Trying to Save Energy - Outline Plans

What are you planning for your family to try and counteract the projected massive increases to energy costs and costs of living generally?  

These days I live in a three-bedroom rented terrace house which is over 150 years old.  Originally these houses were heated by fires, with fires in two of the three bedrooms and downstairs in the Lounge and the Back Room.  There was also a fire in the kitchen (I assume to a stove).  There are remains of chimney stacks in the house although they have never been in operation since we have been here (some 35 years). So much as I would love a fire in both rooms to heat the house, it would cost an awful lot of money to put the chimneys that remain into proper working order.  Both would need chimney liners.  However, I think it would sort this house out where the heating was concerned.

In summer, this house is relatively cool, and in Winter it gets very cold especially in the kitchen and bathroom annexe which is downstairs. I also feel the cold terribly (medical conditions), but I also do not put the heating on just for the sake of it.  Am quite happy to put a thick jumper or two on and sit with a blanket and a hot water bottle to keep me warm. 

I am mindful of energy costs going up astronomically and am going to share some of the strategies I am going to use to save time, power and energy. I still intend to preserve items, however I will be more selective about what I am actually preserving and how I utilise relevant equipment.  Some things might have to go by the bye.  However, I still intend to do some.

We also have to use what we have available to us.  Remember, we are not all so lucky, but it does not mean we have to be ungrateful or inconsiderate of others.  We can only do what we do, and at the end of the day, it will be a means to an end and about getting through no matter what.

I have a very good Thermos flask that we take with us when we go out and about which we fill with hot water, and then take our thermos mugs, and coffee and tea with milk and sugar with us when we go out anywhere (think small picnic basket here).  In the house however, it will be used just for storing the hot boiled water to save boiling up the kettle unnecessarily.

The Thermos cups (have lids) and keep our drinks lovely and warm for ages. When I use the kettle, I intend to boil a full kettle, use what I need, and then put the residue in the thermos flask.  If I want another drink later on, I can then make one without having to boil the kettle again whether this be an electric kettle or a hob kettle.  I have always kept a hob kettle as in the past we have had electric cuts and not had the ability to make a warm drink.  A warm drink can make all the difference.  In those circumstances and fortunately, I have still been able to make a drink with my Gas hob.

I intend to make use of my slow cookers, I have always been an advocate of the slow cooker and not just for cooking, but for crafts too.  At one stage I had five different sized slow cookers.  I am now down to three.  I also will use my Ninja Foodie and my Microwave in preference to my Electric cooker and my main Gas cooker where I can.  I think because everything is going up so much, that I am going to do a bake once a week for a bit of cake, pastries, pudding etc.  Baked goods are going up astronomically in price to buy already made.  As long as I can get the ingredients reasonably priced, I intend to do a bake alongside cooking a roast dinner or a meal that can be had for two days. I already do one big cook up on a Sunday, as it is more time efficient and certainly more efficient on the energy usage. We then repeat the meal on Monday night, and it is just then "pinged" in the microwave. Quickly heated, and a quick tea when time is of the essence.

When using the cooker, there are tips to keep the energy to a minimum.  Use those saucepan lids and the water will boil quicker and the food will be cooked quicker.  Use one ring, and a steamer tray or two on top.  Keeps the costs down and steamed veggies are far better for you. When you boil an egg switch the pan off half-way through the boil (timing period) the egg will continue cooking on residual heat.  Same with other pans.  I am lucky enough to have a double oven.  During the week we tend to use the small one if using at all.  For a big roast meal and baking (done at the same time) get the most out of that oven. Plan out what you are going to bake and put like things of same temperature together, be sensible about using it. When we first moved into this house the cooker was supplied with the house, however it was not a full-sized oven.  Feeding a family of four with that oven meant I had to learn how to juggle food in and out and coming up with various other ideas along the way and making the most of the equipment available to us.

I also have an electric three tier steamer which I have always used as well.  I may or may not use this as I think the Ninja would more than compensate for this with me being able to cook a full meal in it and of course there is the Pressure cooker facility on this too which means nice hot curries, stews, soups etc. for the winter months, and not just for one meal either.

Electric lights, our back room is our-through room and rather dark even in daylight.  We tend to leave that light on more than any other light in the house for getting through to the kitchen. I am terrible at falling over my feet on a regular basis, therefore it is better for me to see where I am actually going We have small torches.  It may be that we will employ those rather than put the main light on in the future. However, in the lighter rooms I do not use the electric unless I cannot see. We are mindful of not having all the lights on. Unplug those appliances that you are not using.  I have a supply of candles for cheaper lighting if needs be.  I am quite content to watch TV without the light on or to just sit by candlelight.  Can be very soothing and peaceful.  I have the light on when I am crafting though so I can see what I am doing. However, I have seen an old idea for creating a decent light for crafting which utilises a large Goldfish type bowl, water for reflection in the base of it and a candle.  Might just have to try that one out.  I have a Goldfish bowl somewhere! 

