nick205
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 01:07 PM |
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Locost household budgetting ideas
Slightly inspired by this previous thread on Locost meals...
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=150596&page=2
In these tighter times, what measures have people taken to reduce household outgoings. There's the obvious things like switching enegery
suppliers, fitting more insulation, shopping around for better mortgage deals etc, but I'm wondering where else people have managed to trim the
fat or go without....?
Discuss.......
(Not sure what's going on with the bold type?)
[Edited on 28/2/11 by nick205]
[Edited on 28/2/11 by nick205]
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Rod Ends
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 posted on 28/2/11 at 01:18 PM |
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Locost Jacuzzi :
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tegwin
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 01:34 PM |
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Just re-done my house... Which was not cheap... but now I recon 70% of the bulbs are LEDs..
For example the hallways had 8 halogeon spots... 50w each = 400W.... LED bulbs are 3W each... 24W Yes they cost a pound more to buy but they should
last for years....
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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Richard Quinn
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 02:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Just re-done my house... Which was not cheap... but now I recon 70% of the bulbs are LEDs..
For example the hallways had 8 halogeon spots... 50w each = 400W.... LED bulbs are 3W each... 24W Yes they cost a pound more to buy but they should
last for years....
We did similar but found that due to the very white light my missus always "felt" colder and the heating was always turned up to
compensate 
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tegwin
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 02:27 PM |
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I quite like the white light but you can get warmer white ones now that better represent daylight... Give it another 5 years and we will start to see
more LEDs as standard, the technology behind them is one of the biggest growth areas in semi-conductors....
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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Richard Quinn
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 02:39 PM |
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I quite liked the light too. LEDs are becoming very impressive even now. I have a small torch with a single CREE LED that is more than 800 lumens.
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 02:46 PM |
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plenty of ideas.....
I find the best way to save is not spend. If that makes sense. Being an old fart I gave up spending real money on clothes and stuff on a regular
basis. Still like nice stuff, I just don't spend a lot of time shopping.
Keeping tabs on outgoings can be easy. Again I like going out and having a few beers, but hate paying too much for a pint. Takeaways are horrendously
expensive for what you get, and usually poor quality/high fat (but always tasty, and then you feel hungry soon after)
Try doing more stuff for yourself/avoid paying for jobs to be done is always good.
And even my kids have learn't the MSE thing. Do you need it, can you afford it, can you buy it cheaper elsewhere 
And yes, the LED bulbs are good, replaced the halogens in the kitchen, power requirement dropped from 280w to 24w  and still a good beam pattern and
they are the warm bulbs, still a bit whiter though.
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coozer
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 02:57 PM |
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Log burner. Stoke it up, turn the heating down. Job done, no more expensive winter bills.
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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hughpinder
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 03:50 PM |
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Always pay for everything in cash - suddenly things that seem cheap seem very expensive.
Or it always seems that way to me anyway
Hugh
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James
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 04:06 PM |
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My girlfriend and I spend about £50 a week on the weekly shop at Sainsbury's. That includes non-food stuff like cleaning products.
We probably could do it a bit cheaper but not without a significant drop off in quality/health benefit.
Pre-prepared products are either more expensive or less healthy than buying REAL fruit and veg and cooking them yourself. My girlfriend made a
beautiful veggie curry last night made from potatoes, chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot, peas, sweetcorn and sweet potato with rice. Was really healthy,
tasty, cost hardly anything and there was loads left for free lunches to eat at work this week.
Electric, gas and water bill are things to target but easy to find savings IMO.
Have a timer in the shower will save gas/elec.
Get/borrow an electric usage display. We were both pretty good with turning stuff off but you can actually see the benefits/cost of what you're
doing.
Minimise water use on washing up/watering garden, short showers instead of baths.
Turn the heating down just a degree or 2 and wear a jumper!
Insulate the house. Double glazing is expensive but will pay for itself if you're staying there a long time. Loft lagging is ridiculously cheap
and easy to fit.
I was told the other day that your water bill sewerage rate is less if you have a soakaway and you can even claim a rebate... not investigated yet but
I may be about to dig a soakaway! Free gym session and I bet you keep warm for free with the digging! lol
Cheers,
James
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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 04:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coozer
Log burner. Stoke it up, turn the heating down. Job done, no more expensive winter bills.
This last quarter my combined gas & electric bill is around £120 - £150 cheaper than last year, due to our wood burner. This sounds good - but
we've spent £120+ in wood! And this is from a local reputable supplier who's far cheaper than the on-line suppliers. It also
doesn't include the cost of installing the burner.
