Considering the budget

Yesterday I was making lunch, and I was shocked as I tallied up the electricity. As it is a basement kitchen I needed the light on. Then the washing machine and tumble drier were both on - if I am going to tumble dry then the warm air coming out of the separate drier is very welcome. The toaster and the microwave were both on as I was making 'poached' eggs on toast for the lunch. Then I thought about the dehumidifiers (very inexpensive to run, but not free), computers, televisions, radio alarms, etc and shivered. I could almost hear my purse emptying.

Clothes have to be clean, so I will do a regular trick and wash dirtier clothes for longer, rather than at higher temperature. I believe that a lot of the energy in a washing machine goes to heating the water. And sometimes I will need to use a drier, especially at this time of year, but if I were more organised I could dry more on airers. I will get in the habit of feeding the washing machine often. The exercise of hunting all over the house for OH and little bear's clothes will be good for me.

Then the matter of taking nibbles to the concert. It cost me £5.50. If I was a little more organised I could have either bought better/less expensive or made them. In fact, it will be better all round if I baked more and bought less. I think in some circumstances, home made is definitely socially better. It is usually less expensive even with the fuel costs added on, often healthier and I have a load of recipes.

The freezer is looking a little lighter, as I finally cooked the pork joint that has been sitting there, looking at me since New Year's Eve. I had bought it as a 'special treat' for then, so it was a huge tin tray with a rather small piece of pork in which had been all trussed and stuffed for the alleged 'added value' and for £5 fed us only once. Though it was really, really nice, it is still only a 'special'. There is still a long way to go, however, as I would still think twice before putting anything more in it just now, and I do want things to be finished up. The cupboard, thank goodness, is merely jammed full and not currently overflowing. I need to keep going.