Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

[Deleted User]

:j I am off out today, in a couple of hours, because it looks fine for today. That`ll blow the cabin fever cobwebs away

I have just been thinking about utility bills now and we`re all well aware of electricity and gas but I am considering water too. We moved 5 months ago and have used far less water here (new water area) but pro rata our water plus sewage costs far far more in this area. I got both figures per cubic metre and couldn`t believe my eyes as the new area is about 70% more than the old :eek:

So: I have dug out the ecocamel showerheads that were still packed and already I know they use less because my feet aren`t covered in water in the shower. I don`t notice the difference when showering otherwise as they are good

Loo as normal as they are the new standard duel flush 6litre and hippos aren`t recommended for them

Kitchen hot water takes too long to come through so I am going to stand there and measure the amount of water wasted if I relied on the hot tap only. It may be cheaper to boil the kettle. I know the dishwasher is cheaper re energy and water but the washing tab costs a lot as I like the singing dancing all-in-ones. I`ll do the sums later today and I think I`ll be coming to the conclusion that heating a kettle is cheapest for a bowl of dishes

We have rainwater harvesting here for loos and washing machine but it has been empty for weeks as we have had no rain. (cue: drought coming up this summer) so am running all on mains

washing machine: I have dug out the handbook and there are significant differences in the amount of water used. The most economical re water is when I do a quick wash on cotton or synthetic and use soapnuts or eco balls as rinsing can be cut down

Last house, the water dd was half that for gas and electricity combined but hardly any of us take it on board

suzybloo

I am concerned about our heating d/d too, at the moment we are £102 but it has been on just about constant for over a week now, just going off for 6 hours from 11pm-5am. I am going to read the meters today and update my account online. I have also got £9 in my purse from last weeks grocery money so will do a direct payment of that onto the account. Even if its an extra £3-4 a week I make to the account it will save them raising the Direct Debit - just a thought even if you only have a couple of pounds lying around from another budget pop that into your heating account its always just another days heating covered.

Pitlanepiglet

I've always found heating wise that I can turn ours off at 9pm and not notice that it's gone off. I'm normally pottering around or sitting on a sofa and the place stays warm in time for me to go to bed. That shaves a couple of hours off a day for many people. I have to have ours on early though, I can't bear getting up in the cold!

lilmisskitkat

seasalt wrote: »

Primrose, I am a great window opener as well to air the house and first thing I do in the morning is open the kitchen door to see what the day is like and let some fresh air in, even if only briefly. Drives OH mad - he likes the house much warmer and stuffier than I do - but then he gets his fresh air working outside all day in all weathers so I can understand why. It's a wonder some of our window catches haven't broken from being opened and shut so much. My parents are the same. In their old house, they had a thermostat on the stairs and had to replace it twice because every time Mum walked past it she turned it down and every time Dad went past, he turned it up again! And I do HAVE to get outside every day at least briefly, whatever the weather, or I'd go mad I think.

:rotfl: I could have written that! DH and I are always arguing over the heating & windows being opened, i open them, he closes them, i turn the radiators down, he turns them up.

Thats what he was used to when he lived with his parents, i dont think i've ever seen a window open in their house apart from the bathroom, plus a huge coal fire in the living room and heating in the other rooms. Way too hot and stuffy.

I do the same as my mam does though, all upstairs radiators off during the day, windows open for air then come late afternoon, windows closed and heating on to warm through for bath and bed. Then heating off completely and gas fire on in the living room for the evening.

During the day the heating comes on to warm the downstairs from 7-9am then it is on low during the day (in 2 downstairs rooms if DH is working from home, just one if he isn't) to keep it comfortable but not too warm, i open the windows when i feel it needs it and make the kids put a jumper on. DH likes to sit around in a t-shirt :mad: and moan when hes cold.

Kate xxx

starsandmoon

Boyfriend came to mine bearing gifts, flowers, chocolate, alcohol and painkillers for my sore back. Has also done all the cooking and hoovering and is fixing a leaky pipe under the kitchen sink. The perfect man.

