Preparing for Winter V

Primrose

Water heating for family showers can use a lot of energy especially if individuals are showering twice daily.   A thorough strip wash once a day only uses a basin of hot water and is a lot more economical.
Also, are your family wearing fresh clothes every day?   Really this is totally unnecessary when deodorants are available.   I know people don't like history being quoted at them but when I was a wartime kid I lived in the virtually the same clothes from Monday to Friday and I'm still alive.  If people didn't have washing machines, my bet is that the clothes washing habits would change drastically. It's only because we have all these conveniences that we make free and easy use of them, often without realising the fuel cost involved.  Our dishwashers make life easy too, but in reality a bowl of hot soapy water is probably more fuel efficient, although more of a pain from a physical effort.  It all depends how high fuel cost saving is on your family agenda. 

helensbiggestfan

Tink_04 said:

Got such a shock yesterday and cannot believe I didn’t think of this for during lockdown !

I got a huge energy bill in which is pushing up the DD cost monthly, I need to find a way to keep the DD low and maybe do a one off payment to help bring it down again.

I think because there is 4 of us at home all the time and kids and DH are on laptops etc daily it’s just been a huge hike in usage! Luckily we have not had the heating on but I just can’t believe it, we are usually in credit over the summer months and then have a bit going forward for in the winter months so I’m not worried about putting the heating on.

I can’t afford for this bill to be this high in June so need to work on reducing this NOW before winter kicks in.

I’m not sure where to start other than switching everything off? 

• DH to use flask for coffee during the day
• Lunch to be a cold meal so no oven/microwave.
• Laptops/electronics not charging whilst in use.
• Electronics not on standby.
• Washing every 2 days.

I’m not sure what else I can do? Help?

Tink

Tink.....do you have an energy meter.   Nothing focusses the mind quite so much as actually seeing the figures every day.  It might be helpful for your family to actually see what they are using rather than you nagging. Meters are free and now that they are installing second generation meters you can still switch suppliers with ease, something that was more difficult with the original 1st generation meters.  They are great for showing you which appliances use the most energy....Very roughly anything which works quickly....kettles, irons, hairdryers, but the meter tells you. I was shocked by how much energy flat screen TVs use so I just watch what I want to see and then it goes off.

Re one off payments. Last year I made a couple of one off payments because I was concerned about not getting too behind but they still increased my Monthly DD.  Then I ended up with a refund......😂   

I second the advice about not needing daily showers or baths. It is terribly drying for the skin.  A good wash is enough.  Same with clothes washing etc. - apart from undies you shouldn't really need to wash a garment every time you wear it.  Teenagers can be shockers for this can't they.  (I used to rescue my kids jeans from the washing pile because I knew very well they had only worn them once). They never did find out.....now they are grown ups and paying or their own energy usage they don't do it. What a surprise. 😂

I read somewhere the biggest energy expenses were heating and cooling. So the advice to fill the gaps in the freezer and not have it running half empty is sound. Apparently you do need a bit of air circulation in the fridge.  Check your settings for the fridge, maybe you can safely turn it down a bit. And try not to keep opening the fridge door every 5 minutes.  One thing I do is I have a couple of those gel packs you freeze and use for picnics.  During hot weather I freeze them and pop them in the fridge, it helps reduce the energy required to keep the fridge cold.  

Good luck......lots of tips on here.  I've pinched a couple I will be using. 😁

Happycas

Another one recommending the MSE energy club.  I think I last checked about 18 months ago on another comparison website and it said I would save about £25. I didn't bother for that.  Checked last week with MSE club and it says we will save the best part of £500 per year!! I
I feel very cross I didn't check earlier!

Living_proof

Happycas said:

Another one recommending the MSE energy club.  I think I last checked about 18 months ago on another comparison website and it said I would save about £25. I didn't bother for that.  Checked last week with MSE club and it says we will save the best part of £500 per year!! I
I feel very cross I didn't check earlier!

Does that mean you would save £500 a year on your current provider's standard tariff or on their cheapest fixed one? Sometimes the apparent savings figures don't stand up. Another thing to check is whether the supplier offers Warm Front Discount worth £140 a year to certain people and see whether you might be eligible. Good luck in your investigations and I hope you really will save £500 but in reality that is about my entire dual fuel bill a year for a 4 bedroomed house!

helensbiggestfan

I have been reading along and getting ideas for how to keep warm and cosy in winter without breaking the bank. 

 I bought this house a couple of years ago and discovered it was absolutely freezing. However, because it's a semi temporary move I didn't want to spend a fortune on it.  I did put in two new double glazed windows to replace the old draughty single glazed ones and that made a huge difference both to my comfort and the fuel bills.  

I inherited laminate and tiled floors which can be rather cold so I invested in some large heavy rugs and they too have made a big difference, cheaper than new floors and they can go with me when I move.  

I have upped the insulation, added draught excluders and thick heavy curtains for doors and windows  (charity shop).  I've tried to do things which either add value to the house like the new windows and extra insulation or which I can take with me to the next one, like the rugs and curtains.  

I try to make full use of passive solar gain......so I basically follow the sun round the house. 🤣. I get sun in the mornings In my sitting room and then later in the day it goes round to my kitchen/diner.  In fact it can be like a nice warm conservatory in there so I have a chair by the patio doors where I sometimes sit and read or do a bit of sewing on a sunny winters afternoon.  

