Weather not too good this morning, raining, it may clear later. I've had some questions from a reader, which I will answer here.
Am I using energy any differently now to when I first started on my frugal journey?
Last winter was very cold so I did use a bit more. Also my emergency fund looked very healthy so I reckoned I could afford more heat. I still can't bring myself to leave the heating on over longer periods of time because there are other alternatives to keeping warm, such as wearing more clothes, and moving about more. I am not one to sit on the sofa huddled under a duvet with all the doors shut. All my doors are open, I am not going to walk from a warm room into a cold room, and back again.
I don't put curtains up over doors, or use draught excluders along the bottom, can't be doing with struggling to get in and out moving things out of the way. I put my heating on when I am cold, and switch it off when the house is warm, same as I have always done. A prolonged period of time in a centrally heated place is not healthy. Being outdoors is healthy, when you are well wrapped up and moving.
When I first had to tighten the purse strings I didn't have central heating, it packed up and I managed without it for three years. I didn't get it repaired because I couldn't afford to. Then I got a new boiler and hot water tank free, from a Warm Front grant. I was awarded £3,500 which also paid for loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.
I am in a good position now, I can afford heat, can afford to pay a standing charge, but then I think why should I when there is a cheaper alternative. Why should I pay more than I need to. It's just my way of thinking.
Do I use gas for anything else, cooking, hot water?
I use the hobs on the gas cooker, and the grill, but not the oven. My food is simple, I can make perfectly good food without baking or roasting it for an hour or so. For a single person I think it is not worth putting the oven on. I use the microwave every morning to heat a mug of water for my coffee, and use it to heat food. I have a gas fire in the living room, which I haven't used for ages. It has been checked, I have a gas plumber who does an annual service.
I heat a tank full of water when I am having a bath, which is once a week. Just like the old days when we used to do this at home as kids. In between baths. I wash my grubby and smelly bits in a sink or bowl of hot water which I heat with a kettle. I wash my hair over the kitchen sink when it needs it, in between baths. I have a shower over the bath but it started acting up about ten years ago so I stopped using it. I don't like showers anyway, much prefer relaxing in a bath and having a good scrub.
I don't need constant hot water. I rinse my pots, pans, crockery, and cutlery under a tap as soon as I have finished with them. I don't have dirty pots stacked up waiting to be washed. If I have been eating anything which is slightly greasy, which is not very often, I have a toilet roll on the kitchen worktop and give the plate or pan a wipe with two squares before I rinse it. Once a week I boil the kettle and dunk things in a bowl of hot water. As I am cooking for one, I use the same pots and pans all the time, I have got rid of my surplus, I only need two of everything, with an assortment of cutlery.
To sum up, I am careful with my use of water, gas, and electricity, mainly because I don't like waste of any kind. The way I do things hasn't changed a lot over the years, it's just that the pressure is off to be super frugal. Can't think of anything else, thank you for the questions. Feel free to comment, but if you question or criticize my personal hygiene, or or tell me it's a wonder I haven't poisoned myself, I am not inviting you to come and sniff my armpits, or eat the food from my kitchen.
The weather has worsened since I started this, we've just had a snow shower. I'm going to feed the guinea pigs, will take my breakfast with me and sit with them for an hour. ilona
PS. It is snowing right now.
Funny but not funny.
12 hours ago
You have it sussed Ilona. We don't use our heating until it gets really cold as we have a wood burner that spreads heat around. Like you we have cavity wall and insulated windows plus we leave doors open between rooms but do find in our spare bedroom (bungalow) there's a cold spot in one corner on the ceiling and top of the walls it goes slightly manky mouldy where the warm air hits the cold air. To stop this we have a greenhouse heater plugged in which works OK. We do open the windows on good weather days but it happens every winter.
ReplyDeleteBrrrr - it sounds chilly! It's lovely and sunny down south but also cold.
ReplyDeletexx
Thats how I feel about wastage,be it gas,electric,food,clothing ect.Nothing is wasted in my house now.And Ive got you to thank for that since I found you on here a few years ago.I havent bought kitchen roll for quite a few years now because next door gives me his newspapers every few weeks,and I scrunch a sheet up and wipe any gravy or grease of a plate before washing them.I wipe the cooker top down with diluted washing up liquid and newspaper,and clean the windows the same way.I dont have an oven,so I dont have to worry about cleaning that,lol.We eat well and healthy,everything cooked from fresh.My mind is set at what ever we need or do,is there a cheaper way of doing it.We have fixed the boiler twice ourselves in the last few weeks by looking on Youtube.A simple job,which would have cost maybe over a £100,if we had got a plumber out! Well,its spitting with rain here in Leicester at the min.and very cold so I hope that we dont get snow!.xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for reply Ilona. I am currently staying with relatives not too far from your region, north bank, but there's no sign of snow here. People laughed when I said it will snow soon, it's very grey and wet though. Thanks for the reply and tips. I take it the insulation has helped. I am soon to move house and the new place only has gas c/h. I was thinking about a log burner then I can burn waste paper and have heat when I want it. I hear they are cost effective.
