anyone tried a No-Leccy/Lo-Leccy day?

budicca

Has anyone else considered trying a regular or occasional No-Leccy/Lo-Leccy day?

I have done a forum search but can’t find anything on this (or I have poor keyword search skills!)

I bin thinking about (after new year of course) trying a no-leccy or lo-leccy day every so often to save money Old Style. Not sure I could forgo my morning shower but there might be enough hot water in the tank…

I’m contemplating spending the odd day and evening with wind-up radio (gawd bless Radio 4), wind up torch and candles etc and boycotting all leccy appliances. I suppose the trick would be to think up ways to regard it as a treat, rather than deprivation-model!

True – I do have a tiny solid fuel stove to avoid the central heating for the day. And the stove has just enough room for a small kettle or pan of home-made soup (but not both at same time…).

I just figure it would a) cut the leccy bill if I did it a couple of days a month and b) make me much more grateful for what I have got in life.

So, has anyone else tried this before? Any tips and hints out there from you clever people in OS-land?

tru

I tried this but didn't intend to :rotfl:

It was back in the july floods, we had no electricity for around 24 hours - at the same time as no water :rolleyes: so no showers for us. We'd saved some water in saucepans so we heated that (gas hob) for a wash. I couldn't work - everything's on the PC. I was bored bored bored I had the radio on (batteries) and read a whole book in one sitting. Ate sandwiches and super noodles, got so fed up we went to bed at 8.30pm :rotfl:

If I CHOSE to do this, I suppose it would be very different because I would get myself organised beforehand. The other trus wouldn't go for it though :rolleyes:

ceridwen

Good luck with yr experiment with No Lecky Day. Wonder if you might have seen following blog:

www.noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/

as I believe I recall somewhere on this he did precisely this.

Sounds pretty romantic - could be quite cosy: candles/throws/any way of heating hotwater bottles?

budicca

thanks for that, ceridwen - it looks like an interesting site to browse round. not sure that I would want to go the full nine yards of doing it every day, just when it suits me.

yes, the cosy-romantic thing sounds good in theory...!

I guess I could try turning it into a bit of a giggle too - chocolate prize for the maddest keep-warm-all-evening outfit in the buddica milieu!

champys

budicca - I had a reasonably organized no-leccy day only yesterday: the local electricity board had given us ample warning that they would cut off the power from 9:00 am to 16:30 pm.
It was OK - I have a wood stove like yourself, and an open fire in the kitchen, but I did run around quite a bit to keep both fires fed all the time. I had to take a day off, because I work from home and although the laptop has several hours plus a spare battery, the modem will not work without mains connection. I had to remember to connect an old plug-in telephone to remain contactable. Cooking and cups of tea no problem because I cook on gas. Still it is interesting to see how many times you flick a light switch automatically, before you remember to take a torch into the loo! Also you can't run the washing machine or do the vacuuming or use the sewing machine - jobs like that need rescheduling. Overall it was no problem. Not sure I would choose to do it voluntarily in the darkest part of winter, though!

budicca

good tip about the plug-in phone!

it might make me re-schedule leccy-dependent tasks, but it might also make me think twice on things like not running the WM part full but holding it over to a full load.

I like your point about flicking switches automatically - hence my hunch that it would help me feel consciously more grateful about the unthinking ease of switch flicking.

pariskate

We recently had a problem with our large hot water tank (there's a 15 litre one for the kitchen) so we were on strict rations - a shower uses very little really or you can get yourself perfectly clean in just a bucket full. We got all thee kids through on one meagre bath (although the water was pretty grey at the end). This went on for several weeks and although we're very glad to be back to normal I did think a lot about the money were saving in only heating a little bit of water and also about the low impact on the environment.

belfastgirl23

We all have our 'no way' point and I think your post finally found mine I'll quite happily not flush the loo every time and do low temp washes but there is no way I could do without electric. No internet :eek: no dishwasher :eek: no tv :eek: no lights :eek: no tea :eek:

I admire you hugely but no way no day

budicca

it's really good to get such varied feedback - and there's no way I could live like that all the time!

I'm just weighing up (with all your help) the pros and cons of doing this for the ODD day, possibly twice or thrice a month. I figure the average month has c. 30 days, so no-leccy or lo-leccy days (to suit my convenience and commitments) could save in theory 5 -10%.

Whilst it would in practice probably be less because of re-scheduling some tasks, I'm still tempted to give it a go.

Tisn't just the money though, tis wanting to appreciate me mod cons more too.

JenniO

I have a lo leccy day nearly every day except for the computer! I hardly ever put the tv on. We have oil lamps and candles in every room. i only fill the kettle in the morning and have a flask of tea throughout the day. i listen to my wind up radios in the bedroom and kitchen. it makes for cozy evenings tucked up with my OH in bed with the candles and classic FM on in the background.......um, just talking of course.

Leccy bills have gone from £38 pm to £22. that adds up throughout the year as a decent savings and its been fun and a challenge.

jen

budicca

ooooh, ta JenniO - nice to know I'm not totally and uniquely eccentric!

yup - you've inspired me, I'm gonna give it a go when the xmas/new year visitors have come and gone..