5 Ways to Cut Your Household Costs - The Kitchen
We all know that things like our laundries and kitchens use a lot of energy, and end up making up the bulk of our energy and heating bills. There are loads of ways to save money in the kitchen alone, which could have a substantial impact on the household bills at the end of the month.
1. Cooking
Keeping a lid on a pot while waiting for it to boil will actually save energy. It takes double the time for a pot without a lid on to boil, hence double the time the stove needs to be on. Cooking times will be faster thereby reducing the amount of gas or electricity used. Also, make sure you use the right size pot for what you are cooking; boiling one lonely egg in a large casserole sized pot is not sensible.
2. Microwave
When reheating food, quickly put it in the microwave for a few minutes, rather than putting the stove on to do the job. The microwave uses much less electricity than a stove, and is also great for things like roast potatoes, or crispy jacket potatoes. What could have taken an hour in the oven can take 20 minutes in the microwave. Just pop your already microwave-cooked potatoes in the oven to crisp over under the grill for 10 minutes.
3. Washing Machine
Every time you put your washing machine on the hot water cycle, it will use more electricity to heat the water up. Try using that function as little as possible, as hot water is not necessarily good for clothing and delicate things like sweaters in the first place. Most modern detergents don't require the water to be hot to do their job, so only use the hot water function if you really have to. Cold water and good detergent should do the job perfectly well.
4. Kettle
A kettle really uses up a lot of electricity. When boiling the kettle for tea or coffee, remember only to use the amount of water you will actually need, as the more water that is in the kettle, the longer it will take to heat up. Just one cup at a time will help you save electricity in the kitchen. Take the time to unplug the kettle and other appliances if you are not using them, as they still use electricity even if they are not actually switched on and in use.
5. Dishwasher
Using a dishwasher to wash your dishes can save you quite a bit of money in the kitchen. A dishwasher uses less energy, less water and les detergent to clean an entire load of dishes, cups and utensils. Hand washing takes a long time, you need lots of hot water, lots of detergent and lots of cold water for rinsing, often having to refill the basin to finish a big load. Remember though, only put the dishwasher on when it is full.
All of these energy and money saving practices won't put much of a dent in your kitchen bill alone, but together, they can make a big difference to your monthly household costs, and if you are counting pennies, the kitchen is where you will see the big savings. Get the entire family involved and after a few weeks, being energy conscious to save money will become second nature.