The main difference is that the heat is now the right place in the house, i.e. in the lounge. We open the door into the hall when the lounge gets too
warm, and the rest of the house gets enough heat to make it comfortable. Our central heating isn't on very often - 1 hour in the morning to
make getting up comfortable, and 1 hour at bedtime, if it bothers to turn on (the thermostat is in the hall, just outside the lounge, so if the
fire's going it stays off.
We could make more impressive savings if we sourced our own wood, but then you have the faff of drying it for at least 6 months before burning it.
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Benzine
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 06:01 PM |
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Charity shop clothes
Woodburner & use offcuts/found/collected wood (open fires or 'sky heaters' can be as bad as 10% efficient, burners 70% or more)
Eat less/no meat
Buy second hand where possible
Shower less
Something I've never understood is "oh the *insert room* needs redecorating" when it's perfecly fine. Leave it.
I've had fun making our new dining table out of a huge cable reel, cost nothing as the reel was saved from being burned, very sturdy and round
tables are awesome.
Above all "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without"
[Edited on 28/2/11 by Benzine]
The mental gymnastics a landlord will employ to justify immoral actions is clinically fascinating. Just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
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snapper
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 06:10 PM |
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I had the cavity Walls done last year, can feel the difference already and only cost £130
Going to double the loft next then will look at individual programable radiator stats
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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blakep82
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 06:25 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
Woodburner & use offcuts/found/collected wood (open fires or 'sky heaters' can be as bad as 10% efficient, burners 70% or more)
...
Eat less/no meat
...
I've had fun making our new dining table out of a huge cable reel, cost nothing as the reel was saved from being burned, very sturdy and round
tables are awesome.
wait a minute! but you could have burned the reel and sorted your heating out  and why do you need a table if you're eating less?
when you're at the table, do you pretend you're king arthur, and Innes can be one of the knights of the round table. i forget his name,
was it sir mixalot?  or sir boss, off of "a knight in camelot"? not to be confused with a night in paris...
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 06:27 PM |
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1) I can fill a large slow cooker with the makings of a beef/lamb stew ( diced meat, carrots, parsnips, turnip, peas, onion and spuds) for about £3.
This makes enough for about five or six good helpings. So that's 50p per meal + crusty bread and butter.
I eat a couple and freeze the rest for some point in the future.
2) Armani jeans; £185, Tesco jeans: £3, saving £182 a pair.
3) Low energy bulbs, soon to follow in others footsteps and make the move to LEDs.
4) Masses of insulation, compliments of EU grants.
Items 3 and 4 have saved me over £20 a month my combined gas and electric bills.
5) 90 cm Stainless hob (12 weeks old. ) off Frecycle. Saved me well over £200.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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richardh
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 06:50 PM |
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1) done the bulbs as per above
2) more loft insulation at £3 per roll (8 rolls job done)
3) re-balanced the radiators in the house and its made a huge difference on the heat/warmth and consequently the boiler is not on as long
4) bought radflex for £20 that does 10 radiators. noticable difference on convected heat.
5) our timer is a dual thingy (oil fired system with hot water cylinder and CWSC) i only have ability to set 2 times per day for on/off on both so
i've taken to turning the hot water off after 30 mins in am and same pm
as the hot water vessel is a performance one it only takes 6-10 mins to get up to 60 degrees anyway
big saving her i reckon
6) bought some remote control power socket things - saves me reaching behind the telly etc to turn off the tv (it only has standby), dvd, sky, hdd
recorder etc
other things include spending lessm on shopping, changed to morrisons from tescos as a lot cheaper for the stuff we normally get, less lights on than
norm, pc settings set to lower power and less bright screen, anything that was turned on in other rooms is now on timers or off, outside pond
pump/filter now only on for 1/2 a day and not constant.
still thinking of other things to do like find a bloody job etc
Time for a change!
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JoelP
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 07:24 PM |
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swapped kenco for sainsburys coffee - not bad really!
Once the mobile is out of contract, swap it for a lower tarrif, you can get ample allowances for £8.50, maybe less. Plus i bought my last phone for £4
brand new.
Getting the cavity walls surveyed in a few weeks, should be £99.
Plus the other end of the stick, i always ask customers if they want any other work doing!
Did a canny balance transfer, paid off the credit card with my bank overdraft, then straight back again at 0% for 15 months.
Make the wife wear a jumped rather than turning the heating up - humanity is in a glutenous little pothole at the min. We always used to be cold, then
in recent years of luxury using cheap energy we got used to being coddled. Now its apparent we cannot just waste energy like we have become
accustomed.
If its cold enough to leave the heating on all night, i turn off the big rad in the living room.
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Benzine
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| posted on 28/2/11 at 11:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
when you're at the table, do you pretend you're king arthur
of course christmas cracker crowns make it even better!
