A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

decogecko

Morning all

GQ - re your neighbour who hoards. I used to work for the fire service in my former county, we had notes on the system that indicated that someone was a hoarder (only brief details linked to their address). This was in part for the safety of the firefighters. If you/Supergran ring your fire hq there will be a community fire safety department who will go out and assess the flat, install extra smoke alarms if req (for free). In some cases the fire service can refer the person to social services (whether SS then do anything is another matter).

Forgive me fellow os'ers for I have sinned - I left the heating on overnight. I have given the barstewards BG more of my hard earned cash. Very peeved.

Have a good sunday x

greenbee

GQ - decogecko reminded me about your hoarding neighbour... Have environmental health been made aware?

prepareathome

fuddle wrote: »

Some really useful tips for us all to take note of, thank you.
I would really love a pre-pay meter but I know it would end up costing me more in the long run because the tariffs are that much higher. Does anyone know if there's any reason why they really need to charge more for pre-pay or is it just greed on the energy companies part?



Our usage this month is -

gas - £65.80
elec- £56.97

Fuddle, I would check if you have the cheapest tarrifs for you as we are on prepay - we went on it way, way back when hubby couldn't get a job so became a taxi driver and as he was earning daily we didn't want big bills. At first yes we did pay more but to us was worth it as we never owed money and we never went without, I would do without other things before I went without heat for the children but never got that bad thankfully, close sometimes but no one ever went to bed cold or hungry, but now with prepay prices coming right down I have compared often and the most I have ever been able to save if I changed to DD was £82 a year for both so wasn't worth it. I buy the fuel and then shop with what is left.

Our Gas at the moment - and we are leaving thermostat on heating at 18 so it comes on when temp drops below is only about £24 a month and I have a gas hob. Ok this winter so far not had to put thermostat up as we did last winter quite a few times to 20 as was just so cold but we are comfortable with this and I am really surprised at the cost considering price went up so much in summer. When we got our annual statement for gas for year it was £557 so that came in October so included last winter. When we just had gas fire to heat the place up we got up to £25 a week, and hot water then was an immersion heater and then were amazed at just how expensive that was when we saw how little we used with the CH and heating the water ( combi boiler). In the summer the hot water and gas hob cost us £1 - £2 a week - I put £20 in, in May and usually don't have to put any more in till late August/September.

Electric is a bit more but then far more things using it, we use between £12 - £20 a week.

We are with British gas for both as that is the cheapest for us at moment, I check every 3 months or so. We also get £15 back from them every September as we are dual fuel customers.

I don't know what it would be if you had a debt though, how much they would expect you to pay back each week as thankfully never had one.

Why don't you go to the comparison sites and put in that you want a prepay meter and see what its shows, I know it depends where you live as to what you pay, but no harm in looking. British Gas by the way do not have a standing charge on prepay, so if you don't use you pay nothing, but I know Manweb used to ( when my MIL took ill and I took over her bills I found Manweb did do so, but she wouldn't let me change, but when she went into a home and so flat was sitting there empty and I had power of attorney I changed from them as didn't want to pay for an empty flat, Npower was the best deal then for DD.

I will be looking at comparison sites again in March as at the moment we are entitled to the extra £120 from BG towards winter bills due to low income and you have had to have been a customer from 22nd Oct and stay with them till end of March but if I look and see somewhere else is better after that I will change.

OH yes has everyone checked if they are entitled to the £120 towards winter bills from your electric provider - each one has their own critera, although all those on pensions qualify but you have to make sure they know you are one, some will give it to those on low income like BG others don't but will if you have young children, its up to them. Worth checking if you haven't

Kimsmum

Morning everyone, well just.
Been up with the larks this morning 4.15am:eek:
Just cant get into a good sleeping habit.

GreyQueen glad you got your trainers.

VJsmum well done you your dad must be very pleased:T
Hester I am trying to do the same thing as you with food
stretch as far as I can as have a few bills that need to be paid before Christmas.

Hope everyone is safe and warm.
Be back later off to do some cooking and washing.:)

fuddle

greenbee wrote: »

Fuddle - prepay is more expensive because of the technology and infrastructure. The bl**dy things are always going wrong and needing fixing which doesn't help. Doing monthly meter readings should help you to get control, and hopefully you'll get the debt down and costs under control. Have your energy supplier given you an energy monitor? And have you checked your tariff etc?

Obviously cutting down usage is the best way to give them less money, and a monitor can help. Simple things like batch cooking/slow cooking and using the microwave to reheat can make a huge difference. I had an ancient chest freezer which used far too much electricity last winter, so have got rid of it (I have two efficient uprights anyway). Make sure your fridge isn't too full and your freezer is packed... Fill any gaps with bottles of water!

And turning off (or on to frost setting) radiators in rooms you aren't using. Wall thermostats and radiator thermostats fight each other, so don't waste your money on a wireless one. Make sure your radiators are balanced and bled, that there is no sludge or anything, and then set each room to the required temp. I think generally 1=16, 2=18, 3=20 assuming they are correctly sized for the rooms. I heat the hall, living room, kitchen and bathroom, and my study when I'm working. Bedrooms are unheated, as is the utility room. In winter I have my room stat set to max and control the temperature via the radiators. When it's very cold I have it on constantly and set the room stat to 10 at night, and last year heard the heating kick in briefly occasionally. Remember, the boiler only uses what it needs to keep the radiators at the temperature you've set them to, so if it's kicking in a lot then the rooms are getting cold.

Have a look on the gas and elec boards for ideas on getting costs down (or identifying what's costing you money).

