Avoid using Gas and Electricity

ceridwen

I was picking up tips from the last thread on this. I cant be bothered with doing every tiny little thing - errr....I do keep boiling/reboiling the kettle, as I've wandered off away from it...etc.

Anyways - after the problems my last supplier (Scottish Power) caused me when swopping to them originally - what with the meter readings and I landed up getting a bill from my previous supplier a year later because of S.P.:mad: (now solved by them writing it off) - all, despite my having provided various meter readings at the swopover time/letting meter readers in as required.....

I have now decided to keep a regular record of my meter readings during the swopover to my next firm - ie e.on this time - so I have my own figures to hand as to what I have used when...

So - been doing this for the last few days and find that gas is negligible - a fraction of a figure per day (gas hotwater heating) and the electric is 4 units per day usage (thats fridge-freezer/daily electric shower/the various bits & bobs like hairdryer/radios/lights/using cooker rings/kettle/computer). I figure thats pretty darn good. About to make some bread and do a washing machine load today - so will see how much extra that takes up. So - I reckon I've probably saved quite a bit of fuel so far - with the new/more energy-efficient cooker and fridge-freezer I had to swop to anyways and not tumbledrying my washing any more.

Thinks - wonder if I could cut my electric usage to 3 units per day on those days when I dont use the oven/washing machine/fires ...if I could just "train" myself into religiously switching off lights I'm not using/using wind-up rather than mains gadgetry where I have it/etc.:rolleyes:

Stneotsman

Thanks for all the tips.

missychrissy

ceridwen wrote: »

I was picking up tips from the last thread on this. I cant be bothered with doing every tiny little thing - errr....I do keep boiling/reboiling the kettle, as I've wandered off away from it...etc.

Anyways - after the problems my last supplier (Scottish Power) caused me when swopping to them originally - what with the meter readings and I landed up getting a bill from my previous supplier a year later because of S.P.:mad: (now solved by them writing it off) - all, despite my having provided various meter readings at the swopover time/letting meter readers in as required.....

I have now decided to keep a regular record of my meter readings during the swopover to my next firm - ie e.on this time - so I have my own figures to hand as to what I have used when...

So - been doing this for the last few days and find that gas is negligible - a fraction of a figure per day (gas hotwater heating) and the electric is 4 units per day usage (thats fridge-freezer/daily electric shower/the various bits & bobs like hairdryer/radios/lights/using cooker rings/kettle/computer). I figure thats pretty darn good. About to make some bread and do a washing machine load today - so will see how much extra that takes up. So - I reckon I've probably saved quite a bit of fuel so far - with the new/more energy-efficient cooker and fridge-freezer I had to swop to anyways and not tumbledrying my washing any more.

Thinks - wonder if I could cut my electric usage to 3 units per day on those days when I dont use the oven/washing machine/fires ...if I could just "train" myself into religiously switching off lights I'm not using/using wind-up rather than mains gadgetry where I have it/etc.:rolleyes:

I tried to switch from powergen for electric to british gas for duel fuel 2 years ago and British gas just made a complete mess of it. Apparently they had next door but one's meter registered to my address. I gave them 9 months to try to get it right but they failed. I then decided to switch to e on for duel fuel and they got it right immediately. I like their website and it is easy to post my meter readings. British gas keep calling me to change back but I just keep telling them the previous saga and that I'm not interested.

Have you thought about registering with imeasure? They are an oxford uni experiment and you record your gas and electric usage every week. You can view your usage on a weekly graph and they give you an estimate of the cost of your gas and electric for the week and also a comparison with other users. I find it really useful.

Katie-Kat-Kins

mama67 wrote: »

Up until i got the present waher with the delay start button, I have used plug in timers for both the washer and dishwasher, washer for over 20 years, and mum did so before me. Just set as normal but with the appliance plugged into timer. I use the override switch to just make sure it has come on then it goes on timer.

I also set my bread machine on timer so it works on E7.

Our washing machine doesn't plug in though, it is wired straight into a junction box in the wall.

