It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

linz

Re little things to do this winter to save the pennies (no doubt preaching to the converted here lol) but I was thinking of what I might do differently this winter and I think in the evenings i'll be keeping the lights off and probably either have 1 lamp on instead or some candles or the fairy light type things with batteries. I have rechargeable ones as I don't like using single-use ones. My 'big light' in the living room has 3 seperate bulbs so I guess having a lamp on instead will be a third of the cost?

I will also make sure to bleed all the radiators and probably turn them off in the rooms I hardly use e.g spare bedroom. I want a couple of draught excluders too. I wish I could make my own but i'm not that good at sewing yet.

Nonnadiluca

Sparkly, have you seen the 'Ben Fogle New lives in the wild' with Mark Boyle? Really good!

[Deleted User]

Nonnadiluca said:

Sparkly, have you seen the 'Ben Fogle New lives in the wild' with Mark Boyle? Really good!

Yes I have hun, thank you though. Such an inspiring man xx

Toonie

I use swagbucks and make around £15-30 a month. It's not much, but it pays for netflix, buys supplies for my aquarium, and any extra gets saved up to pay for Christmas/birthday treats.

My fridge has started failing, which isn't great as we were hoping it would last to the end of the year, as hopefully by then DP will have the money from his inheritance, which would mean we can get a more energy efficient (and larger) fridge freezer. If needs be we will have a look on local selling groups to get something second hand to keep us going.

KxMx

I'm planning to adjust all my radiators,  living room/bedroom will definitely need them at max (6), they are large rooms and where I spend most of my time, kitchen and bathroom are quite small so I'm going to start at 2 and increase if needs be. 

Turning off individual radiators is not something I'd recommend personally even in rarely used rooms,  you do have to be mindful of potential damp.

My heating temperature maximum is 82 and it being new to me this year,  I'm not sure where to set it but have already reduced it to 75.
In my last home it was definitely more efficient to have it on a high temperature for short periods as opposed to the opposite. 

I'm also going to take my boiler off eco mode,  won't have plants to use the run off water on, and I'm expecting the ambient boiler temperature to drop further which means a longer wait than now for hot water.
For bathroom it takes 45 seconds to produce water warm enough to hand wash in (I use cold currently but timed it out of curiosity),  this evenings task is to see how long it takes for washing up water to heat- temperature set to maximum but I tend to start filling the bowl when it reaches 8-10 degrees below. 
I know water is cheaper than gas but I feel I will be more comfortable with eco in summer and non-eco in winter.

linz

Meant to ask - what temperature do people have their thermostat set to in the winter? 

KxMx

I've got mine set to 18, plan is maximum 1 hour timed in the morning and 1 hour maximum manual in the evening.
Has to be super cold to use any in the afternoon as well. 

greent

Ours is set to 21 - and I usually up it to 23 in Jan. And, yes, I wear layers and slippers etc

dp1

Thanks everyone I'll have a look at some of them - just thought it might help towards Christmas x

annieb64

Our thermostat is set at 19. I don't like the house to be too hot.

Not sure how long it takes the boiler to produce warm water but I fill two two pint milk bottles from the  bathroom tap before it does-our bathroom is on the second floor and we have a combi boiler.