The 50% Electricity Challenge - Everyone welcome!

bestpud

I didn't get round to reading our meters last Saturday so I will do it this Saturday and divide it in two.

Mind, it has been more of a struggle then I thought so I will have to do some serious work on it!

Oh, and I have switched out supplier for electric.

I have always had one supplier for both but we had one of the dearest for electric and one of the cheapest for gas, so they were cancelling each other out when done jointly! New supplier should start on the 26th December and be about 20% cheaper! :j

TurnaroundSue

Hi Everyone - my reading for this week are 57753 = 111 units used for electricity - 2 less than last week, which is still going in the right direction. Gas reading is 6515 = 13 units - 4 MORE than last week, which I am not too worried about as it has been colder and we have had the heating on a bit more, and really don't want to freeze:eek: . So thanks Pandapaws:T for setting this challenge as it has really helped me reduce my electricity (in particular) usage, otherwise I would be happily using the 190 units pw that were consumed in the first week.

Burlesque_Babe

Original reading 28111
reading 8/11 - 28180 (69 units)
reading 15/11 - 28241 (61 units)
reading 22/11 28303, (62 units)

reading 29/11 28370 - 67 units. Going back up!!

bestpud

Ok, readings update for me:

Gas:
8/11/08 - 11158
15/11/08 - 11179 = 21units
29/11/08 - 11229 = 50 units or 25 per week

Electric:
8/11/08 - 51747
15/11/08 - 51863 = 116 units
29/11/08 - 52073 = 210 units or 105 per week :j

The gas isn't looking good at all!!

I'm pleased with the electric though as that's a drop of about 12% per week by my reckoning and we've done that simply by switching things off more! :j

biscotte

AAARGH, left the iron on all night last night :eek: :eek: - I was ironing very late and must have just forget. Dang, I hate to think how much electricity it goes through.

Different_Corner

biscotte, our fish had an all night party last week, light left on all night.....

hayley11

My readings are a day late but here they are:

Gas - 539 (85 units used :eek: 10.62 per day, last week it was 6.42 per day, stupid cold weather!! Must try harder next week )

Electric - 76721 (90 units used, 11.25 per day, last week it was 11.57 per day so it has gone down every so slightly!!)

It doesn't help that I am off work, have the heating or fire on for most of the day, we don't have any curtains, just blinds so the living room gets really cold, even wearing warm clothes doesn't help much. What do you think would cost more, having the fire on (it's a real flame one, if that makes any difference) or having the heating on?

Different_Corner

hayley11 wrote: »

What do you think would cost more, having the fire on (it's a real flame one, if that makes any difference) or having the heating on?

Hi Hayley
I have a gas fire in our front room fireplace and GCH combi boiler - have asked a similar question on another thread. Opinions were varied, the only way I worked out which was best was checking and comparing the meter with each heat source.
For me the central heating was eating the numbers up, and gas fire looked to be half the speed. Added to that on winter evenings we are all in the front room, so have gone for that option.

Sue-UU

hayley11 wrote: »

It doesn't help that I am off work, have the heating or fire on for most of the day, we don't have any curtains, just blinds so the living room gets really cold, even wearing warm clothes doesn't help much. What do you think would cost more, having the fire on (it's a real flame one, if that makes any difference) or having the heating on?

Hi Hayley,

Do yourself a real favour and buy some curtains and keep them closed (at every window) from around 4.30 onwards each night. Blinds won't keep the heat in, a lot of yours is sadly sailing out of the window!

Re the heating, as DC suggests, check and compare the meter with each heat source, but whatever you do, keep reasonably warm, you need to to keep the brain and body functioning properly. It would never pay for me to get cold!!!

Sue PS warm curtains for those windows and SHUT the windows after a general airing through - don't leave the blessed things open too late into the afternoon.

hayley11

Thanks DC and Sue - I never open the windows, only our bedroom and sometimes the bathroom one I will definitely get some curtains but we're a bit skint and we've got a big bay window and there's no curtain rails so we're thinking it's going to cost a bit.

I think as we spend most of our time in the living room we'll keep the central heating down to a couple of hours in the morning and a couple at night before bed and just have the fire on during the day. But i'm going to try and keep it on quite low and just wrap up lots. It's my hands that get cold and I hate having cold hands!