Nicoll

I try and make use of cheap night time electricity. I always put my washing machine on delay so it starts about 2am, we're just used to it now so doesn't wake us up. I get up about 5am, so put hubby's mobile on charge then so it's done when he goes to work at 7am. My dustbuster is on a timer so it charges up for an hour between 2 and 3am, this seems to keep it charged up enough so it's always ready for use when I need it. When I had a breadmaker I used to put that on overnight as well so it would finish just before I get up so we woke up to the smell of hot bread, lovely.

After reading on here, I now only put washing machine on a 400 spin as there's only 2 of us we have plenty of space to dry clothes either on the outside line or inside on a clothes horse on the landing, (the hot water pipes go under the floor on the landing so it's always warm and I leave windows open upstairs for at least half the day so they dry really quickly). Never had a tumble dryer and never would, though would probably feel differently about that if I had kids :rotfl:

Always turn off oven before end of cooking time, also leave oven door open after cooking to help warm house.

When ironing I leave things that only need a light, coolish iron until last and turn iron off before doing them as normally stays hot for a while.

That's all for now.

shellsmithcat

My mum is a pensioner that lives on her own and she is the Queen of using less electricity/gas and water - to the point I worry about her at times - she has a very small toilet cistern which also has a brick in it - for a number 1 she only flushes every other pee - water is on for 45 minutes each morning to warm up - in winter she uses jumpers/blankets and water bottles before she puts the heating on (I have been to stay with her and it is freezing in the winter) - she batch cooks and will only use the cooker/oven when she really really has to, cottage pies and cheese/baked beans on toast seem to be the staple of her diet, kettle is only filled with amount of water that is needed (I agree with this one) - uses a hand shower instead of taking a bath or proper shower. Mum has a tumble dryer about 18mths old but has only used it twice. My mums house is spotless and she is a very proud clean and tidy person - but I wish her pension was more so she didn't worry so much about the cost of her bills. I like Old Style it is brill but my mum is doing it to the detriment of her health I firmly believe - but she is a stubborn old bat (love her really) and will not change.

Toonie

anguk wrote: »

We've got an old system like that too, no room thermostats, just a dial on the boiler that says 1 - 7.

Ours will heat the water when the heating is on but it won't just heat the water on it's own so in the summer (or when the central heating isn't on) I have to use the electric immersion heater.

We have the same problem, its really a pain, especially as we don't have an electric shower either, so any time we want to wash (ourselves or the dishes) we need to put on the immersion! Its awful, especially when you just want a quick shower when you come home from work!

I've currently got a salt lamp with a tea light lit in front of me, whilst not really giving much light or warmth it gives a nice orange glow so fools me into feeling a little warmer!

bellaquidsin

I really feel for shellsmithcat's concerns about her mum. You see 60 years ago when I was a small girl we lived really OS. We had a Yorkshire range in the Kitchen which was our main living space. It heated the water cooked delicious cakes, pastries, bread and all sort of casseroles, we called them stews in those days. It also heated the water and kept our small kitchen toastie warm. Yes the rest of the house was cold but we only had a bath once a week and the rest of the time washed at the kitchen sink. It did not matter that the bedrooms were so cold the condesation froze on the windows as we snuggled up in bed with lots of woolie blankets and a feather eiderdown and then in a morning ran downstairs to wash and dress in our still warm kitchen where the fire had been banked up and kept in all night.

Nowadays our homes don't have the advantage of that lovely core of heat given by a coal fire and when they are cold they are cold and very often damp.

The point I am making is that OS was not all about suffering privations, we didn't have much but we were warm and comfortable and well fed on basic foods. I sometimes wonder where progress has taken us.

Bella.

Murrell

Hi,
Not sure if this has been covered or not, but wondered if someone knows the answer.
Does it cost the same amount to have one radiater on as it would to have some or all of them? I am guessing the boiler is on anyway, so it would be the same, but not sure, so don't want to risk putting too many on. Also i was wondering if some are set to 3 and others 4, is it costing more than if i had them all set to 3?
Hope someone might know the answers, first time i have had central heating and have just put it on so wasn't sure.

thanks in advance
Sandra

geordie_joe

Murrell wrote: »

Does it cost the same amount to have one radiater on as it would to have some or all of them?

The more radiators you have on the more it costs. Once the water in the heating system is hot enough the boiler just replaces the heat "lost" into the room via the radiator. Obviously, the more radiators putting heat into the room the more heat the boiler needs to replace.