Saving on electric

MonstersMummy

I'm currently with npower for both gas nad electric after using uswitch earlier this year to change from BG and powergen. The bills haven't been too bad but they've just hiked my electricity DD from £32.50 to £47.50 as I'm using more than they anticipated.
I'm now trying to figure out ways to conserve power but what ideas does anyone have for this?
I'm now turning on and off lights as and when we're using the rooms. I've stopped using the tumble drier for everything except bedding and towels and am using the airer instead. Oh and today I've started doing washing up again (for the first time in 2 1/2 years!!) instead of using the dishwasher so saving electric and water there. Is there anything else I could be doing?

Will it be cheaper to only run the washing machine over night instead of during the day?

I'd start turning the power to the fridge off over night if I thought it wouldn't cost me more in spoiled food!!!

Its harder in the winter as you need to use the lights more often so it will decrease naturally as it gets lighter. As will using the washing line in the summer instead of the tumble drier (I can put bedding and towels on there as well). But anything else that helps would be handy.

Thanks guys.

helenrachel_2

MonstersMummy wrote:

I'm currently with npower for both gas nad electric after using uswitch earlier this year to change from BG and powergen. The bills haven't been too bad but they've just hiked my electricity DD from £32.50 to £47.50 as I'm using more than they anticipated.
I'm now trying to figure out ways to conserve power but what ideas does anyone have for this?
I'm now turning on and off lights as and when we're using the rooms. I've stopped using the tumble drier for everything except bedding and towels and am using the airer instead. Oh and today I've started doing washing up again (for the first time in 2 1/2 years!!) instead of using the dishwasher so saving electric and water there. Is there anything else I could be doing?

Will it be cheaper to only run the washing machine over night instead of during the day?

I'd start turning the power to the fridge off over night if I thought it wouldn't cost me more in spoiled food!!!

Its harder in the winter as you need to use the lights more often so it will decrease naturally as it gets lighter. As will using the washing line in the summer instead of the tumble drier (I can put bedding and towels on there as well). But anything else that helps would be handy.

Thanks guys.

One of my colleagues told me yesterday that you use a lot less power by heating water on the stove rather than boiling the kettle (We were having a conversation about the environment but similar principle applies).

Also if you have the space have you thought about getting 2 airers to dry the towels/bedding in winter. My husband and i have this as have economy 7 heating and a washer dryer and so we always put the washing machine on overnight and dont want to get up in the middle of the night to empty out half a load so that we can use the dryer. (in retrospect should have just bought a washing maching but never mind!).

Also if you have economy 7 it will be cheaper for you to run WM overnight but probs not cheaper on other tariff. Check your bills to find out which tariff you are on and it will show whether there are different day and night charges.

Also turning things off rather than leaving them on standby will save a lot of power. And unplugging a mobile phone charger when not in use will also stop wasting elec.

greengrass

Hi

I am also with npower for both, and after looking at uswitch it wont be much cheaper with another supplier, it evens out because I do get £60 in June for having gas and elec with np. I have just had the same increase on my monthly dd aswell and it is quite a big jump isnt it. We have a 3 bed semi, there is only 3 of us in it and we never leave anything on standby, so do you think boiling the saucepan with gas would be cheaper then using electric kettle all the while? I have tried to air clothes as much as possible this week rather then use tumble dryer.

helenrachel_2

According to my colleague who has a friend that is nutty about the environment it uses less energy. Apparently kettles use loads of energy. But i guess it really depends on the relative prices of gas and electricity.

roger56

You may find this site interesting, I've linked to the "kettle" page:
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/miniGSG/kettles.htm

Also to save money checkout Ebico:
http://www.ebico.co.uk/en/open/pages/gasandpoweren.php

MonstersMummy

the kettle for me is really irrelevant as I dont drink tea or coffee (neither do my kids!!) so is only using when we have visitors!! I'll try to remember that when we next have company though!

I have to wash and dry the bedding the same day as we all only have one set (ex used spares for dust sheets and in the garage!). Even if i get them on the airer before school they still dont dry in time for the kiddies bedtime, they only just dry on the washing line in time!! OK so buying a spare set each of bedding would prob solve that!!

My bill has 2 rates, this one states 2 units @ 15p and 41 units @ 7p then 180 @16p and 1247 @8p. I presuming this is only due to a price rise although I've had no written warning about them doing it. Do you think the cheaper rate is over night? Is 1427 units a quarter a lot??

Greengrass, we're exactly the same: 3 bed, 3 people and dont have standby functions (no normal tele, dvd, etc as everything runs through pc). Is that £60 for the duel fuel DD discount? Apparently I get a discount at some point but dont know when or how much for!

roger56

greengrass wrote:

Hi

We have a 3 bed semi, there is only 3 of us in it and we never leave anything on standby, so do you think boiling the saucepan with gas would be cheaper then using electric kettle all the while?

Rather than a saucepan, how about a "whistle" kettle - I use one and it's fine:
http://www.abbode-cookware.co.uk/acatalog/HOB_TOP_KETTLES__non_electric_.html

tripled

MonstersMummy wrote:

Will it be cheaper to only run the washing machine over night instead of during the day?

I'd start turning the power to the fridge off over night if I thought it wouldn't cost me more in spoiled food!!!

If you have an economy 7 meter it would be cheaper to run the washing machine overnight instead of in the day. But if that was the case you wouldn't want to be switching off your fridge during the cheap time!

Unless the property has, or has had, storage heating at one time it is unlikely to be an E7 meter, you can check though by looking at the meter and seeing if there are 2 or 3 meter readings displayed.

It is quite hard to get E7 to work in your favour if you have gas heating, but not impossible.

tripled

roger56 wrote:

Also to save money checkout Ebico:
http://www.ebico.co.uk/en/open/pages/gasandpoweren.php

In several regions the NPower online tariff is the cheapest - how can you advise the op they will save money without knowing their details? Every other thread seems to contain a post from you saying "switch to Ebico - they're amazing"! Are you on commision?

roger56

tripled wrote:

In several regions the NPower online tariff is the cheapest - how can you advise the op they will save money without knowing their details? Every other thread seems to contain a post from you saying "switch to Ebico - they're amazing"! Are you on commision?

Nope not on commission and I used the word "check out" which doesn't imply "they will" be the cheapest - to state that, as you say, I would need to know their details.

alan6

I have to agree with roger56 they are "amazing" Just put your Kw Usage in the box provided on there Web page and find out yourselves.