Bringing down my gas and leccy bill challenge (start August 2008)

newlywed

Andy_Hamilton wrote: »

For all those who have tried energy saving bulbs and not liked them in the past, please try a newer type. There are instant bulbs like http://www.screwfix.com/prods/49573/Lighting/Energy-Saving-Lamps/Bayonet-Clip-Lamps/Sylvania-Mini-Lynx-CFL-Stick-Fast-Start-BC-20W-Pack-of-3
About 10 years ago we tried them and it took a good 2-3 minutes to warm up fully. The instant ones give out 95% power on switch on and softern the colour in about 1 minute. Philips bulbs found in lidl are almost as good but cost under £1 each.

I have a 5 GU10 light fitting in my kitchen. That was pulling a total of 250W. I tried LED's and they were not bright enough. I left 2 LED's dropping the power down to around 102W.
Last week I installed 3 energy saving 8W bulbs from B&Q. They are an old style bulb and take around 2 minutes to warm up fully.

Thanks for that - will try the "fast start" bulbs at some point.

Are there any dimmable small round style bulbs (not sure what the name of them is, sorry).

What is the 8W bulb equivalent to? The low energy GU10's we tried from B&Q were so very dim - and didn't brighten even after 20 minutes - think they must have been equivalent to about 20W instead of the 50W we have in there - I'll try any low energy bulbs if they are likely to be fairly bright - we have 4 GU10 50W in the bathroom, 4 in the hall and 8 of the other spots in the kitchen :rolleyes:

SuiDreams

Everything in the kitchen except Fridge Freezer and Boiler are switched off at the wall when not in use. TV, cable box, and DVD player, also switched at plug when not being used. Our modem and wifi, unplugged at night when i remember.

lauren_1

I think one of the biggest leccy user is our oven, we used to use it twice a day (one for the kid's tea and one for who ever was working later) I'm borrowing an electric monitor and see if there is any difference in stopping using the oven and using our slowcooker/steamer/microwave and maybe think about investing in a remoska.

Andy_Hamilton

Could you swap out 2 bulbs per fitting for energy saving bulbs cutting your consumption in half? I'm not too over the moon with the ones from B&Q but quick start ones are not there at the moment (going to try some from screwfix to see if they are any better)

You can get dimmerble round and candle bulbs but I have never used them.

judy2357

Sorry to stick my nose into this thread but could anyone here suggest a more economical alternative for our 11 ceiling lights in our frontroom/dining room and three in the bathroom? Im not sure what strength they are as I cant find any spare ones. Our kitchen light uses three 50 watt halogens also, without making the kitchen dimmer is there an alternative please? I know very little about electricity but as our bill has just arrived and its £58 in debit I think I ought to economise somewhere. Thanks for any help.

SuiDreams

Can you get energy saving R80 Bulbs? these are the only ones in our house that haven't been changed to energy saving bulbs. It would probably save a few pennies if we could change these as well

judy2357

SuiDreams wrote: »

Can you get energy saving R80 Bulbs, these are the only ones in our house that haven't been changed to energy saving bulbs.

Have looked at these but they are the wrong ones, our ceiling and kitchen bulbs are the small halogen type. Many thanks though.

talulahbeige_2

To help me try and save money on my G/E bills could someone please try and advise me on my boiler please as I am useless with them, as is my O/H
I live in a rented house (with a very unhelpful agent who didnt provide instruction booklets) and the boiler heats the CH & Water, it plugs into a electric socket. It has a light that comes on when we turn a hot tap on so I assume it heats the water as and when we need it?
it has a dial which i believe switches on the heating and then a timer dial function for the CH.
Given that I dont know what sort of boiler it is (combi etc) I dont know the most efficient way to use it! Any ideas?


On another electric note - the house has lots of halogen lights (3 in bathroom, 6 in living room, 4 in spare room, 8 in kitchen!) If i take some of the bulbs out does this reduce the consumption (ie, 2 in the spare room)?
We got a couple of good lamps in the living room but this isnt practical in teh other rooms

Thank you and apologises if I sound a bit dim

[Deleted User]

magnetasue,
I agree with you Washing up in a bowl v dw no contest re price.

My mil used to say `you can`t have your cake and eat it`and that is why some have debts and others don`t

Magentasue

kittie wrote: »

magnetasue, that is why some of us don`t have debts and others do. Simple fact of life.

I agree with you Washing up in a bowl v dw no contest re price.

My mil used to say `you can`t have your cake and eat it` too true

Not sure what you mean but I'm fortunate in that I don't have debt and am mortgage free. This is very recent and we have downsized to get there. So I appreciate some people are making dramatic cutbacks to reduce or avoid debt but for me, it's about not wasting money and making cutbacks where we won't notice the difference too much.

If I don't teach next year, we'll make real cutbacks - while I'm working, it's a compromise. I'm all for making life easier and more convenient (dishwasher!) but am prepared to make the effort in other ways (batch cooking/doing the washing on good drying days/reusing bathwater etc.).