Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Thanks for all your comments, which I always enjoy reading. Yes, these are crazy times, neither future leader possibility is up to the job in my opinion, especially because any sense of how ordinary people live their lives seems to be totally missing. And yes, energy bill daily standing charges are just outrageous. Apparently the rise in these is partially to cover companies who have to take on new customers from other failed energy companies having to honour their credit balances. Customers of the companies which have gone bust are obviously still entitled to any credit balance on their old account, but I imagine they are a long way down the list of creditors, so as far as I understand it, the new company honours these (with the necessary proof, etc) but passes on the cost to us in our standing charges. 
I think things really do need to be done differently. This sh*tshow should really be the catalyst needed to look at what we need from the energy industry. I'm obviously not holding my breath that this will happen under any of the current incumbents, but a while ago, I read the following as an idea & I liked it.
I can't recall who was suggesting this, but the idea was that all households & businesses should get a limited amount of basic-priced energy units, then once they have been used up, they'd be moved on a standard higher tariff for further use. I likes this idea because people who are struggling on a low income or who try very hard to keep their energy use low, would have those initial cheaper ones to help keep costs down. It would also help with climate change goals too, as the higher users would be paying more & thus have more incentive to reduce usage. I probably haven't explained this very well, but when I read the article, it did just feel more progressive, really.
F

slm6002

I like the idea of that too.  It would certainly help focus peoples minds.  The only issue would be those who need lots of electric for medical equipment.  Other than that I can see this working

foxgloves

Evening Wednesday Pence-Wranglers,
Absolutely nothing of any interest to report today. A few small bits of energy saving this morning - two baths from one fill of hot water (haven't noticed any difference from Mr F turning down that dial on the front of the boiler as recommended by energy-saving bods), removed 3 garments from ironing pile as decided they didn't look too wrinkly, & eschewed the hair straighteners in favour of scrunch-drying.
Other money saving efforts very much of the old-style variety:
Did garden pickings (spring onions, mint & blackberries), took jellybag down from on high & jammed contents into a batch of apple & mint jelly. Found some carrots which said 'Hey, we're still here, you know, & we might start getting bendy tomorrow", so prepped & froze them. Did some knitting, did 2 surveys & cashed out P/A for August at £36.01. 
Positive things:
i. Nephew is a lot better. Was only in hospital for 3 days but is still having to go in every day as an out-patient for IV antibiotics.
ii. Tonight's meal included heaps of stuff we've grown ourselves (beans, tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, peppers, garlic, red onions, apple & rosemary- plus our pears in my home made pear chutney) & I felt proud, as well as grateful that I have sufficient space to grow some food.
iii. Finished knitting the first front of my black cardi & when I had folded it & was putting it away in my knitting basket, I found not one finished piece in there, but TWO. I had actually already knitted one of the fronts, so the one I finished today was the 2nd one!! That means I can sew the shoulders & part of the side seams tomorrow then pick up armhole stitches for the first sleeve. What a numpty......glad I found it, it's boring to knit (mostly plain stocking stitch) so imagine how I'd be cussing myself all the names under the sun if I'd gone ahead & knitted a third one! (Oh & @milann, if you're reading, I do sometimes find knitting black yarn is tricky on the eye, but this is ok as big needles - 8mm, Worst to knit is black mohair, which I did a lot of in the 1980s when I knitted jumpers for fellow studes to supplement my student grant)
Negative thing:
Was reading something on my phone this afternoon & the back felt a little rough. I turned it over & discovered it had smashed. It wasn't broken yesterday so must have happened today. An utter mystery though, as I don't recall dropping it, standing on it, crushing it or anything else. It's been sitting on the kitchen dresser minding its own business for most of the day. I am hoping if I can keep it intact (it's impact damage from a central point such as you'd get from hurling brick at a window), that the phone repair shop in town might be able to do something with it. I do need it, as we don't have a landline. So that's an annoying bit of expense I would rather do without, especially as I have not the faintest clue how it happened. Ah well, such is life.
Looking forward to 'Shetland' on TV & an early night.
F x

foxgloves

@slm6002 - Yes, they would need extra help if such a system was ever to come into existence. I know how much medical equipment can bang up electricity bills. My Dad was on heavy duty oxygen machines in the last months of his life & he & Mum did get assistance with their bills because this. 
I also think that a graded system of energy use would help focus people's minds, as we'd all want our cheaper basic allocation of units to last as long as possible, would we? It's potentially such a sensible system, I think that's why I can say I don't think it would ever become a reality here in the UK.
F

milann

Foxgloves for PM 👍 that sounds a sensible idea 👍

foxgloves

Lol, @milann. I have been politically active locally in the past & did win a seat on the council. I don't think I'd do it again though. It is hard work in an area which is very much of the opposite political persuasion. Interesting experience though.
F

QueenJess

foxgloves said:

I can't recall who was suggesting this, but the idea was that all households & businesses should get a limited amount of basic-priced energy units, then once they have been used up, they'd be moved on a standard higher tariff for further use. I likes this idea because people who are struggling on a low income or who try very hard to keep their energy use low, would have those initial cheaper ones to help keep costs down. It would also help with climate change goals too, as the higher users would be paying more & thus have more incentive to reduce usage. I probably haven't explained this very well, but when I read the article, it did just feel more progressive, really.
F

That is a brilliant idea!

Re: energy I now am the proud owner of two nightlights (one for each kid).  DS said he was worried that it went on automatically and didn't he need to turn it off when he left the room!  There's some big irony somewhere because DS and DH are awful for leaving lights on all round the house and I am always turning them off!

I think I realised why my summer base electricity might be higher than the average... my house is super sealed as it was originally built by the builders with an air source heat pump.  But to heat the upper rooms and also to provide fresh air to every room (otherwise the house will sweat), there is a filtering system which runs 24-7.  I had forgotten that I turned the fans up during the heatwave as theoretically they should work harder at sucking air out of bathrooms/kitchen etc and therefore it would be slightly less hot.  Anyway, I've put them back down to the average.  I'm still pondering what other little things I can do, but most things are hindered by DH and I highly suspect he is the main culprit!

milann

My brother was a councillor many years ago. He put me off politics forever 😂😂😂

RosaBernicia

Hello Foxgloves

I found something similar with my phone and as it all still worked, I just bought a case to protect the back.  It's been fine so far, so seems to have prevented or at least delayed needing a new phone. 

Baileys_Babe

I like the low cost fuel allowance idea. If somebody is using electrically to run medical equipment either increase their allotment of lower rate fuel or give a payment the equivalent to the additional running cost to the electricity account, the account holder or the patient.