Looking after my fiance's niece and the incurred utility costs

Flossie.

Hmmmm, does sound a bit crazy, as she is only there one day a week.

Why is the temp on 26?! :eek: I would throw up in that heat!

If it bothers you that much OP, keep the heat down, seriously. As man have suggested, 19-21 is a more than acceptable heat.

Carmina-Piranha_2

Is the temperature kept at 26 in the house where the toddler spends the rest of her time? It sounds horribly high to me.

I agree with suggestions about checking for draughts, also can you keep one room warmer than the others during the day for your fiancee and the child? I wouldn't expect a child to wear mittens indoors, but socks or tights would be more comfortable if playing on the floor. I feel the cold more than the 4 males in this house, so I wear socks indoors during the evening, or slippers. If I am cold I'll wear long sleeves, or even put a second layer on. If I put the heating on when it was already 21 they'd start opening windows!

Also, where is your thermostat? Mine is portable, and I have noticed that my sitting room is 2 or even 2.5 degrees warmer than my bedroom. Even so, 21 in the sitting room and 19 in the bedroom is warm enough for me.

thx1138

ashleyriot wrote: »

Hey all,

I need advice because there is going to be a heated discussion soon...

We have an 18 month old niece who is perhaps rather trying for her Mum so my fiance has generously offered to look after once a week (she is brought over on a Tuesday afternoon and stays the day and night for my fiance to return her on the Wednesday).

Everyone wins: we have time with our niece (she's so much fun and has so many cool noises) and her Mum has a bit of a time out ('Dad' only has her some weekends - they are not together).


Therefore, it started eight days ago and her Mum was kind of shocked at the temperature of our house: it ain't baking hot, I do not deny but it is not frigid - I would describe it as cool.

The house is mine: I saved up the mortgage on my own and found all the ways possible to save money including quite comfortably wearing layers of clothes in the winter and focusing heat where necessary.

The arrival of my fiance changed things but we keep it at a comfortable 21 degrees right now in November (too warm in my opinion - wear the right clothes!)

I arrived home last night to find the underfloor heating (the underfloor heating!) on at 26 degrees and the radiators also at a similar temperature. It had been like this for most of the day - I only walked in at 18:00 and it was way too warm.

I had thankfully clocked the gas meter the day before (Monday evening just for the monthly meter read) and this morning before I left, we have used 2.5 units of gas, the equivalent of about £7.50 of gas, which is about 1/6th of our monthly budget.

This is about five times more than we should have used.

Added on to the fact that my fiance then drives the niece home, which is another couple of pounds, we are out about £10 a week for this help.


Financially, we are not in trouble but we are tight: it is just I that works currently (my fiance left her job because she didn't enjoy the commute) and allowing for everything (I mean everything - Budget Brain 100%), we are up about £30 a month.


I see we have three choices:

1. Stop the babysitting until next Spring
2. My fiance babysits at my niece's house (petrol cost still, I accept)
3. We ask for payment (well, actually, I ask for payment - this is going to be a major falling out for my fianc! and I but it's our money that is being spent each week)


Thoughts are appreciated, thank you.

It's your house therefore you're in charge. Turn down the heat -- or up as it pleases you -- and in your own good time.