Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

mineallmine

Quick update - just had the gas Direct Debit reduced by £7 a month - yay! Now to get the electricity bill under control.

scuzz

Is it just me or is it starting to get darker earlier this year than normal?

We now have to have the curtains shut and lights on by 8pm and I'm not happy this! We only have two small lights on instead of the big light which burns 5/6 bulbs.

Heating's staying off at the moment when we can, but the water does come on at 2am ready for me to have a bath at 4am - it goes off around 3.30am I think.

I am still trying to drum it into my mother that having the heating on and windows open is a complete waste of time and money but she won't listen:mad:

trainee_debt_buster

There's so many posts on here I haven't had a chance to read them all so sorry if I'm repeating anything, but here's a few of the energy saving things I do:

- Put lids or plates over saucepans/frying pans when cooking. keeps the heat in, so speeds up the cooking and you get to eat quicker.

- Use a bamboo steamer for steaming my veggies when I'm cooking potatos or rice. Haven't done this yet as I keep forgetting, but I've been meaning to save the cooking water from boiling my spuds to make gravy with. I'm hoping it will make it nice and thick as it'll be quite starchy :rolleyes:

- Also boil water needed for cooking in the kettle first as it doesn't use as much energy as boiling it on the hob.

- I have a combi gas boiler that produces hot water on demand, I've noticed quite often that if I'm just running the hot tap for a short time, such as just to wash my hands, the water often doesn't get hot before I've finished but I can hear the boiler firing up. So I'm going to try not use the hot taps unless I really need hot water.

- I hang washing out in the boiler cupboard so it'll dry quicker

I already have all the energy saving bulbs, switch off power sockets at night and have double glazing. Have recently moved to a new house that's much bigger than old place so plan to line all curtains, make a curtain to cover front door as it's in the living room and invest in a slow cooker and microwave to bring gas costs down. If we can keep the bills about the same as the old drafty, damp flat, it'll be a bonus :T

Angelraesunshine

I so need this thread am half way through reading it all but will start again later when the kids gone to bed to get more ideas got a £500 debt with the power company for my gas & elec they just put me up to £100 a month they wanted £150 but i told them no it was £100 or nothing it could stay at the £80 i was paying they finally agreed and changed me to a cheap online option which should have me they save another £100 a year

razra

scuzz wrote: »

Is it just me or is it starting to get darker earlier this year than normal?

No I was thinking the same last night, wonder if the earth has toppled , would explain our freaky weather:D

Well my house was so cold and draughty last year but with having an old boiler it was costing me a fortune to feel even slightly warm, so wish I'd seen this thread then.
This year I have had cavity wall insulation, double glazing and loft insulation put in so I'm really hoping it will make a huge difference as no way can I afford to change the boiler too.

Have been reading through all of this and I am planning to find a way of putting curtains over my front and back doors, although they are double glazed they are huge panels of glass so I'm guessing they will still let the cold through

Other than that think I will follow the blanket on the sofa route, theres only me here so no one else to complain they are cold:rotfl:

On of the main things I did last year was to take my clothes into the bathroom and then shut the door. That way the steam from the shower heats up the bathroom and you can get dressed in a warm room rather than running back across the landing shivering and its sort of free heating LOL

likabu_2

scuzz wrote: »

Heating's staying off at the moment when we can, but the water does come on at 2am ready for me to have a bath at 4am - it goes off around 3.30am I think.

Might be an idea to check your time, an hour and a half seems a long time for the water to be heated for one bath. How about setting it to come on at 3.30am and off at 4am?

Lisa

Ps - poor you having to get up sooo early!

roses

Lidl are selling a plug energy monitor for £7 on Monday:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20071008.p.Energy_Monitor.ar2

pennyocs

i made the kids quilted bedspreads with old jeans they look great and keep them lovely and warm

Newly_retired

As well as all the ideas already suggested, save some ironing or housework for when it gets a bit chilly. Ironing really warms me up and the room too. Using some energy to do some cleaning keeps me warm. However I much prefer to get chilly whilst spending time on MSE!

mumoftwo

pennyocs wrote: »

i made the kids quilted bedspreads with old jeans they look great and keep them lovely and warm

That sounds brilliant, how did you make it? In squares? Please tell, I would love to make a quilt like that and the jeans idea really appeals to me.. have you got a picture? thanks a lot