Oven vs hot pot and other money saving tips

Slow cooking is delightful.

Coming home to the gorgeous cosy smell of a stew that's been cooking all day when you're cold, tired & it's already dark, is one heck of a welcome.

But what's the cost difference between using your oven & your slow cooker?

Your 'ot pot will cost you about 15p on slow for 8 hours & a regular oven will cost you approx 40p for a half hour use.

There are if's, but's and maybe's on this one but as a general rule of thumb a slow cooker is way more efficient even when it's on all day.

The only snag is getting up earlier to get it prepped & in!

What's your fave recipe?

We love the leftovers from a roast beef on a Sunday, cut into pieces and chucked in the pot with root veg, gravy, splosh of Worcestershire sauce, a splosh of red wine (if there's any left after a family roast) and a sprig of Rosemary. Ladle over buttery mash & serve with cavelo nero *drooling just writing it

So what else?

How about your dishwasher vs washing up?

It is cheaper by far to use a dishwasher woo hooo!!!!!

By 4 times if you need a few facts & figs.

The most efficient full sized dishwashers use almost 10 times less water than slimline versions. AND slimline versions use about half the water you would use for the same volume of handwashing.

We're all pretty much paying the same for our electricity unless you're still enjoying a pre October fixed rate. With that in mind each full load in your dishwasher will use 1-2 kwh (kilowatt hour) so that's around 30p.

So Christmas Day night you'll probably spend about 90p on your trusty kitchen friend!!

(Or Boxing day morning if those Christmas Negroni's just slip down)

Another family staple is that tumble dryer.

One cycle will use approx 4.5 kwh of electricity depending on your machine. With electricity units around 22p each if you're on a variable tariff, that's about £1 each time (and a bit for your standing charges) Doesn't sound so bad until you realise you do how many loads a month?

I love our heated towel rail from Lakeland it dries cotton T's, undies etc in a few hours so costs around 15p. Towels & bed linen takes longer but still about 50p, much less than a tumble. Make sure your washing machine is really spinning all excess water out as this obviously impacts on drying time.

On yesterday's lunchtime news - slightly scarier news than what I reported a couple of weeks ago. Domestic energy prices are going up by as much as £900 next April!!!!

Medium use is around £600 extra - so that's around £1800 a year we will be paying.

That's twice what our bills were a year ago *sob

For sure this is going to have an impact on all our home budgeting, do you look at your yearly budgeting in advance? Or do you just go month to month?

I'm doing a budgeting series after Christmas, some lives, blogs and plenty of social media support do come and have a look.

These will complement my already done-for-you excel budget planners.

I've created two so far and they focus on your season of life not on the style of budgeting. Falling in love with forward planning means it has to wrap around you like a blanket, filling you with feelings of comfort & reassurance. Not making you do all the work from scratch - you're busy enough aren't you?

With home electricity and gas please keep me in mind because there may be a wonderful update in January to help you with. UW have a conference in Jan and there is often either a new product or a new way of helping us all to save more money showcased and it has an immediate effect. As it is now, collectively, I can help you save more than you’re paying with your broadband mobile & energy, that’s guaranteed.

When is your broadband due for renewal?

Because we combine these essential services you get the best deal possible. Please message me if you’ve questions - I will help you even if I can’t help you if that makes sense!

Here is the news broadcast that I recorded straight from the telly if you've not seen it:

You've probably got my number as we're all friends so feel free to message me if you fancy a chat. If we're not that personally acquainted yet you are most welcome to book in a time to chat here:

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Have a wonderful weekend and I'll write to you again soon

Lucy x