Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

mama67

cw18 wrote: »

I have a spreadsheet I put my weekly reading into, and it does all the calculations for me -- including weekly average useage and cost over the last 12 months, 3 months and month............ so what does that make me :eek:

I'm a Pisces and I have a similar set up and also a separate daily readings spreadsheet which the figures then get transferred from onto the monthly at the end of each week.

mardatha

I don't think you can always go by the calendar - we had freezing 70mph gales here and they had snow further north !

rosekitten

pick a day when you are in the house
on your own.Then check each room
unplug everything.I know this sounds
like this is not much,but I did this one
day in my sons room I found their mini
stereo on.I thought that this was on
stand bye and then when I looked
closer I discovered that this had been
playing radio 1 with the volume turned
right down.He had this playing silently
away for nearly five years.
There was so much stuff on standby
now everything has to be unplugged
when not in use,including the internet.

This made a big saving for us the
next electric bill was £64 cheaper
than the last one.

HockeyDuo8083

This thread is brilliant, will be reading back for all the tips. Good work peeps:money:

FrugalFriend

Here's a tip for the bed, I mean for staying warm of course!

I used to use an electric blanket, and thought it the best thing ever. They are, especially the ones with the built-in timer. Mine had choice of 75mins or 12 hours, 75 mins was great- I was asleep well before the timer went off.

Anyway I discovered a new cheaper way to stay warm. I use a fleecy underblanket with another thick woolen blanket underneath. These fleecy underblankets are available from most department stores or supermarkets for a reasonable price.

This is what I put on my bed to keep me warm without using electricity:
1) Elasticated Cotton Mattress cover
2) Thick woolen blanket
3) Fleecy Underblanket
4) Sheets
5) Good quality duvet with minimum 13.5 tog, two duvets are better than one (ie. all-seasons type)

Butterfly_Brain

Just got my spring bill in and was horrified to see how much it was :eek:
This has motivated me to make sure everything not in use is switched off at the mains, and the water is only going on for an hour a day, if the kids get cold they will have to put layers on.

What gets my goat is even though the price of oil has really dropped we are not really seeing any fall in the cost - in the last 2 years gas and electric has gone up by at least 50% but we have only had a 10% reduction the power companies say we are getting a good deal - I say we are being screwed.

Thats_me

Been reading my through (well, to page 44!!) and don't really have too much to add. Re woodburners. We got a 2nd hand one some 4 years ago and I would not be without it. We VERY rarely have the CH on, there really is no need as we leave the sitting room door open and the heat goes through the house. Also, the chimney breast wall in our bedroom gets nice and warm (we did check this with our chimney sweep and were assured that ther is no problem at all). We do not even have the heating on in the bathroom, steam from the shower warms it a treat. Also, re paper bricks. We make these and have found them to be really good. The trick we have found is to tear the paper into strips, soak in a bucket for a day or so, empty as much of the water from the bucket as you can, then get a lump of wood and bash the *carp* out of it! It turns into mush. Then squeeze it out (wear rubber gloves or your hands will be filthy for days!) and load up your brick maker. When it dries it is very light but quite solid. They make an excellent addition to wood/coal and are great for burning if the day turns out to be a little milder than you thought it would be.

Keep the tips coming. I will try to read the rest of these postings over the next couple of weeks.

PS, hope this hasn't all been suggested before.

Keep warm.

Barneysmom

I thought I'd dig this thread out again and see if anyone has any more tips to add to it?
My gas and elec tie-in finishes at the end of December so I have to really seriously get something done to save the pennies.......
All hail the hot water bottle!
It's been going for years now and I don't think they've come up with a better idea, especially if your bed is completely lagged with blankets under the bottom sheet and plenty on top! Keep it so tight you have to fight your way in there every night
I always now keep a pair of socks and my slippers on a radiator for when I come I out of the cold....

annie123

barneysmum you to add this one
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1458207
to your list of subscriptions, otherwise you will miss all the new tips!

Barneysmom

:cool:Thank you annie123