDingle]

Some great ideas but isn't it awful we've come to this 😞

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

For women it is worth checking the men's jumper section in charity shops (in my opinion books and men's jumpers are the only bits worth looking at). I have beautiful pure wool jumpers in forest green and in heather from the men's rail - they only cost a couple of quid and since they are too big I run them through a warm wash and they shrink to my size. The wider arms and blouson shape look current, and I swear they are warmer than women's sweaters.

[BiddyPop]

Lots of modern appliances like washing machines and dishwashers have eco settings - using less water, lower temps etc. So check and see if yours have those (they may take longer to run).

And check that your freezer is not frosted over. It's a good idea to clean it out and defrost at. This time of year anyway, and have a week of "freezer surprise" meals (or 1 a week for the month to spread the pain and reduce the rebellion! 🤣).

[bbnotwo]

I saw someone use solar lights to light inside during the night. On windowsills during the day to charge and then in the evening bring them into the room. There are some that look like indoor lamps for like £10-12 but I dont see why some of the cheaper garden style ones you see in B&M/homebargains/poundland wouldn't do the same job.

[DoingJustFine]

I absolutely love threads like these.

I have a huge book of thrifty tips. The woman who wrote it was sooo thrifty when she first got married (washing out and reusing sandwich bags, for example) that they were able to buy their dream home in cash before they were 30. (They're in America though.)

I'll post some of her tips here later. The main one I remember is that you can add porridge oats to bulk out any mince dishes, like spag Bol or shepherd's pie. I do that all the time now and nobody ever notices.

[Sago1]

Meal planning saves me a lot of money, I started during lockdown and wish I’d done it years ago!
We waste nothing.

[ZeroFuchsGiven]

@Momo8

Boil the kettle ten minutes before you fancy a cup of tea or coffee. When you actually come to make the drink, your kettle will take less time to boil, thus saving energy.

What?

[Redsquirrel5]

I didn’t know you could buy them that cheaply. Thanks for that tip.

I am older so can remember other hard times and cold winters. Door curtain with linings of wool blankets. You can make your own from charity shops. Drought excluder on sitting room doors as well as the outside doors make a difference.
Puddings- filled my boys up on these. Some not mentioned yet are steamed puddings and the best one- Queen’s Pudding. Use the end of loaf break or whizz into bread crumbs, milk, two egg yolks then I sometimes put a large piece of lemon peel ( left over from pancakes, lemon pudding) then cook that till a skim, jam( if you stand a jar in hot water it spreads easier) spread over then whip the whites into meringue and back in. I used to make it for Sunday Lunch as the oven was already on and it meant they didn’t want( get) seconds of meat. There will be proper recipes on line. Mary Berry will have one. My son mentioned it recently as one of his favourite puddings and I laughed and told him why I made it so often. Treacle tart is another cheap one. Lemon Delicious.

My aunt was a Wren in WW11 and she could turn anything into a fantastic meal and she never wasted a thing. She also recycled wool, bread bags, string, buttons, cushion covers from scraps of fabric, soap, brown paper and some of these ideas rubbed off onto my sister’s and I.

Don’t throw away holey wool jumpers/cardigans as you can felt them in hot water/ washing machine and then use them for cushions, hats, blanket squares and draughty excluders. Once felted you can cut up and sew them together.

I start in September buying an extra tin, packet etc and putting in a box for Christmas then the food bill isn’t so much and you have some treats. I also make my own food hampers for my boys. I buy tins and jars, bags of pasta etc of their favourites when on special offer then decorate a cardboard box and add a few homemade biscuits, Chutney, Christmas Cake so they have something after Christmas Day ( they come here) and into January. That is their main gift if they don’t have a major request. We don’t buy each other very expensive presents and they have modest requests. A couple of smaller gifts too like Nordic socks, gloves, hats or books. Sometimes the eldest will have some money towards a course or a night in a pub/ bnb as he goes walking a lot.

A pop corn maker is a good present as they are quite cheap and making your own popcorn is really cheap. Great with a DVD for Jan/ Feb. I don’t know if they still do them but our local library has DVDs. Cheaper than buying them though I do see lots in the charity shops.

Someone said learn to knit. Yes or crochet. Charity shops have cheap wool and knitting and crocheting keeps you warm then you have a blanket, hat etc when you have finished.

Butchers and green grocers often mark their goods down on a Saturday afternoon. If I am in town I always call in. Mince, chicken, pork fillet all marked down bargains. I bought a free range organic chicken for £5 recently lasted days.

Get family to make a list of Christmas Wishes. Adults could make their own vouchers Eg. 4 hours babysitting. Cleaning help2hours, gardening help, paint a room. Then no one is wasting money on something.

[TollgateDebs]

I work supporting those in difficult circumstances and these are some of the things we recommend - Food pantries are worth joining and perhaps more than one, as they all do different types of food, clothing, items such as children's toys / Water tariffs, are you on the social tariff and are you one of those due a refund? / Mobile phone - on the UC tariff, can you move to one or reduce to a pay as you go, or use data only when near a public wi-fi source, including making wi-fi calls? / Council Tax are you on the support you should be and did you know there are council tax disregards for caring etc., which vary between authorities but can be worth checking for and that includes for those who may have been in care as a child, as some areas help with council tax up to the age of 25 (some offer 100% discount!) / household contents insurance - some housing associations offer a cheap scheme / furniture projects are good for more than furniture, including bedding, blankets, paint and diy materials for very little money / turn off your chargers and plugs / hippo in toilet cistern / can you share cooking with a neighbour or alternate households that means two families can keep warm with one set of heat / ASDA are selling very cheap brushed cotton sheets and duvets / solar lights can work indoors too after charging / local councils and housing associations have welfare funds to help with a number of household items and they are all sitting on pots of money as I type, so worth a call if you have a broken fridge, freezer or cooker broken / babybanks exist in many areas and these help with the early essentials. The Job Centres /DWP are also sitting on flexible funding and can help with buying clothing for work, mobile phones, funding essential training. Most housing associations have Money, Advice and Benefit Support, Employment and Training Support, Wellbeing Support, Tenancy Sustainment Support and can help with a huge range of issues, so if anyone here is a social housing tenant it is really worth checking what help is available to you. I hope some of this might help.