There is nothing better than getting the whole family together for Christmas, but the logistics involved in getting everything ready are by no means the easiest, and the costs can be quite heavy on your family budget.
However, there are always ways to mitigate this impact and prevent the holiday season from becoming a cause for concern. Do you want to know how? Check out these tips from Selectra (an expert on comparing ratings) and learn how to welcome guests without impacting your expenses too much.
The secret in cooking
1. Set a budget before you go shopping.
Before heading out on your big shopping adventure during the holiday season, make a list of what you really need and how much you plan to spend.
If you want to resist any of the countless temptations of the supermarket, carry cash with you instead of a credit card. So make sure you don’t go over this limit!
2. Find cheap and easy recipes.
There is no shortage of simple and delicious recipes! Place your bets on local produce and canned goods, which tend to be cheaper, and make delicious snacks with few ingredients.
3. Shop right away
Don’t waste time and money shopping in the supermarket. Unless you’re looking to take advantage of a major promotion, the cost of gas won’t compensate you for the slight difference in price.
4. Take the ingredients out of the refrigerator some time before cooking.
Remove the ingredients from the cold before starting work. This way, when you cook them, they will already be at room temperature, and you will not need to spend so much heat and energy while cooking.
However, if you want to defrost food, place it in the refrigerator the night before to keep it cool inside the appliance.
The oven may not be your main ally
5. Choose recipes that don’t need to be baked.
While practical, the oven is also one of the household appliances that consumes more energy in the kitchen and therefore significantly increases your electricity bills.
So, choose desserts and snacks that you don’t need to bake, and cook them all at once, if necessary, so as not to constantly turn the appliance on and off.
6. Whenever possible, choose a microwave oven for heating food.
Did you know that choosing a microwave instead of an oven saves you 60 to 70% energy? We are well aware that not all recipes can be cooked in this small appliance, but when the goal is to reheat food or do something simpler, it serves its purpose very well!
7. Always cook on a suitable stove top.
Your meals will be cooked faster and you will avoid unnecessary waste of energy!
8. Benefit from a two-hour payment.
If you’ve negotiated a two-hour pay, take advantage of the hours when energy is cheaper to increase your income.
Then start preparing the night before at 10:00 PM (no time) and try making the appetizers or desserts that you want to put on the Christmas table right now.
Cleaning has its own tricks too
9. Washing dishes by hand can be costly.
Washing dishes by hand is not only not a pleasant experience, but also requires more water and energy than you think! So when dinner is over, put all the dishes in the washing machine.
However, make sure that charging is complete and that the program you are using is not using high temperatures.
10. Avoid food waste.
It is true and it is well known that food always stays on these days! So, save some freezer space to save some of that surplus. Thanks to this, you not only do not waste food, but also spend energy on preparing new dishes.