1 mortgage, 2 babies, 3 years to be MF, 4 goodness sake!- weezl's diary

phizzimum

In_Search_Of_Me wrote: »

http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/jumpers.aspx
Joking aside it cold out there so heres a pattern for you! I kid you not!!

I might, I just might you know. our girls have plenty of feathers but I do feel sorry for them out there.

ceridwen wrote: »

I know NOTHING about chickens - but seem to recall from somewheres that its necessary to give chickens WARM water to drink in the winter - so more of their "energy" goes towards egg production (as opposed to keeping themselves warm IYSWIM).

...

we've been giving them warm water recently so that it wont freeze too quickly, so its good to know we're doing the right thing. I was thinking about your sig ceridwen - they've got something to eat, something to keep warm (the water) and something to do (plenty of newspaper, changed regularly - just not sure they bother to read it!)

SusanC_2

Cazzdevil wrote: »

Checked in the instruction manual and my washer uses a maximum of 2100w and the normal 40degree colourfast cotton wash takes 1hr45mins, since my electricity is 20.757p / kWh one cycle costs me:

20.757 (cost of leccy) x 2.1 (kW of appliance) x 1.75 (no of hours - 1 & 3/4) = 76p

I do on average 2 - 3 wash loads per week so that's £119 per year JUST in using my washing machine. If I use the fastwash setting that only takes half an hour (doesn't spin as well though) so would thus only cost me £34 a year for the same number of washes. That's quite a saving, so that combined with decreased use of my hairdryer would save us £102 a year, it's all money in the mortgage kitty.

Hells flames, just worked out that running my dishwasher on a "normal" wash which takes 2 hours, assuming my dishwasher uses maximum 2kw on a cycle (for wash, rinse & dry, I can't find the ACtual power for it) would cost me 87p that's a shocking £304 per year if I did one cycle per day!!! I need to lie down.

Presumably if they are just giving maximum usage figures then they are not using that much power for the whole cycle? We run our dishwasher on the 50degree cycle which is longer than the 60degree one but uses less power overall. I think it has a longer drying phase (where it appears to just sit there doing nothing) because the stuff takes longer to fry due to not being as hot.

Is 20.757 the cheapest you can get for electricity? I know it varies according to where you live but I get mine for 13.2p/unit from EbiCo. I'll just see if I can find their table of prices for the different areas...

Here you go: http://www.ebico.co.uk/ratesbyregion.php
The most expensive is South Wales at 13.96p/unit and they charge the same amount whatever payment method you use.

Cazzdevil

It's only my first *primary* units that are 20.757p, *secondary* units are charges at 9.654p, and on my bill I always use far more secondary units. Not sure what the difference is though to be honest, anyone know?

My latest gas bill seems astronomical, £229 for the quarter... I'm gonna get my British Gas engineer buddy to have a look at the boiler cos even in the depths of winter that doesn't sound right... Does it?...

LilacPixie

£229 a quarter is roughly £19 a week. That sounds high to me. I am roughly £37 a month using gas for heating and the hob.

Cazzdevil

I mean my heating's been on practically 16 hours a day over the holidays (2 weeks enforced holidays at Crimbo) but it still seems very high. My OH is getting in touch with our mate to have a look at the boiler. Just in case...

shaz_mum_of__2

Cazz a lot of your usage will depend on the energy efficiency of your boiler, the size and insulation of your house and how warm you have it , there is no average usage really but i would think for a cold quarter the figure you quoted would be about right if you like it really warm ......our heating only goes on at weekends and for an hour in the morning and a couple at night and never goes much past 20 degrees

Have you joined i measure? its a site you can monitor your usage on

This is my this weeks usage:

Your household's total energy spend over the last 54 weeks is £918.26.
For week ending 10th January, 2010 your household spent £25.68 in total.
Gas meter (cubic metres): £9.80 - Main electricity meter: £15.88

http://www.imeasure.org.uk/

having whoopsied steak in oyster sauce with egg fried rice for tea......yummy

Spreadsheet is looking good for this month i have been really strict with spends , took my flask ,coffe and cup soups to uni today so saved £1.80 minimum (2 coffees) at uni 3 days week say 39 weeks .........£210 a year saving !!

Earned about £50 cashback so far this year which almost covers my grocery spends!!

weezl74

hi all Interesting thoughts on the energy usage, thanks for all that

We need to make a decision today about whether to accept a 2 half days placement at nursery for Fergie each week. It would begin in March. Annual cost £1930.

DH would be able to use salary sacrifice for it, so I'm not sure if that means it's actually 20% cheaper than that, must do some research....

How are you all today?

Kittikins

You may well welcome the break when you have bump, and once he's settled in, he'll enjoy having some new chums to play with. I'd say go for it personally!

weezl74

thank you kittikins.:D

I think that's probably what we're going to decide too. It's a bit concerning how often babies get ill when they start nursery though, and I'm wondering how it will be with a newborn and all of us getting sick quite a bit :eek:...

Kittikins

Aaah yes, the perma-cold (or snot in DD's case). To be honest, yes, at the beginning she seemed to be a bit under the weather a lot, but I consoled myself with the thought that she would be stronger for it by the time school came along (and a friend who's a teacher said you could really tell the children who'd been to nursery/playgroups as they were a bit hardier). Bizarre

I'm a big fan of Olba$ oil and similar smellies for keeping noses free (of course putting it well away from the new baby for the first 3 months).

How is the £90 a month going? Are you still enjoying the challenge or is it now no longer a challenge as it's second nature?