Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

cw18

Bongedone wrote: »

The ratings are based on average use. Your freezer was made when it did not matter. Things have come a very long way. I would get to shop tomorrow and order a new one. Get the best rating you can find even if it means paying a bit more.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Energy-saving-products/Home-appliances/Refrigeration-products

Thanks for that

I nipped into Comet & Curry today for a look (was on the complex, and I thought I'd have a look at a few close up -- had no intention of putting my hand in my pocket), and am totally undecided on the size/sort to go for !!! But the A and A+ rated ones were looking unbelievably good on useage, even for appliances larger than mine (which is something else I'm considering so I can batch book and freeze meals such as bolognese sauce, chille, cottage pie, stews) rather than just the meat......

Don't think I can afford even the cheapest the size of mine until pay day though (31st), but that means I've got time to do some serious window shopping/comparisons/calculations of optimum size I think I'll need looking forward. Unfortunately means another 2-3 weeks of paying for all that electricity -- and as it's full of (mostly) meat there's no chance of emptying out and powering down before then to save on that bill

wrinkled_english_rose

cw18
have you thought of checking quidco for a new freezer?
we recently bought a new fridge/freezer through quidco from boots electrical, i got cash back from quidco, boots advantage points and tesco points for paying with my tesco c/c and boots was alot cheaper than currys or comet.
we got rid of our electric blanket years ago because we bought flannelette sheets and duvet covers they're great.

caledoniaquine

I have to agree with laminate being colder but I do love mine, You realise just how dirty carpets must be after having it. Either that or ive just got extra messy kids :mad: lol

rmc76_2

How about working a bit harder to get a better job so you do not have to consider these scrooge like measures?

LouiseJ

rmc76 wrote: »

How about working a bit harder to get a better job so you do not have to consider these scrooge like measures?

That is not very helpful, if you cant contribute in a positive or constructive way then please refrain from posting.

If you had bothered to read the rest of the thread then you would have found out that the majority of the posters on here are making a statement to the energy companies and their increasing prices. Why should they get their hands on OUR WELL EARNED MONEY as I for one would rather spend it elsewhere on something that I actually enjoy.

cw18

I've currently shortlisted one chest freezer and one upright freezer with almost identical cubic footage - the upright (rated A) was from a company that's registered in Quidco, but the chest freezer (rated A+) wasn't coming up in many places. Still got a couple of weeks to look round, but have spoken to a couple of people on another site who have the upright I'm looking at and they both like it

Just not sure which to go for yet....

• Higher outlay on the chest freezer (£36), but slightly higher running costs on the upright (an extra 32kWh a year, which is about £2.80 on my current price plan)
• More floor space needed for the chest one (and I struggle to get things out of the bottom 'cos I'm "vertically challenged"), but it will take larger items (like a frozen turkey before Christmas, but this is probably the only item in a whole year that may warrant the chest freezer).
• More easy to organise things in the upright, and (with a chart on the door) should be quicker to pull things out -- meaning it's open less
• The chest freezer has a lockable handle -- could be a bonus as I'm considering taking up child-minding in the future, but I could put a child-proof catch up high on the upright
• The chest freezer is frost free, which the upright isn't -- but it's not something I've ever had, so isn't something I'd miss. And a friend who has one that claims to be says she still has to defrost it regularly anyway!!

The only card I have that earns me anything is my Tesco Clubcard -- I don't shop anywhere else to make it worthwhile having any others. And I wouldn't be allowed another credit card even if I tried applying 'cos of a change in income due to loss of job.

discountmummy

Ok im up to page 39 so far! wow loads of really helpful tips thanx guys! I too want to join the challange for waiting until at least the 1st of Nov until i put my heating on!

Im not sure if anyone else has mentioned turning your outside floodlights off in your garden i turned mine off months ago as i just found them annoying going off in the middle of the night whenever the neighbours cat decided to visit (no doubt leave me a nice present!!!) But its also saved on electricity use a wind up touch if you need light outside???

looby-loo_2

(ashamed to say I might find some of those 25 year old items at the bottom)

cw18

I'm planning on offering my old one up on Freecycle -- with a warning that it's energy hungry. It might just help someone out over Christmas or until they can afford to replace one that's just gone kaput though

I put a tumble dryer on there in Jan '07 with the same warning (we were only replacing as we had several washloads a day needed drying and they were taking much longer than they should have), and I had at least 4 people ask for it within minutes of the ad going up..... It certainly made me feel better about replacing a 'functioning' appliance

I've been told by our local co-ordinator that working freezers in any condition are like gold dust, and are always snapped up just as fast as (if not faster than) tumble dryers.

My old fridge/freezer will be going the same way, but not sure which side of Christmas as I made need to bring it back on-line for the fridge space myself if my elder son is home on leave from the Army for as long as he's threatening us with

(I know mine has nothing that predates late May 2002 in it, 'cos that's when we last moved house :rotfl: And I think this particular freezer stayed off-line for about a year while I tried to cope with just the built in f/freezer so probably nothing more than 5 years old )


It's looking like I'll be going for the upright -- a friend has pointed out that if I get a larger freezer and batch cook to fill it, then I'll be in and out of it more than my current one. And as I have back problems, the extra stretching to reach the bottom of a chest freezer (I'm also slightly "vertically challenged") could well cause more regular flare ups -- something I'd never have thought of, but she did 'cos she has a back problem herself and has avoided chest freezers for exactly the same reason.

looby-loo_2

Freecycle is a good idea.