The mental gymnastics a landlord will employ to justify immoral actions is clinically fascinating. Just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
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Alan B
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 02:17 AM |
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Don't waste money on expensive personalised number plates...
Simply change your name.
Regards,
Mr K 541 RGT
(ex viz...)
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FASTdan
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 07:27 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
Charity shop clothes
Woodburner & use offcuts/found/collected wood (open fires or 'sky heaters' can be as bad as 10% efficient, burners 70% or more)
Eat less/no meat
Buy second hand where possible
Shower less
Something I've never understood is "oh the *insert room* needs redecorating" when it's perfecly fine. Leave it.
I've had fun making our new dining table out of a huge cable reel, cost nothing as the reel was saved from being burned, very sturdy and round
tables are awesome.
Above all "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without"
[Edited on 28/2/11 by Benzine]
Just wood on a wood burner isnt particularly efficient I find - especially if the wood is just a bit damp (hard to avoid depending how stored). You
end up having to leave the air vent open to generate decent heat or have it stacked high with logs (£).
I find a mix of coal/coke whatever and wood works well, get a hot bed of coals going, air vent turned right down and then just add the odd log for
effect. Wouldnt be without ours.
NEW danST WEBSITE NOW LIVE! Bike carbs, throttle bodies and more......
http://www.danstengineering.co.uk/
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Fozzie
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 10:00 AM |
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Home made soups here...'big' soup....nice and chunky......you don't need loads of different veggies either.
It's surprising how far a couple of carrots, leeks, tatties, sprig of broccoli and a sprig of cauliflower go.....
not to mention shredded cabbage!
Make a massive pot of the 'basic' ..then divide it down......one could be veggie soup, one with added tin of cheapie toms
and baby pasta and a touch of Italian herbs is minestrone .... another with added curry powder turns into veggie muligatawny.
If you have the odd bit of chicken left over, dice it fairly small and voila chicken an veg soup.
I have found Knorr stock cubes to be the best and most efficient for this.
Or.....a fav of mine....a pile of chopped carrots.....and a small diced potato ....sweet potato is especially good....
cover with water, add a vegetable knorr stock cube, cook til tender, let it cool....don't drain it.........add a bit of fresh
chopped corriander ( a pinch of dried is ok), and whizz with a stick blender......if you have a dollop of creme freche in the fridge
add that...( not essential...just a bit more ooomph).
That and a jacket tattie is good and filling .... or..make a pile of mash dollop it in the middle of the soup bowl, and pour the soup around
it.......
The light bulbs are a problem for me sadly as the new energy ones are of the flourescent.(sp) variety...and that is a major migraine
trigger for me ..... ...and I believe for a good few peeps.....
Fozzie
[Edited on 1-3-11 by Fozzie]
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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tegwin
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 10:16 AM |
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Fozz.... Worth looking at LED lighting... you might have issues with the mains voltage ones as they flicker at supply frequency 50hz... but you can
get controlers for the low voltage 12V ones that have much higher frequencies.... So you wont notice the flicker!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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nick205
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 10:42 AM |
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Excellent ideas here peeps!
1. Liking the LED lghtbulb idea - already changed to low energy throughout the house apart from 400W of GU50 halogen's in the kitchen which are
the most used in the house so will be looking at this change very soon.
2. Some excellent receipies there for SWMBO to crack on with (no sexism here, I'm just not encouraged into the cooking domain).
3. @ richardh - will be investigating this radflx you speak as well.
Cheers all and keep them coming.
Nick
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martinq357
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 10:56 AM |
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Since I've had my leg in plaster for the past 5 weeks, we've had more time to plan our meals & I've not been able to pop into
the supermarket on the way home from work (this is what costs the money, all those little things you can do without).
For 2 adults & 3 kids we were spending about £120+ a week on food & sundries, usually in Tesco's....
We've been shopping on-line at ASDA & have shaved at least £20 a week off of that, even with delivery (manage to book the cheapest slot at
£3.50 a go).
We generally don't buy processed food and try to cook as many meals as possible from scratch. Particular favourite of the kids is Fajitas using
wraps, some left over chicken from the previous days roast & onions/peppers. Add some rice, tortillas, home made salsa & cheese and they have
great fun trying to fit it all together, the mess can be, er, interesting but they've had a really balanced meal & enjoyed it!
The only downside is yesterdays saga, 8 items were missing and you end up on hold to a call centre based outside the UK.....
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Peteff
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| posted on 1/3/11 at 06:12 PM |
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Get rid of the washer, dryer and iron and simply take your clothes to OXfam. Buy them back next day when they have been laundered.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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