My journey to a debt free life

Honeysucklelou2

So glad to read that you have the new boiler and heat.

Onebrokelady

Hello everyone just reporting in from my lovely warm house. My new boiler has been ok in its first week of use but I do have a minor problem of very loud banging in the pipes when the water stops going into the washing machine. I tried a fix for this today but it's worked for the taps but not the washing machine, I'm going to try something else tomorrow and if it's still doing it after I will have to get them back out, it's a very minor problem though compared to having no heat or hot water at all 🤷‍♀️

Today I have paid the balance in the boiler so it's all done and dusted money wise and my emergency fund is now down to £200 😟 I am now concentrating on building that back up to what it was before the boiler packed up. My lovely mum gave me £200 last week to put towards it so I used that to pay for the work the previous company did on the leaky pipes .

I am worrying about the imminent bill increases on our fuel, council tax and interest rates but have decided there isn't anything I can do so I will just have to weather the storm that's coming. I wanted to make the cut in my hours permanent but that won't be possible now so I'm just hoping my health holds up a bit better than it has so far this year.

I must say that being without heat for four weeks has increased my tolerance towards lower temperatures so I'm not having the heating on as high as I normally would all day especially if I'm busy doing housework etc. I have been just having it on a low setting if I'm here during the day and wearing a thicker jumper. I don't have my heating on overnight because I get too hot and although this boiler is quieter than the old one it's still loud enough to keep me awake. When we are not at home the heating doesn't get used so it's off completely for three days while I'm at work and also if I go out. I was out all day yesterday so my heating wasn't used until I got home at 5.30. I will be looking at ways to save money but am in panic mode at the moment  

Cherryfudge

Have you come across this new thread? Some interesting fuel saving tips in it: Frugal fuel tips — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Morning OBL
Glad you are now warm.  I'm in panic mode too, I checked my gas and elec usage and over Xmas it was 4 times what i was paying.  Thankfully I was in credit but i've now increased my monthly payment.  I only have heating on in the day if DD2 is home from uni (which she was over xmas) but i usually just put it on for a couple of hours each evening.  When i WfH i put layers on and have a hot water bottle on my lap!  I have to go back to the office 3 times a week which will save on electricity but petrol is expensive so it feels like a lose:lose situation  
love Deni

foxgloves

@Onebrokelady - Interesting that experiencing a colder house has increased your tolerance for cooler temperatures. Our new central heating was installed in 2020. Before that we had a lot less heating so we're used to the cold. Our central heating thermostat is only set at 18°, rising to 19° just when it comes on at 5pm to warm the house up for the evening. Unless we have a v cold snap, that seems to be enough for us. I hear about people who set their thermostats for 21° & I think that I'd be absolutely roasting! I am not someone to be sitting around in a t-shirt though.
Agree that the coming energy rises are very scary, esp as there are already rumblings that the cap will rise again after the April one. I'd back a one-off windfall tax on the energy industry, which seems to be doing well from the rises from what I've read. On the % rise cited for this spring, our dual fuel dd will rise to £180, not a size of bill I'd ever have contemplated given that it's all happened so swiftly. I am convinced there are a few sensible cutbacks we can make in our house & am going to return to my room by room audit.
Glad to hear the new boiler is in place. I wonder if the banging is from an airlock in the pipes to the washing machine.
F x

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

morning again
agree foxgloves, my thermostat is set at 18 too, I was brought up to put on an extra jumper!  When i have video calls with one colleague, he is always sat in a t-shirt and i'm always astounded!!  He puts his heating on 3 times a day, it's his money so none of my business but i'm always surprised when I'm sat in 3 layers with a hot water bottle and he's in a t-shirt!  

Sunshine_girl2

Good to hear you are warmer now at home . My thermostat is set to 18c and I never have the heating on overnight . I sleep with my window open all the year round . 

As for bills it's a wait and see scenario I guess , but worrying non the less. 

Have a good weekend OBL . 

Onebrokelady

Cherryfudge said:

Have you come across this new thread? Some interesting fuel saving tips in it: Frugal fuel tips — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Thanks Cherry I hadn't seen this so will g and have a look 😊

Onebrokelady

Deni_debt-free_dreamer said:

Morning OBL
Glad you are now warm.  I'm in panic mode too, I checked my gas and elec usage and over Xmas it was 4 times what i was paying.  Thankfully I was in credit but i've now increased my monthly payment.  I only have heating on in the day if DD2 is home from uni (which she was over xmas) but i usually just put it on for a couple of hours each evening.  When i WfH i put layers on and have a hot water bottle on my lap!  I have to go back to the office 3 times a week which will save on electricity but petrol is expensive so it feels like a lose:lose situation  
love Deni

I've been doing what I normally do when in panic mode and completely ignoring the situation. I am only £30 in credit and Im sure I will owe money once I send in a meter reading, I've put it off because of have to pay for the boiler but will send one when I get paid  

Onebrokelady

foxgloves said:

@Onebrokelady - Interesting that experiencing a colder house has increased your tolerance for cooler temperatures. Our new central heating was installed in 2020. Before that we had a lot less heating so we're used to the cold. Our central heating thermostat is only set at 18°, rising to 19° just when it comes on at 5pm to warm the house up for the evening. Unless we have a v cold snap, that seems to be enough for us. I hear about people who set their thermostats for 21° & I think that I'd be absolutely roasting! I am not someone to be sitting around in a t-shirt though.
Agree that the coming energy rises are very scary, esp as there are already rumblings that the cap will rise again after the April one. I'd back a one-off windfall tax on the energy industry, which seems to be doing well from the rises from what I've read. On the % rise cited for this spring, our dual fuel dd will rise to £180, not a size of bill I'd ever have contemplated given that it's all happened so swiftly. I am convinced there are a few sensible cutbacks we can make in our house & am going to return to my room by room audit.
Glad to hear the new boiler is in place. I wonder if the banging is from an airlock in the pipes to the washing machine.
F x

I normally just wear a mid weight jumper with nothing underneath but since the boiler broke I invested in a couple of warmer jumpers and I now always wear a T-shirt or vest top underneath. The jumper that I knitted myself was a godsend because it's super chunky ( looks like something a fisherman would wear ) so I wear that when it's really cold,I'm going to knit another one soon so I've got a couple for next winter. I have a couple of areas where I can cut back but not enough to make much difference, at the moment Im lucky that DD is still at home so I have her rent but it will mean far less money for doing the jobs in the house that need doing. It's just going to be a bit of a rough ride I think 😟