ReplyDeleteThink carefully about a log burner, the initial cost is very expensive, and do you want the extra hassle of cleaning it out. There are reports at the moment that log burners are contributing to polluting the atmosphere. You have to be careful what you burn.
DeleteThere was awful creosote puffy dangerous stuff falling down the chimney a couple of years ago after burning some bad coal.The chimney had to be profesionally swept 3 times before it was safe.I was terrified.Now the only thing is used is seasoned dry logs which aren't cheap x
Deletehi ilona mayze and heidi - yes its cold here today we had frost overnight. like you i do the same only put heating on if its getting cold and careful with it. my two cats want to stay in more these days and who can blame them. i thank you for all the tips you give which are really helpful wash downs were the norm when i was growing up. we are almost the same age so i know what you mean. make do and mend is great why waste anything food included. have a lovely weekend loved your photos of nature so beautiful. love liz amy and sleepy benny.xxxx
ReplyDeleteSNOW! oh good grief! that's much too early.
ReplyDeleteYou do so well with your energy savings. Didn't like my last electric bill - I think I'm having the TV on to keep me company a lot when I wouldn't have done before. Hopefully I'll get used to being alone some time and cope more with the quiet - It's not 6 months yet
I'm sure that's it. My mum definitely became more of a TV watcher after my dad died. For my own part I listen to the radio a lot.
DeleteIt's certainly cold here and I am keeping the heat on very low with a hot water bottle and my crochet blanket over my legs, The sky looks like snow - I am glad I could get my daffs in before yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the tips Ilona.
Hazel c uk
DH was a pilot (USA) He once came back from training with a report from NASA stating the best ways to sleep. It said that 62 degrees Fahrenheit was the optimal temperature for sleep. I believe it's lower. I like a cool room. Personally, I can't stand having the heat on. I refuse to have it on at night unless our pipes are in danger of freezing. We have quilts, cats and dogs to keep us warm. We have forced air heating (electric) and a woodstove. I could go all winter here without turning on the heat, just lighting a small fire in the woodstove during the day when it gets cold. Agree with you about it being unhealthy to be in a heated place for prolonged periods. Granted, I'm in a fairly mild climate (Seattle, WA, USA area), but I sleep with a window open all year round, no matter the temperature. When we lived in New England, even in the sub-freezing weather, I insisted that when the heat was on, any room that had a baby sleeping in it would have a window at least cracked open for air flow. Now my kids sleep with their windows open too! It's healthier to sleep in cooler temps. I'm also not the type to sit it a closed off room. I don't cover my windows either, just blinds on the west to keep the sun out of our eyes when it's setting. Windows were meant to be open in my opinion. Now air conditioning--I loosen up the purse strings for that! Not so much here, as by nightfall, even in a mid 80's Fahrenheit day, we'll hit 50's, but in the southwest and New England, all bets are off. I can put up with the heat during the day, but I have to have it cool to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI had to bring my washing in off the line today- its now hanging on a ceiling rail.Also lit the first fire of the autumn in the woodburner but the rest of the house is cold x
ReplyDeleteOK, Ilona, I admit that I have my furnace on in winter, the AC in summer, the water heater all the time, and the oven if I need it. That said, I can afford to do this because I have always been frugal in other ways. These things are important to me...the other things are not.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that wasn't mentioned is garbage/trash removal. If you do not generate much trash, it doesn't cost much to have it removed. I recycled a lot when it didn't do me any good financially...but now it does! The city where we recently moved has curbside recycling and everyone gets a big bin. I knew I would be filling it up, so I got the smallest wheelie bin for garbage. You are charged according to the size of the bin, and I am the only person in the neighborhood with the tiny one. And it only goes out half-full every week...but the recycling bin is full every time it is picked up. Our new house has a garbage disposal, but I hardly ever use it. Most of the kitchen scraps are being fed to the compost bin (which is actually 3 plastic garbage cans with holes drilled in them).
Now, about those baths...I swear they are good for my mental health, LOL.
Where I live we don't pay extra for removal of general household waste, our recycle bins and one general bin for landfill are taken away by the council. We pay council tax for that. I have heard that in other parts of the UK there is an extra charge for the garden waste bin to be emptied.
DeleteIf we have any large items to get rid of we get two items per year taken away free by the council, any more and we either have to pay for, or take it ourselves to the Council dump, which is free.
PS--Ilona, I turn the heat down to 62F at night. And I sleep with two little dogs, too! I live in a colder climate than you, but we haven't had snow yet. We usually get some in early November.
