How to live without heating - save £000s

QrizB

brewerdave said:

HertsLad said:

That's correct. I will not be paying the standing charges.

Only just seen this reply . So you are paying £100s (possibly £1000s) to be disconnected from the grid??

No. HertsLad has said he is with a supplier who will refund your standing charge if you use no energy for a year.

Swipe

QrizB said:

brewerdave said:

HertsLad said:

That's correct. I will not be paying the standing charges.

Only just seen this reply . So you are paying £100s (possibly £1000s) to be disconnected from the grid??

No. HertsLad has said he is with a supplier who will refund your standing charge if you use no energy for a year.

@HertsLad Hmm Very interesting. Who is your supplier and which tariff is that if you don't mind me asking?

HertsLad

wild666 said:

I put a T-shirt over the thermal vest plus a fleece dressing gown in winter.

I urge everyone to avoid wearing any short sleeved garments. They increase the 'depth' of the layers, whilst leaving your arms less covered.

I found a selfie photo of myself which I took in Feb 2020 to send a friend who was interested/shocked by my approach. I remember there had been a light snow fall and the temperature in my house was down as low as it ever gets at 2C. One thermometer read 1C but ramekin dishes part filled with water have never frozen over so it definitely hasn't dropped to freezing point. I wondered about posting the photo here so you can see exactly what I wear to stay perfectly warm at that temperature. I blurred out my face but my outer fleece needs a wash so it doesn't really show me in a good light. Will you allow for the fact the photo wasn't taken for public display or should I wait until this winter and take a further photo in spotless clothes?

Swipe

Post it now

brewerdave

QrizB said:

brewerdave said:

HertsLad said:

That's correct. I will not be paying the standing charges.

Only just seen this reply . So you are paying £100s (possibly £1000s) to be disconnected from the grid??

No. HertsLad has said he is with a supplier who will refund your standing charge if you use no energy for a year.

Must have missed that ! Never heard of that - I know some have said that when you first take possession of a property and NEVER USE anything ,the deemed supplier won't charge you the S/C. How would you prove zero use tho'? Would they send a man round to ratify the meter read ? Can't believe they would take the customer's word! So working smart meter(s) required ?

PennyForThem_2

I don't go to Hertslad extremes but I totally sympathise with where he is coming from.  Last winter my thermostat was set at 14-16 and radiators in unused rooms turned off. 

I am a pensioner and also a baby boomer.  The latter actually makes me more resiliant because I have lived in non-CH houses and yes, wool vests, open fires, parafin heaters were part of my childhood.  But I also know about the warmth of layers.

As a child we were sent flannel lined jeans by an uncle from Canada - wow, were they warm!  Easy, so easy to replicate - buy cheap pyjamas from any supermarket and wear under joggers or loose trousers.  The layers trap air and your body heat warms that up.

I cannot understand the 'I must have my house at 21-22 C or I will freeze'  -  sorry but no sympathy from me for this attitude.  And definitely no sympathy if you are moaning you cannot afford energy bills.

Exception:  there are people who have medical conditions which need high usage of electricity and/or minimal temperature and I totally think that there should be a national UK database of these users who should get 'social heating'.

HertsLad

How would you prove zero use tho'? Would they send a man round to ratify the meter read ? Can't believe they would take the customer's word! So working smart meter(s) required ?

Yes, I have a smart meter. Every month since April, I have been charged the rip off standing tariff but it shows 0 KWh consumed. Eon is my supplier, as luck has it. They told me if I go a year and use no more than 10kwh then they refund the amount paid for the year reaching that point and refund each further month. Given it's some kind of goodwill gesture, it's fingers crossed that's what they will do. They could say the offer has been discontinued or I was misinformed, when I lay claim in April 2023, i.e. if I can keep up zero use over the winter. Or after a few years of paying nothing they could say their patience has run out and I need to start paying again or pay for disconnection. And again for re-connection some time. I doubt if I was misinformed because 2 or 3 different agents told me the same thing, after I called back for clarifications.

GhibliFan

deano2099 said:

Honestly, base layers are brilliant, relatively cheap and don't make you look like you're on a ski holiday. But not something we've ever got into the habit of wearing in the UK.

Exactly.  It's all about not wanting to change the habit of profligate energy consumption which we're now accustomed to in this country.  There are very few genuine cases of people who literally can only afford food OR heat. Those people should be helped, but the majority of people will have to get used to consuming less power and layering their clothes indoors in the winter (or wrapping up warm, as it used to be called).

The luxurious way we've been living since the 1980's is ridiculous, so much wastage of valuable resources without a second thought.  So much entitlement. People thinking it's a basic human right to go abroad once a year.  Consumerism gone mad. Time for it all to stop.

HertsLad

Here is a photo I took a few weeks ago in a branch of Sports Direct. I first started buying these base layers c2011 when I think they were about £4 each. Before long they went up to £6 each (as in 2 for £12) but this year they have increased again to £7 each. Still good value, compared to the inflated prices one can pay for alternative base layers in many other shops. I swear by them and always wear two pairs, one over the top of the other. So that's two long sleeved tops and two long legged bottoms.

drphila

Hi HertsLad.

Despite disparaging remarks from some others, I, personally, am finding this thread incredibly useful. Thanks.

I have a question regarding base layers.On several occasions, you mention 100% polyester. Many brands I come across mention 95% polyester (and the rest elastane) or even 99% polyester (and the rest elastane).The Nevica brand from Sports Direct,for example.

So how important is the 100% figure?

Regarding standing charge refunds, I googled the topic and found nothing on EON.SSE have a scheme but the requirements are so stringent, they will only apply to a miniscule number of households.

https://sse.co.uk/help/bills-and-paying/removing-your-standing-charge