I have the boiler serviced around October so I know it's ok.  I have an open fire in the kitchen diner and a gas fire in my sitting room.  I rarely use the gas fire in the sitting room because although it's in perfect working order it is very inefficient and costs a fortune to run. The fireplace itself is very pretty, original Edwardian.  I did look at replacing the gas fire, but it meant ripping out the fireplace and practically rebuilding the chimney ......a very expensive job and if I'm not staying here forever then it's not really worth the expense.  Instead I put a chimney sheep in the opening to cut out draughts and light candles on the hearth. That is usually enough.  I overbought on fuel for the open fireplace last winter and I reckon I have enough to see me through next winter so hopefully I can save a bit there.  

My best buys have been an electric sofa throw and my electric blanket. They cost pennies to run and keep me extra cosy on cold winters nights.  

I will keep reading and pinching your tips and ideas.  😂🤣

Happycas

Living proof
Thank you for your help.
If correct, we should save compared to the plan we are on with our current provider, a fixed one.
If we can save £500, we have clearly been paying well over the odds, as it definitely won't take us down to zero payments!
We're not eligible for any discounts.
Ours is an older house.  Both our son and our daughter pay much less in newer, better insulated houses. Although we have added as much insulation as we can, it never seems as effective as when it is built in.

As I say, I wish I'd checked earlier!

PipneyJane

Tink_04 said:

Got such a shock yesterday and cannot believe I didn’t think of this for during lockdown !

I got a huge energy bill in which is pushing up the DD cost monthly, I need to find a way to keep the DD low and maybe do a one off payment to help bring it down again.

I think because there is 4 of us at home all the time and kids and DH are on laptops etc daily it’s just been a huge hike in usage! Luckily we have not had the heating on but I just can’t believe it, we are usually in credit over the summer months and then have a bit going forward for in the winter months so I’m not worried about putting the heating on.

I can’t afford for this bill to be this high in June so need to work on reducing this NOW before winter kicks in.

I’m not sure where to start other than switching everything off? 

• DH to use flask for coffee during the day
• Lunch to be a cold meal so no oven/microwave.
• Laptops/electronics not charging whilst in use.
• Electronics not on standby.
• Washing every 2 days.

I’m not sure what else I can do? Help?

Tink

@Tink_04 are you with SSE by any chance?  If so, take another look at your bill and check how many DD's have been applied.  Their retail business was sold earlier this year and they changed their billing cycles. 

We went from them owing us money (£89) to us owing them (£120), partially because of this change.  The other big driver to our bill was that our boiler had "issues" over the winter - the pump eventually failed - and, even though it is a gas boiler, it used a lot more electricity as a result.  I phoned them up, changed tariff and got their proposed direct debit reduced in the process.  I'm now watching our smart meter like a hawk and have started a spreadsheet to track our daily spend (our smart meter quotes our usage in ££).  I would suggest that you get your boiler serviced.

- Pip

Butterfly_Brain

Tink 
I changed from BG to Octopus three years ago and have saved on average £48 a month plus they have actually reduced their prices this year, their customer service is fantastic and I will never go back to the big six again.

missychrissy

I agree that it’s a good idea to join MSE energy club. They let me know when my present deal is coming to an end and what are the best choices. It is then up to me to decide between cost, customer service etc.
I wholeheartedly agree about having an electric blanket. The best are those that automatically switch off after a pre set time so no one can leave one on indefinitely. Mine also has controls for each side of the bed separately. Many are the time’s I’ve come in from a night shift on a cold morning and instead of putting on the heating have curled up in a cosy warm bed.
If I’m away in the winter I leave my heating on at 10 degrees in order to avoid burst pipes. It isn’t very often it has switched on at that temp but it is better to be safe than sorry.
I used to have an inset gas fire in the lounge that I really didn’t like. My ex husband had to pay me a lump sum when he retired and I used it to build a proper brick fireplace and install a multi fuel burning stove. I love it. It’s so cosy and I collect wood whilst walking the dog throughout the year and leave it to dry out in the garage. Every sack I fill is a free night’s heating. 

I always switch my CH off on May 1 and it doesn’t go back on until well into Oct. However, one year I switched off on Mar 1on the assumption it couldn’t or wouldn’t  be cold enough to kill me. It wasn’t, but I think it was a relatively mild spring that year, and I haven’t been tempted to do it again. My electric blanket definitely helped as did the fact I was working full time +.
I live on my own so there is only me has to put up with my money saving decisions.

Tink_04

Thanks for the responses, we are with EDF and changed in Jan. The tarried was good a better than my previous one but I’m going to look again as things have changed a lot since then. We have a smart electric meter but can’t get a smart gas meter. Thankfully we are not on a water meter.

I’m still busy making a plan as there was not much switched on. The kids are too old for shared baths etc. Me and DH shower every day and the kids every other. DD is getting older and have been trying to convince her a daily shower is better as she is getting to that awkward stage.

The oven is a big issue and have decided it’s going to be better planned out how we use it, DH is using a coffee machine daily which keeps the pot warm and the kettle has been on more and more. We have a DW which is ran every other day and washer too, we don’t have a TD so things are line dried or on airers.

I’m going to keep a weekly log of usuals on my phone so I can see if things are going down or up after I have put some more measures in place. DH thinks it’s just inevitable as we have all been in the house for 3 months solid and he is working from home and the kids are homeschooling. I’ve said we can’t afford it so it has to change!!!

Tink