Can't afford oil, what options do we have?
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Sounds like you have few choices when on a budget if you use electric heaters your bill may be sky high unless your economical with it. That said price of oil might might not be be fair off use electric any way when it comes to usage
If your on a low income can you check for any grants with energy saving trust web site
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Easy-ways-to-stop-wasting-energy/Energy-saving-grants-and-offers
Might be wise to get more insulation if you can0 -
Oil is about to run out, I would say this week will finish it. We simply can't afford the prices as I earn min wage and my Mrs only works part time, we have 3 kids under 6.
I have a poor credit rating so couldn't get a loan to buy oil and even if I could its the principle of the thing, the oil prices have got far to high.
We have a fire but it has no back boiler so would only heat the one room. So I think the only option is use the fire to heat the living room and get a couple of heaters for the bedrooms, anyone any ideas on which type of heaters? We can't afford sky high electric costs eithers.
Slugger, its likely that electricity will be more expensive than oil so switching may cost more in the long run.
I dont know how well your house is insulated, if it isnt then you may be able to get grants for loft and cavity wall insulation. Also try window film from B&Q if windows not double glazed. Good insulation will knock down heating bills by 30% like for like.
With children, I'd go for oil filled rads for bedrooms, rather than heaters with a vented top that the kids might cover or knock over. You might find that hot water bottles and an extra fleece/duvet/blanket helps to cushion the "shock" between a warm room and a cool bedroom and then help them to stay warm at night.0 -
When I was a child in the 70's we didnt have central heating and bedrooms certainly werent heated - and I lived to tell the tale
We had one room that had a gas fire. In the winter we washed in the kitchen with the cooker on for heat. We undressed and dressed in the living room, sleepwear was pyjamas and socks. We went to bed with hot water bottles and we didnt have duvets, we had blankets and when there werent enough during the real cold spells - coats were used on top.
Many a morning we woke to find thick ice on the inside of the single glazed metal framed windows
We dressed with more layers during the day and when sat watching tv in the evenings - socks and slippers and a blanket on the sofa with the three of us kids tucked under
We werent dirt poor, just a normal working class family and central heating was a luxury not many could afford back then
And it looks like its becoming a luxury again
Keep one room warm and learn to layer clothes and use hot water bottles and many layers on the bed. I find flannel sheets this time of year are worth their weight in gold - no cold sheets. Get the children used to wearing thicker nightclothes and slippers and dressing gown - my grandson(4) knows he has to wear his here as I wont heat the bedrooms and plays quite happily in the mornings before we wake up and doesnt suffer any more colds or sniffles0 -
I remember this when i was a child in the 80's, we only had a fire and in the mornings you could see ur breath in the rooms, but dad had a heater in the kitchen, it looked like a log fire but wasn't and it gave out some heat. I think I'm just spoiled by oil heating at the min. I know electricity may be more expensive but oil heating is a disaster, I mean imagine a gas company asking you to pay 6 months in advance or you get nothing. That's the issue with oil, all has to be paid up front.0
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Me too, often inside windows froze up and I lived in a 2 bedroom prefab bungalow for a while
CH wasnt common when I was a kid in 60's and 70's and I didnt have ch until 1989 in my first house although by then it was getting commonWhen I was a child in the 70's we didnt have central heating and bedrooms certainly werent heated - and I lived to tell the tale
We had one room that had a gas fire. In the winter we washed in the kitchen with the cooker on for heat. We undressed and dressed in the living room, sleepwear was pyjamas and socks. We went to bed with hot water bottles and we didnt have duvets, we had blankets and when there werent enough during the real cold spells - coats were used on top.
Many a morning we woke to find thick ice on the inside of the single glazed metal framed windows
We dressed with more layers during the day and when sat watching tv in the evenings - socks and slippers and a blanket on the sofa with the three of us kids tucked under
We werent dirt poor, just a normal working class family and central heating was a luxury not many could afford back then
And it looks like its becoming a luxury again
Keep one room warm and learn to layer clothes and use hot water bottles and many layers on the bed. I find flannel sheets this time of year are worth their weight in gold - no cold sheets. Get the children used to wearing thicker nightclothes and slippers and dressing gown - my grandson(4) knows he has to wear his here as I wont heat the bedrooms and plays quite happily in the mornings before we wake up and doesnt suffer any more colds or sniffles0 -
I remember this when i was a child in the 80's, we only had a fire and in the mornings you could see ur breath in the rooms, but dad had a heater in the kitchen, it looked like a log fire but wasn't and it gave out some heat. I think I'm just spoiled by oil heating at the min. I know electricity may be more expensive but oil heating is a disaster, I mean imagine a gas company asking you to pay 6 months in advance or you get nothing. That's the issue with oil, all has to be paid up front.
I know where you are coming from, I was spoiled having gas central heating, then moving to a part of the country where mains gas is just being installed - to the towns
So like you the dreaded oil and the huge price hikes
Im really tight with the oil. I wont have it on all day and I until we got the stove installed the fleeces were back in use on the sofa at night
I try to get my winter fill in beginning of October and that (fingers crossed) will keep us going till Feburary
Is there anywhere near you that sells oil on the pump so you can buy weekly? We have some petrol stations that have heating oil on pump and we have others that sell 25 gallon drums. The drums are more expensive per litre but the pump price is the same as delivered
We also can get oil stamps to help budget through the year for the winter fill. Some companies will also allow an account as long as you order only from them
Also do you qualify for the winter heating allowance?
Take a look here. Ive not had a good read but there may be help there0 -
I would hate not to have main gas in fact I wouldnt buy a house that didnt nor have decent internet speeds. Its bad enough price of mains gas but I feel sorry for those who rely on oil etc.0
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We bought a convector heater last Monday from Lidls and it is very good. It has a thermostat and a booster if needed. There is also a remote control and also 3 year warranty. Price £24.99.
I would recommend this if they still have any.0 -
Yes I remember the days when it was not the norm to have central heating - frost on the inside of the bedroom windows! And only source of heating in the bathroom, one of those lights that gave off heat. Do they still do those? If you were really unfortunate, you had an outside privvy....
I have a great little solid fuel stove. Bank it up and it stays on all night. You can even use the top as a slow cooker if you have the right sort of pan. I try not to use my central heating too much. And I'm not above getting under a blanket with a hot water bottle, in the lounge, until it warms up.
Anyhow, with kids I would definitely go for oil filled radiators.0 -
My last house had one of them heaters in light hardly ever used it though came with the house. You could also get ones on the wall that angled down, horrible things but served a purpose
When I was a kid we had paraffin stoves the stink, yukYes I remember the days when it was not the norm to have central heating - frost on the inside of the bedroom windows! And only source of heating in the bathroom, one of those lights that gave off heat. Do they still do those?0
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