Saturday 13th August 2022

Blog No.172

Well, have I been up to some interesting finds this week… Well, I have been putting it to the test over the past 4 weeks actually but I didn’t want to say too much until I tested it fully.

This is not going to be my usual blog but it will benefit everyone that wants to take part in it. To anyone that has been following me on Twitter you would have seen that I have decided to go partially plant-based due to digestive aches and pains. Partially because I can not go without bread and mayonnaise/salad dressing (I will say a bit more about that in a moment).

Over the past month, I have put many energy-saving ideas to plan. No one likes to pay bills anyway let alone utility bills if we have to. Energy companies have us by the short and curlies as to what they want us to pay. I am not going to be ruled by them. So if I can cut down on using electricity and water as much as possible I will.

These are just ideas that I have put into play myself. I am happy living like this and if you want to use some of them then that is fine.

1. Use battery operated lighting instead of plug in or mains light.
2. Use my laptop, tablet, or phone for music instead of the tv.
3. Do 1 – 2 cycles in my washing machine per week. Instead 3 or 4 cycles.
4. Hoovering needs to be done but I used to do it on a daily but now i do it when it needs to be done. I sweep more than anything now a days.

I have also changed the way I use water either not using as much or re-using the water I am using.

1. Take fewer showers. 2 or 3 a week (instead of 1 every day) and have a basin wash in between those days. To keep fresh all day long I use baby wipes when I go to the toilet. They are lovely when kept in the fridge. Cools down the essential bits on a hot day. I am still clean but if I do not have an appointment and I am home all day alone then that day then I will not shower but basin wash. Water is pricey even if it’s not as expensive as electricity. It still mounts up.
2. Now this will be disgusting to some people but not to me. If I am in the house on my own with the kitties I will only flush the toilet twice a day and every time for a no.2. An average flush takes 4 to 6 gallons of water. Every savings helps.
3. Use the washing machine less (as I have mentioned previously about electric) as an average wash takes anything from 14 to 20 gallons of water.
4. When I wash up I only use cold water and no washing-up liquid (as I don’t eat anything with fat or oil residue). I preserve the water in a washing-up bowl and when I have finished I put it on the plants in my garden. Yes, it may have leftover veg, salad, and fruit in it but that is all biodegradable.

I also have changed my way of eating. I don’t eat any processed or meat or fish-based products EG: red or white meat or any type of fish, cereal, or ready-made meals, etc. Only plant-based grown items. Yes, I do still eat bread and mayonnaise, etc as I feel have to have something weight in my meals and a sauce of some kind makes the salad, etc taste more interesting. So now I don’t have any fatty or oily residue on my plates when I wash up. The cat’s food is not oily at all and simply slides off the bowl because I rinse the item immediately or soak them in cold water if need be.

I live a very basic life now but I am happy with it. Now that I have had to or choose to make these changes I feel I have wasted a lot of money on bills in the past when I could have been more careful.

I am not tight with money in any way but more careful. I am lucky that I signed up for a fixed deal of £80 a month with my electric bill until May 2023 but gosh only knows what it will be like when I need to renew it. Fingers crossed it won’t be as aggressive in price then as it is now but I will see.

The energy companies have been extremely greedy over the years. Now it has come to a peak in the next few months and I really hope something drastic happens for the better. To actually be proud of profiting £1.6 billion in the last 6 months and £262 million the year previous is dam right despicable and is going to damage this country in more ways than one.

If we all went off grid then where would the utility companies be then? I know that is not completely possible but it’s a lovely thought though. To be bill less will only be possible in our dreams

Right, I’m off to tend my cucumber plants (seed from the center of the bought cumber) and tomatoes plants (seeds from inside the bought tomatoes), and mango and avocado plants. I thought in this tropical weather that we are having I might as well give it ago.

Take care in all you do sweetie and stay safe. Talk soon.