The 50% Electricity Challenge - Everyone welcome!

fletch3163

This is a fab idea, I'd love to join

My reading is 00739 (brand new meter) @ 20/10/08 7.30pm

I was going to try imeasure too but I can't get a key for my gas box.

Bree

I'd like to join. My reading - Monday at 8:10 was 161 (Brand new meter)

andan

Hi pandapaws and others, i would love to join this challenge, but am already living with everything turned off and heating only on when its especially cold and only after 5pm, despite working from home after 12pm.

I use imeasure and find it great. Wish you all the best of luck with it and will be popping in from time to time, whilst still keeping a tight reign on my gas and elec!

pandapaws

Fab! So we have a challenge. I'll add the list of peeps and the start readings to the first post.

imeasure looks great - just joined, should be interesting to compare to the rest of the country and it looks good for keeping track of things.

welshlassie - our key is missing too, we just use pointed pliers to open it, ours is one of the triangle ones. Just seen the thread suz7 mentioned, think I'll try ringing Scottish Power and see if they have any.

ShelleyC, that's a bit of a bummer. Maybe you could (if you could be bothered!) work out from your last bill how much you use in a week, and just start now and see the difference on the next bill? Or tell your landlord that the electricity co need readings 2 weeks apart - mine have asked me to do that before because they thought the meter was going to fast (it wasn't, I just use too much power )

Tyllwyd/Andan - how about trying a 20% or even 5% reduction? Every little helps! Let me know if you want to be added to the list to keep track. Tyllwyd, "I'm trying to keep the gas/electric down, but I can't see myself being able to cut it by half" sounds like a challenge if ever I heard one!!!

Welshlassie

I've tried to use pointed pliers in the past and just kept slipping off and have now rounded off the corners a bit, so will have to pop to B&Q and have a look for one!

Will see if I can get out at lunch time and then take the readings this evening.

lindsloo

Hi I'm lucky enough to be living with the in-laws but I've always been careful with the fuel bills.

How I cut my utility bills whenI was a single mum;
*Shared a shower with my child saves water and fuel and she's not that fond of them so they never last longer than getting the hair rinsed (this is extreme but they were times of desperate measures).
*Never leave anything on standby, in fact other than the fridge/freezer everything else was turned off at the socket when not in use.
*Only used energy bulbs and never had the lights on while watching TV (though this was more because I like the ambience of darker rooms).
* Have the heating on lower than normal and on a timer if you have one, the heating didn't need to be on that high for us if we put another jumper and a pair of socks on.
* Check when night units apply, most tariffs between 11pm-12am and if you can stay up late enough put the washing machine/tumble dryer on then, the tariffs usually stop around 6am.
*Have a pot and fine people pennies for leaving stuff on, my partner now is nicknamed the light fairy because I chase him around his parents house turning everything off behind him.

Can't think of anything else at the mo but would be interested on reading others tips.

shopaholictiedtheknot

Morning all

My reading at 6.30pm yesterday was 01829

I am loving the idea of this challenge but worried that OH and DD will scupper my chances of success what with leaving lights on, laptops permanently plugged in etc... :rolleyes:

I am still waiting for my free energy saving lightbulbs from EDF but am told they will be here before Christmas, I think I am going to buy a couple for the rooms we use most and get them in by next week.

Other plans are use more candles in living room instead of having the lamps on.

Turn all appliances off at the plug when not in use.

Defrost my freezer so can fit more in and not use the spare in the cellar.

Clear out my fridge so I can fit more in and switch off cellar one which usually just has milk and pop in (will just be able to leave pop in cellar now it is getting colder anyway!)

pandapaws

Thanks lindsloo. I'm currently showering at work because we're re-doing the bathroom, and I might keep doing that as often as possible because of the saving. God, I never thought I'd hear myself say that a few years ago!

Other things I've been thinking about, many common sense, are:
Use hot water to fill kettle/saucepans if it's going to be boiled anyway and obvioulsy only fill as much as needed. Cook pasta/veg in boiling water in the 'pasta time' gadget I've got rather than on the hob.

• Use the microwave more than the oven.
• Switch the oven off 10 minutes before the end as the heat will stay in that long if the door is kept shut
• Switch everything off at the wall at night
• When sockets are on, make sure only the items in use are actually switched on, eg DVD player comes on with TV, camera dock & printer come on with PC, but usually these aren't being used.
• Turn the thermostat down (or is it up?!) on the fridge & freezer
• Charge phones etc at work - let them pay for it!
• Cook at work where possible
• Use the drier overnight and not through the day if possible. Put it on for shorter durations and catch it before it starts the 10 min cool down period, then if the clothes aren't dry put it back on BEFORE it has cooled down.
• Try and dry clothes so less need to be ironed (saw Chev's thread about ironing - will try and cut it down)
• Make more effort to load dishwasher properly so it isn't on 3 times a day.
• Seems obvious, but turn off lights if not in the room! We have nice lighting in the dining room, hallway, under kitchen cabinets and so on that stays on all evening. Looks nice, but unnecessary.
• Turn the fish tank off for a few hours a day. Edit: BUT I'm not recommending anyone else does this unless they're absolutely sure the fish will be ok! Have had loads of comments about this - I've just got a few goldfish in a little tank, and I change a couple of jugs of water every few days. If you've got tropical fish or anything that needs a heater NEVER turn it off! Even normal goldfish are much healthier/happier in a clean, filtered tank, so I just want to make clear that I'm just turning mine off for a couple of hours here and there, not saying everyone should switch off their fish tanks. If in doubt, leave it on!

Any others?

milliemonster

Pandapaws, we have a fish tank, can you really turn it off for a few hours a day? will the fish be ok without the pump running?

pandapaws

milliemonster wrote: »

Pandapaws, we have a fish tank, can you really turn it off for a few hours a day? will the fish be ok without the pump running?

I think so. I hope so!!!
Ours is just a basic tank with a few goldfish in it, and I know that they can be kept quite happily without a pump at all as long as you change the water regularly, so I don't see that turning the pump off for a few hours a day would do them any harm. We get frequent power cuts and they're always ok. No good though if you've got posh fish that need a heated tank - that could be nasty! Any fish experts out there?