Avoid using Gas and Electricity

mama67

I have been monitoring my usage over the last few weeks after having received my winter bill which also happens to be on of my anniversary bill for my dd budget plan (mine are 6 monthly).

My dd has been increased by £20 per month, as there was a deficit.

I have started to put more things on overnight when I have Economy 7.

It was all too easy to just stick the dishwasher or washer on there and then rather than think about setting the timer.
The bread machine now aslo works overnight and then I just bake off in the oven when I get up utilising the Economy 7, and I also put a batch of cakes in with it.

In doing this I have found that this last months usage has reduced compared to the month before.

Hopefully now the warmer weather is coming and we will be eating more salads etc we can get the deficit cleared and then on the next anniversary bill which comes 6 monthly the dd can be reduced.

We have also fished out the USB cables for the mobile phones so that they can be charged whilst the PC is on, rather than charging them separately.

shazrobo

i need to seriously cut down my gas and electric usage, just had the winter bills, and i owe over 200 pounds despite having monthy direct debits of 75 pound, so i'll be following this thread with interest

calleyw

Don't think I better say how many units of leccy we use a day as it is very very low and I want to get it even lower . Notice on the monthly readings since feb our usage has gone up.

But have started to do daily readings and noting down what was used e.g 40 degree wash etc. To see why it has risen over the last few months.

Not had the heating on for weeks. But are not cold.

Even thinking of getting a whistling kettle to use on the gas hob as my husband has about million cups a day of tea. And i reckon that is pushing up usage.

Yours


Calley

Yategirl

go on Calley - tell us how many units you use! I like to challenge myself as to how low i can get us (2 adults and 2 children) so it is always fascinating to hear how other people get on!

is it cheaper to use a gas kettle than an electric one (with just the right amount of water?)

meanmarie

I am using my new wood burner ( lit for first time yesterday ) to heat water to put in electric kettle to save on electricity...hate the bill arriving, although ours has gone down since first of May per unit...the only thing is that by the time we pay fixed charge and vat is added it is not going to make a huge reduction....we seem to use at least 20 units a day in winter, less in summer although tend to use electric heater in evening rather than turn on heat....no remedy for heat as OH is on blood thinner and really feels the cold so can't let him freeze to death!

Marie

calleyw

Yategirl wrote: »

go on Calley - tell us how many units you use! I like to challenge myself as to how low i can get us (2 adults and 2 children) so it is always fascinating to hear how other people get on!

Ok this is for two adults with a gas combi for water and gas cooking. Husband disabled so home most of the day. No Tv.

The highest reading this week for the day was yesterday 3kw but I did do a 60 degree wash. And the lowest day reading since sunday is 2.3kw.

I believe my base per day is 1.5kw as I have a fridge/freezer and a chest freezer and the only other things on are the answer machine and the combi boiler per day.

I know that from the 5th of march to the 5th of April was 75kw for the month but last reading for April 5th to May 5th was 110 kw for the month

Yategirl wrote: »

is it cheaper to use a gas kettle than an electric one (with just the right amount of water?)

Don't know but seeing as electric is 14.1p KWH and gas is 3ish KWH I am not sure.

I don't think we have any lee way to get it any lower, so just need to keep an eye on it and not let it rise.



Yours

Calley

Ballymackeonan

I had a solar panel installed last summer - expensive at the time, but I reckoned that it was worth it with the way fuel prices are going. I'm in N Ireland, where the electricity supply people have a monopoly, so there is no chance of moving supplier to get better rates...(15.06p/kwh currently)

The costs have been well-justified, I'm looking forward to a summer where I won't have to heat any water for showers - or even for washing dishes.


It ties in with my major OS saving. I bought an old-fashioned spin drier a couple of years ago, and now hand-wash a lot of things, particularly the winter woolies that have been minimising my heating bills all winter. A quick spin is all that's required, pull to shape, dry over radiators (they don't have to be on!)

BigMummaF

I noticed that Asda are selling their basic fleece throws for £2 now but they did have a lovely chocolate brown one.
I was surprised how willingly the offspring accepted using them during this last winter, whilst sat watching tv or on the poota. In fact, I may have to get some more because the ones I had in the lounge seem to have migrated north to the bedrooms

slm6002

I had my cavity wall insuating done today so am hoping that this will make a difference in my winter fuel bills. Also had new windows and doors last oct which really did make a difference although still not made any curtains for the yet

mama67

With careful usage and now having days when the oven isn't used during the day we can have days where our daily consumption is now down below 20kwh and that includes all the usual appliances, consoles, tvs, 3 freezers,and a pc which is on most of the night when DS1 is at home.

We have oil for water & heating and everything else is electric (we don't have mains gas where I live).

I am already planning some things to do for the winter to insulate windows more, which will in turn reduce the oil costs as well.

We do also have a coal fire in the sitting room, and tend to use that as the main source of heat during the winter with the heating going on on timer to take the chill off the boys bedrooms, our room doesn't have a radiator but is directly above the sitting room.

The boys have hot water bottles and double layered quilts once in bed.
We also have lotas of fleece blankets which can be used for snuggling under rather than putting extra heating on.