If you have children, make an adventure of it and use it to spend quality family time together. The way you respond to situations is indirectly picked up by the youngsters.  If you are positive about it, this will teach them to cope and overcome situations when they are older.  I remember in the 1970s the Miners Strikes and lack of coal to fire the power stations, which led to power cuts all over the country for two or three days at a time.  The house we lived in was oil fired central heating with an electric ignition. My father being an Engineer found a way around this, which was not strictly kosher, but he was intent on keeping us warm where he could.  We also used the Lounge in the house as the main room we were all in. We were not allowed to be in our bedrooms, we had to be together.  Dad and Mum made light of it.  The room was lit by a couple of Gas Tilley Lamps, we talked, we played games, we communicated, but most of all we got through it.

Keep warm. Make yourself as comfy as possible. Use hot water bottles and rugs when sitting down. Have the heating on, but not as high.  If you have a fire all well and good cuddle up.  Try and keep everyone together in one room.  Better to have one room really warm and cosy and limit the costs.  Keep doors closed.  Use draught excluders at the bottom of doors. Put up thick door curtains. I have these to make, which will not take me much time when I get going. I have fleece curtains at the back door and the doorway in the dining room that goes into the kitchen.  I am making new draught excluders for both of these doors though.  I also have fleece fabric for the front room door as well and for the dining room/kitchen connection door which is where it gets really cold. The curtains and the draught excluders both help to keep the house warmer. Some houses are really draughty (because they have a good airflow under the floorboards that is what those ventilation bricks are there for) to keep the substructure in good condition.

Use of a Freezer if you have one.  Always keep the Freezer full.  Even if it is empty, fill it up with loaves of sliced bread or bottles of milk or even water. Better to fill a full space rather than an empty one.  If you are paying out to use it, use it to its full potential and get the most out of it.

Make yogurt with the aid of a vacuum flask, for the price of blanching a quantity of milk and a kettle full of hot water. You then let the yogurt sit overnight in a warm environment without any extra fuel costs. Full details of how to do this will be covered in a separate post.

There are a whole host of other strategies that you can employ to deal with limitations, but these are the ones that spring to mind when initially exploring the ways to reduce energy consumption. Everything you can do in the lighter nights to make the winter nights more bearable is worth it. When things are glum, days seem to take forever to get through, so get as much as you are able to do out of the way with now, which will then give time to focus on other items as they crop up.

It is going to be a worrying time for all.  However, even though we may be focused on our own immediate problems, keep an eye on those less fortunate than ourselves, especially the elderly who are on their own.  It is the company that is needed as people get older, and even if you invite them in for a meal just for a short while, that time and kindness helps the longer grey days go that much faster.  It is always the weekends that are the killers.

We need to be hands on and practical and not scaremongering, but we all need to be responsible for our households.  I think reliance on the Government putting in the proper measures is pie in the sky at the moment.  We are viewed as the Land of Plenty. However, what this country needs are proper sub-structures that will provide for all to have the basics in this country without having to pay through the nose and without losing quality of life. Food - there is so much waste, and it is so unnecessary. The War Years in this country although terribly tough, meant that people did take responsibility for growing their own, and doing their bit.  My Nan worked at the NAAFI during the War years.  She was also a cook at the village school.  My Pop was restricted trade he was a Fitter Engineer but he was also in the Homeguard.  There was a Lancaster Air Base directly behind where they lived, and they bought many a young pilot home to get them off base and to give them a meal.  Many did not return.  They always grew their own and looked after others in the village as well.

This year I did not grow anything as I was going to be away for a significant period of time in the Spring/Summer months.  It is a decision which in some respects I regret, but it is not the end of the world.  I am still sourcing ingredients to make the things we need where I can and am lucky with the Pantry stock I have managed to put down so far.  For that I am grateful.

The Christmas Cakes and Christmas puddings are also going to be made earlier this year.  I am going to get these out of the way with as they need a bit of cooking both in the oven and for the puddings.  However, they do store incredibly well in a cold place if overwrapped with greaseproof and foil.  No extra energy costs to be expended in the storage.

Are you planning to put in place any strategies to save the energy and the pennies for your family.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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