For those having trouble with heating systems you have my sympathy. I moved into my house this time last year and the boiler blew up. Took two weeks to get it replaced and I had no heat or hot water. Was nearly suicidal. Have been going through the gas lately with this cold weather. Seems to have brightened up now.

Will have a very moneysaving week next week as Im off with my back and carnt get out. Will spend on heating though instead, carnt win can you?

suki1964

suzybloo wrote: »

I am concerned about our heating d/d too, at the moment we are £102 but it has been on just about constant for over a week now, just going off for 6 hours from 11pm-5am. I am going to read the meters today and update my account online. I have also got £9 in my purse from last weeks grocery money so will do a direct payment of that onto the account. Even if its an extra £3-4 a week I make to the account it will save them raising the Direct Debit - just a thought even if you only have a couple of pounds lying around from another budget pop that into your heating account its always just another days heating covered.

You know that you can really cut that down by not having it on constant all day

I have elderly parents who like a warm house - understandable - hes housebound with very bad circulation, And they need all the rooms heated really because for him even going to the toilet will chill him

So what I do is fool them. The heating is on before they get up and for about an hour to really warm the rooms. Then its off for say 90 mins, back on for 30, off for an hour or so - back on for an hour. Basically it works out the heating is on for 6 hours a day, the rads always feels warmish, I can walk around in a tee shirt cos I find it that warm - and my heating bill is halved.

Now they do have a fire in their sitting room thats lit from say lunchtime onwards but then they like their sitting room in the mid to high 20's - it would cook normal healthy active people. And with the settings I have on the heating the rooms are perfectly comfortable and a rug over the lap in the evening when watching the tv is an option

ceridwen

starsandmoon wrote: »

Boyfriend came to mine bearing gifts, flowers, chocolate, alcohol and painkillers for my sore back. Has also done all the cooking and hoovering and is fixing a leaky pipe under the kitchen sink. The perfect man.

For those having trouble with heating systems you have my sympathy. I moved into my house this time last year and the boiler blew up. Took two weeks to get it replaced and I had no heat or hot water. Was nearly suicidal. Have been going through the gas lately with this cold weather. Seems to have brightened up now.

Will have a very moneysaving week next week as Im off with my back and carnt get out. Will spend on heating though instead, carnt win can you?

Oh yes you can...win that is.....that boyfriend is a "keeper" obviously...I wouldnt let one like that go if I were you:D

charlies-aunt

bluebag wrote: »

I think many of us on here are worried half to death about our bills because we actually budget and pay them. Everyone else I know doesn't give a rats a$$, is spending like a drunken sailor and shoving it all on tick.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Serious subject but your way with words made me smile!

I think that many of us are blessed (or cursed) with a deeply ingrained sense of decency, honesty and fairness. We pay our bills religiously and view debts as shameful.

Plenty of people, who are deeply in debt, have gone mad this Christmas buying electronic games/toys to "save" on the VAT :huh:

Yet the same people seem not only to manage ...but to prosper...

Intriguingly these same people will be booking a fortnight away in the sun next year and will be passing us in our old jalopy with a wave and a smile as they motor in their new car to have their regular Sunday lunch at their golf club...nicely dressed and shod . . . .

Does anyone know their secret?? If yes, please tell as I would love to know what I'm doing wrong!

ceridwen

Ah...but... Charlies Aunt - they are the ones who are going to go down bigtime when the s*** hits the fan...but we will still be swimming.

Recalling a recent Press article about someone who a few years ago owned several nice homes and is now renting a flat. I'd rather own one home and know that its mine NO MATTER WHAT:D - than own several that were "vulnerable" to whatever happens in the Economy at large.

[Deleted User]

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

I've always found heating wise that I can turn ours off at 9pm and not notice that it's gone off. I'm normally pottering around or sitting on a sofa and the place stays warm in time for me to go to bed. That shaves a couple of hours off a day for many people. I have to have ours on early though, I can't bear getting up in the cold!

I turn ours off at 9 as well and we put the spare tv in our bedroom, first ever that we have had a tv in the bedroom but we weren`t going to give that away as well. So if it feels cool then we get changed and get under the duvet and watch a bit of tv up there. Anyway it beats nodding off downstairs as I always well and truly wake up afterwards, when I go to bed