Living without electricity.

Chid1

To answer the questions that many seem to be asking - I care for a relative and get no payment for it - not even carer's allowance. Instead I share the meals that I make there and use the  shower and internet facilities . I go home to either work in the garden (where I cut the grass with a manual push mower) or, in the winter, go home to bed. Otherwise I'm out in the rural area in which I live walking, foraging and just enjoying nature. 
 I've lived in my current home for over 14 years and when I moved in had to learn to live on a very tight budget. Since moving in I have never had a fridge, freezer, cooker, television or central heating. There was a storage heating system which I didn't use  - but I took advantage of the cheap night time electricity to shower, do a wash ( I did have the luxury of a washing machine which I use on a cold wash cycle) and, in the morning before the cheap rate went off, I would boil a kettle and fill a flask for cups of tea.I would charge up my digital radio and basic mobile 'phone at night. I installed a multi-fuel stove on which I could heat up soup and make toast. and for other food I had a microwave. I also learned to cook pasta, rice and eggs in a food flask - using just one boil of the kettle instead of having to keep a pan on a hotplate for much longer.
I was working at the time and spent much of my days away from home but, because of Covid had to give up my jobs to protect the person I am now caring for. This means that the only guaranteed income I have is £50 per week form a company pension - until I get my "stolen" contributions back from the govt in three years time - six years later than it should have been paid.
 At one point I was able to get a "No Standing Charge Tariff" and my bills for the two year period were approx £16 for each year . After the standing charge was added I didn't need to top up for another year and so kept the rate low for three years in total. Now my annual bill will be around £200 - and that is without using a unit.
To begin with this was all done out of necessity - now I see it as a challenge to deprive the energy companies of as much as I can possibly manage - although I am still on a tight budget.
That brings me to my next point - everyone asks "How"? Nobody asks "Why" and the answer for many is "because it has become unaffordable.
Should anything ever happen to the person I care for I will have to give up my laptop and  mobile 'phone and learn to hand was again - other than that I don't really need to use electricity at all - which is why I have such objection to the standing charge.

[Deleted User]

sevenhills said:

I have solar panels, there are systems that use batteries, in order to live off-grid.

Theoretically possible but, in practical terms, impossible and unaffordable for the average homeowner.  Batteries need to be charged and there are some days in Winter when solar wouldn’t produce enough energy to power a lightbulb. As I posted previously, my worst day in December was 350Wh and this was with a 7kWp array. The same array last week produced 35kWh on a cool bright day.

Misslayed

@Chid1 Is there a reason you don't claim carers' allowance? It would more than double your income. (I believe it's the princely sum of £67)

chris1973

Old Lister Diesel Generator converted to veg oil use and get friendly with sources of used veg oil - i.e local chippy, chinese, pub, school canteen, works canteens, nursing home, pubs, local burger vans etc. Even using new veg oil from Supermarkets or Booker would work out cheaper than grid Electricity from April. Get a ancient car, such as a VW / Skoda / Seat Tdi 90 / 110 BHP model, and run it on it too - if you can find enough oil. Free Motoring and Free Leccy, in return for a bit of effort and time.

Spring is in the air, it won't be long before most of us are turning the heating off for the summer, it is very noticably warmer here

Yes, but most people pay for their annual energy use split via equal direct debit payments over 12 months, so monthly payments aren't likely to drop during the summer, even if usage does. The only ones who might benefit are those on Prepayment Tariffs.

Gordonkey

Most interesting thread .
Chid1 I'm impressed by your resilience. 
Good luck to you