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

Greenqueen_2

Dad was an electrician by trade and he rigged up a generator system for emergency lighting. During the power cuts our house was the only one on the street to be lit up!

cbsexec

And there wasn’t continuous tv then. It was certain times and fewer programmes so people were more used to doing other things like reading, sewing or knitting, repairing stuff etc and children went out to play.    We often have sudden power cuts which can last all day so a planned three or four hours sounds very doable even if inconvenient as long as you make some preparations.  More difficult though for people in all electric households so I understand why it is more of a worry for some.   Not that I want power cuts at all! 

borefest

@Onebrokelady Hi can you tell me where you can get the camping light with charging bank from ?..........thank you

linz

Some good YS items in my local co-op this evening. Soya & linseed loaf 38p, tiger bread baton 14p, pack of pork kebabs £1, 2 pack of gourmet burgers £1.53, a lentil cottage pie 50p, 2 x steak pies 28p, pack of cherry tomatoes 47p = £4.30. Should last me a good few days with what i have in the house. 

thriftwizard

newlywed said:

In our city I think if there were weekly planned power cuts with no street lights either, there would be an increase of car thefts and house break ins…

which might be something else to think about, depending on where you live…

A while back, the council of the area next to us tried turning the street lights off at 11pm on residential streets. It didn't last long because the voters howled it down, but long enough for the local police force to report that far from an increase in crime in the darkened areas, it had actually plummeted. Apparently thieves don't like working in the dark! You're much more visible if you're brandishing a torch when it's really dark...

Hope that will reassure you...

sammyjammy

I would love it if they did it here, I have the most god awful bright street light outside my bedroom, its fine when the blackout blind is down but when it was very hot I needed any breeze I could get - had to wear a sleep mask.

elsien

Yes. They turn off every other one on my street at midnight but mine’s the one that stays on. It was great when it was broken - even with blackout curtains the light disturbed my sleep - but then there was a murder so they got it fixed. I preferred it dark. 

Brambling

I'll street lights have gone off at midnight for years, the council said to help with light pollution I'm cynical enough to suggest it was to save the money.  Luckily it's rare that I come in late or leave home very early as a torch is needed then.  For the most part I prefer the dark

Jellytotts

If you have a street light that shines directly into your property you can ask the council to put a shade on it.  Some councils are better at doing it than others.  

Floss

Brambling said:

I'll street lights have gone off at midnight for years, the council said to help with light pollution I'm cynical enough to suggest it was to save the money.  Luckily it's rare that I come in late or leave home very early as a torch is needed then.  For the most part I prefer the dark

I have worked in local government and seeing first hand the costs for running services such as school meals, parks & street lighting. During those times local authority funding was being systematically cut whilst demand on children's services & social care increased. Do you object to councils for trying to make savings by switching off street lights in some areas, or would you rather see your council tax go up more? Oh and remember that if councils put up CT by more than 3% they lose an equivalent amount of government funding.