ReplyDeleteI have great admiration for you Ilona. You are my hero. True. My life has changed enormously since I started reading your posts (and Frugal Queen's). Whilst I work, my pay isn't huge and for years we had massive medical and allied health expenses that had to be paid for (we don't have 100% cover where I live and there are a lot of out of pocket expenses). To get through I had to tighten the spending on the wants. At one point I became very aware of the need to take care of the environment. This happened during a prolonged drought that brought on a serious need to save water. It was then I scoured your blog to see how you do things and I followed suit. The drought passed and good years returned until now when it seems we are heading for an even bigger drought. From you I learnt not to waste but to conserve. Some people call it frugalism, I call it conservationism. When I buy the ‘yellow sticker’ foods I think of saving these foods from landfill; when I cut up old clothing to make shopping bags I know I am not adding to the plastic waste clogging waterways; and when I sponge bath instead of shower I know I have water for the plants that are desperate for a drink. I don’t buy new and I use everything up (I could do even more if I had the time). I am now thinking about retirement but I’m not dreaming of cruises and jetting off to see the world; I’m thinking of walking holidays and maybe even getting a tricycle to go on cycling holidays. Oh, they will have a little laugh and giggle about my ways and talk about me behind my back but I won’t give a damn. Frugality has taught me that I can live an abundant life without being materialistic. There is so much joy in learning to do what you can with what you have available to you. You have been an enormous influence on me and I will be always grateful to you. Thank you Ilona.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you Cheryl Jane.Ilonas blog has changed my life too.I wish that I had done this way of life 40 years ago!But still never too late to see just how much life can give you without spending loads of money.xx
DeleteThank you Cheryl and Debi, I'm chuffed xxx
Deletelove your comment CJane! I have changed a lot of things thx to MQ's tips, and am sure this has saved me racking up debts since losing my job a while back. I no longer automatically switch on the heat when it gets cold but have adopted the 'MQ way' of layering-up (and putting my clothes under the duvet the night before to warm up!). Thanks for the great blog, with no annoying adverts either!!
DeleteWe don't waste fuel or anything to be honest, we use fuel as and when needed, our house gets the sun most of the time and heats upto around 19/22 degrees if it's out all morning. If it's not then we wear layers, they are better than just a thick jumper, heat gets trapped between the layers. Socks and slippers to keep our feet warm, if you wear a pair of tights under your trousers that helps too. We too have the internal doors open so when the sun moves around the house we get the free heat. I've not had the central heating on since March, when it does go on it will be for a couple of hours in the evening and morning if no sun. I batch cook food to save on fuel too, if I've had the oven on then the door is left open when I've finished to heat the kitchen. Thank you for all your tips Ilona x
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure, glad it has helped.
DeleteSome really good replies and comments here. I’m very careful in the way that the other readers are too. I’ve just come back this evening from babysitting fir my daughter - heat on full blast made me feel ill I couldn’t wait to get back into the cold. I think it’s what you acclimatise to . I’m in bed now lovely and warm in my freezing bedroom - just how I like it. Goodnight Illona x
ReplyDeleteI do have my heating on but it is turned way down and I cut the hours way back. I finally got smart a few years ago when I started leaving my shutters shut all day while I'm away at work. Where I live (in France) we have shutters on all the windows so I just open up one for the plants and keep the rest closed while I am at work all day. I too wear plenty of clothes and keep myself warm that way (or moving around). I hate an overwarm house. My ex and I were polar opposites in so many ways so now I can do as I please. I'll be retiring at Christmas and on a lot less money but being frugal over the years has not only paid off my house in 7 years instead of 17 (after I bought him out in the divorce) but shown me how little I really need to live on.
ReplyDeleteWell done you. You're in a good position now to enjoy the rest of your life.
DeleteIlona’s blog has been a great source of inspiration for me too. I think I found it at the right time in my life and it’s really helped to focus on my priorities. I’ve learnt to shop in charity shops and buy yellow stickers, to value financial independence and my time over flashy materialistic goods and for that I’ll remain ever grateful.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can confirm that Ilona does not smell and her kitchen is actually very clean-hehehe!
Best wishes,xxxx
Thank you SS. xxxx
DeleteWe have two wood stoves, cook on the kitchen stove, plus hot water, and dry clothes on it too. The wood here is very cheap and prolific, and the ash goes on the veggie plot. We also pile on the layers, socks etc. There is no way we would pay for gaz/oil/'leccy heating I'm afraid - OH's pension wouldn't stretch that far, and I've still over 2 years to go for mine. Anyway, we don't need extra heating - we are extremely frugal!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say your blog has changed my life, Ilona...but it has given me reinforcement that being frugal about even the little details is a smart thing. And that frugality adds up!
ReplyDeleteI've particularly enjoyed your travel posts -- making it clear you can travel on a limited budget -- and your grocery markdowns. (This is one of my favorite areas to save.) We make a game to see how long we can keep the heat off in the fall. So far, with the exception of a few weeks, when I was out of town and Husband said it went down to the 20s (Colorado), we haven't used the heat since mid-spring. And our utility bills show it.
I enjoy your posts a lot ! on this specific one I disagree on one point , it is the use of the oven , even for one person . But then , I like to cook , so I may have a different point of view . If you roast a big tray of vegetables , practically any vegetable , you will get a good amount of delicious roasted veggies that you can store in the fridge and use in many ways for several days. Most taste much better this way!
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