Thank you for all of the above.

Our bedroom is heated by a small radiator in the bay window. It never gets warm in there because the radiator is behind the curtain so we have to leave the curtains open to allow the heat out which fights the cold coming from the vast amount of glass in the bay window! We have given up and now heat it with curtains closed and electric radiator on first thing of a morning and just before bath/bed.

My children's bedrooms are extremely cold and this is where I am sure the cost is coming in. They are part of an extension and I feel a poor extension. Even with the radiators set at 6 they never heat the room to the point of being toasty never mind boiling hot (actually I wonder if they need bleeding! Thank you!) The floors are laminate floors which are cold anyway. I really don't know what to do in those rooms and feel like I'm throwing money away just trying to heat them a little..... but they're my childrens rooms and I have to try.

I have thermal linings on their curtains but I do need to get rugs down in there. We have since last year put wooden strips along the skirting boards to prevent the draughts coming form the gaps but it hasn't seemed to made any difference. There are double glazed windows in there so all I can think of is there is no insulation at all on the walls.

We just have to plod on huh. I will ask DH to look at bleeding the radiators in there tonight.

mardatha

Can somebody who understands money give us their opinion on Cameron and the EU .. or anybody just give their ideas. How will it affect us, not fussed as to how it affects the country

prepareathome

greenbee wrote: »

Fuddle - prepay is more expensive because of the technology and infrastructure. The bl**dy things are always going wrong and needing fixing which doesn't help.

Jeepers I must have been very lucky as only twice I had a problem, once meter went dead ( gas) they came out and told me the battery had gone and were amazed as said mine should be put in a museum as it was 14 years old and they should only last 5 years ( that was 6 years ago and that battery is still working). I presume electric meter runs off power. Other problem was we had annual statement from BG for gas and it said we owed about £300 which of course was rather odd as we were on prepay and the debit started about 3 months into the year. After much coming and going, they were hoping they would find I was fiddling the meter they admitted the problem was at their end, whenever we put card into meter instead of that going off our bill it was being treated as a debit, so not only was bill showing gas we had used it also included what we had paid as if that also was gas used. That was sorted and since then ( touch wood ) nothing else and we have been on prepay about 29 years.

Radiator in hall doesn't have a thermostat it comes on via the wall thermostat but others all have their own - we leave living room one on about 2 and rest of house on frost protection, doors are never closed so heat comes from hall and warms up room nicely. Bathroom has a towel rail and that is left up full as its a very, very cold room, so very often when no heat anywhere else that will be warm. Non in kitchen as no space for one unfortunately and I admit does get a bit chilly in there sometimes, only because back door open so often for dogs, and oven doesn't do much as being a wall oven it has a fan that comes on to cool the cupboards so can be very chilly standing in front of it, although in summer its lovely.

lizzyb1812

GQ - glad you got your trainers, Karrimor are a good brand. I too now avoid Hi Tec. Have you saved the insoles from the old ones? Lots of trainers have removable shaped insoles that are washable and can be moved from pair to pair. I bought some Aldi walking boots a while ago - well made and comfy except for lack of padding on the sole. So I used a pair of insoles from an old pair of Reeboks plus a fleecy insole on top of that. Supportive, comfy walking boots for £8-99 plus fleecy insoles.

In extreme mean mode I have acquired a pair of gloves and a hat for nowt this week. Both found whilst walking pup in the countryside and given a quick wash. Gloves are very nice - acrylic but with those rubbery dots on the palms so they are good to drive in. Hat is not quite me so will probably go to a charity shop I have a gift aid number for. If I'd found them in a busy area I'd probably have put them on a wall in case the owner came back.

Leftovers today for breakfast - first time I've had baked beans on half a jacket potato for breakfast but just before a wintery dog walk it really hit the spot. I find myself moving further and further away from convention re what to have at each meal. Anyone else?

ETA Fuddle - I had your curtain problem and solved it by making what I've called a rad-guard. You need a piece of stiff cardboard/MDF/hardboard long enough to balance on the radiator brackets and deep enough to tuck the curtains behind. I used card and covered it with a fabric that matched the curtains in colour (an old sheet) but board would be a lot better. When the curtains are closed they are tucked behind the rad-guard and the heat can't escape to the windows behind the curtains. The rad-guard also gets warm and helps to heat the room. Mine is at my front windows and has made a real difference in that part of the room.

Shortening the curtains would help otherwise - if they are not yours they could be safety pinned up. I found though that the heat still escaped behind the curtains a bit although at least the radiator would be uncovered and therefore heating more than just the curtains.

fuddle

One word - Norway. They are not members of the EU. A country I have a great deal of respect and admiration for. For me, Norway is a successful country looking after their own interests and are brilliant at protecting their own resources.

They aren't an EU member state but still cooperate and maintain good levels of intergration and communication with the member states. It can be done surely?

prepareathome

Byatt just want to say Hi, cannot think of anything that has not already been mentioned to help you keep warm. I know its no help just now, but I always, always put money in prepay meters before I spend it on anything else, the food shopping can be jiggled but not that and so far we have never been without heat.

Could you ask on your local freecycle if anyone has a calor gas heater, you might strike lucky and get one with some gas in the canister - that is how we got ours years ago and it had half a canister of gas ( although we did get it checked over before using it, a lot of calor gas suppliers offer a free check up even if you are not buying gas from them).

An old fashioned way to keep warm is wrapping a flannel ( fleece) round the body over the kidneys, helps keep the core warm.

I hope you are a bit warmer today as temps seem to have risen in most places.