Single income home

EssexHebridean

brewerdave said:

Swipe said:

I wouldn't want a lodger. They could absolutely bankrupt you with a hidden fan heater in their room and that's on top of you having to use your heating to maintain a reasonable base temperature. From what I was reading this morning, it wouldn't surprise me if the £400 is off the cards now in place of a 5% VAT cut on energy bills and a hike in the higher rate tax threshold.

If that happens at this late stage ,there are going to even more shouts of outrage - many, many people have assumed that this will be there when the cap goes up in October - after all, 5% VAT cut is less than half of the £400 for most households.

I’d hope that any suggestion that the £400 might be scrapped is just groundless fearmongering right now, to be honest. I’ve certainly not see anything said by either of the 2 candidates to take Boris's place that suggests they are considering reversing that decision. 

sharrison21

Crimsonlake said:

Sharrison21 as a fellow single person I understand you and feel the same way. There will be a lot of angry people around when it comes down to it and I am becoming increasingly one of them. Extra help seems to be targeting low income families and those on benefits. A recent newspaper article highlighted a couple on UC with an older child, in benefits and other support they were receiving approx £2,300 in benefits monthly, complaining after bills they were left with £1200 a month.There were a lot of negative comments about this. 

It’s not fair and it needs to be addressed. They can’t just say well that’s just how it is spend less, earn more. We’re already on the limit. Single people have just had a lockdown on there own now a cost of living crisis it’s horrible! Mental heath is through the floor. 

MattMattMattUK

brewerdave said:

Swipe said:

I wouldn't want a lodger. They could absolutely bankrupt you with a hidden fan heater in their room and that's on top of you having to use your heating to maintain a reasonable base temperature. From what I was reading this morning, it wouldn't surprise me if the £400 is off the cards now in place of a 5% VAT cut on energy bills and a hike in the higher rate tax threshold.

If that happens at this late stage ,there are going to even more shouts of outrage - many, many people have assumed that this will be there when the cap goes up in October - after all, 5% VAT cut is less than half of the £400 for most households.

If Truss tried that at this stage then I think she would end up with her first rebellion from MPs. Many know they are in for a hiding and will lose their seats, others, even in safe seats will be getting a little nervous. Having announced the £400, to take it away from everyone would go down very badly indeed. Truss being chosen as leader will pretty much guarantee the Conservatives lose the next election, but as many MPs as possible will want to try and keep their jobs, so I just cannot see things like that happening. 

PennyForThem_2

Lowering the flow rate:
Loads of 'how to' on google but here is one:  
https://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/articles/turn-down-the-boiler-flow-temperature#:~:text=You simply adjust the flow,the time on a cooker). 

https://octopus.energy/blog/energy-saving-tips/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content_grid_top&utm_campaign=energy_saving_tips_blog#toptips 

This can save costs of CH and water heating.

Turn down thermostat:
No brainer - most have this too high.  Turning down 1 degree saves ££ (100?)  - I am in 4 bed detached and have turned down to 16 degrees.  Because I am a single, most of the radiators are off in separate rooms or on * mode.

Batch cooking:
The freezer is your friend as is the microwave.  I batch cook and then freeze portions.  When want to eat rummage in freezer and heat up in microwave.  Some on here swear by AirFryer which have substituted for full oven; slow cooker is great also and costs under £1 to cook a meal which can provide 4 portions.

You may find this helpful too:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/old-style-moneysaving

Radiators/draught proofing:
Backing for radiators is good.
Old fashioned tight or cloth filled 'sausage dogs' as draught excluders for door bottoms is good.
Even 'cling-film' double glazing can be helpful for draughty ill fitting windows.
If you have one, insulate your hot water tank.  You may not have a separate one.

Forever31

I'm a single person, WFH, and I would prefer not to have a partner (I've felt this way for about 10 years now so not sure if it will change).  Although I'm friendly, I'm bit of a hermit really.

I have been looking at ways to minimise my losses.  This has covered products and my strategy on how to handle things.

 At the moment, I have been investing in products to reduce my energy bill.  For example, I have invested in fleece duvet covers, extra long water bottles to sleep with, cushioned draft excluders for the bottom of doors, fleece lined thermal tops (ie. heat holders), fleeces and gilets.  Some of these have been very cheap.  I have found some real bargains as a result of looking around (and glad I've been doing this in hot weather rather than when it gets cold as demand may go up, which will push prices up too)

I have also been thinking about my energy strategy.  So  I already own 3 duvets so I am going to spend time when I'm not working or doing housework, laying in bed with the 3 duvets and then reading/browse internet/studying/watch tv.  If it's really cold, I'll use the water bottles too.

I love baths, so I'm not going to part with it.  I will have two baths, and one shower a week. The rest of the time, I can strip wash.

The second part of my energy strategy is to work, relax and sleep in the warmest room in the house.  This warmest room, and the bathroom/shower are the only rooms to get full radiator capacity heating.    For the rest of the rooms, to avoid damp, the radiators are set to half their full capacity, I am pulling away the furniture from the walls, leaving the doors marginally open so air can travel, some of the trickle vents are open, and I have the back door open for at least 15 mins a day.  I am also using cheap dehumidifying packs (very cheap from Amazon) in all the rooms.  I have one electric dehumidifer which I will roll out when my humidity measuring devices (very cheap from Amazon) tells me the humidity has reached over 65% in the relevant rooms that tend to get humid, or when I need to dry the washing.  I have also planned to only do washing once a fortnight. 

I want to only put the heating on for a max of one hour a day, but this is dependent on how cold it is, and how much humidity there is in the house.

I could go into the office, but commuting works out more expensive so I'll continue to wfh.  I prefer wfh anyway.

As for getting a lodger, I have spare rooms so I could do this.  But I doubt anyone would want to live as frugally energy-wise as me - so it could work out more expensive to get someone in.  You would also loose your single person discount for council tax too.  

When I was a young girl, I lived in a house that was rented with only one room with heating.  As it was always so cold, I hated the bathroom the most and actively tried to avoid using it. I don't recall any damp issues - but I doubt anyone really cared as it was a rented house anyway.  It wasn't always pleasant, but we all got by.

I think it's going to a tough couple of years for people in all sorts of different circumstances. 

Marvel1

sharrison21 said:

Coffeekup said:

sharrison21 said:

I live on my own, why is nobody talking about people who live on their own, there is no help out there but it costs the same to heat a house with 1 income as it does to heat a house with 2 my mortgage still costs the same. ? 

Actually you'll use less energy being than having a second person on the house. As they may want the heating on when you out, they may cook when you're not in or have a bath/shower when you not in. The energy usage won't be (or shouldn't be double) but it'll be in my experience about a third more.

However as you say a second person living with you can pay half the bills... 

i work from home so i am using gas and electric all day… and I would expect that you would cook for both you and your partner so you wouldn’t cook at different times also would put laundry in together. And it still costs the same to heat a house if there’s 1 income or 2,3,4,20 incomes. Also as you said if they were cooking and cleaning at different times its still a third more more not double. Also my mortgage has gone up no matter how many people live here it still costs the same. 

I'm the same as yourself.

But why/how are you using gas all day? I'm not.

Laundry wise - less frequent as only 1 set of clothes to fill it up.

sienew

brewerdave said:

Swipe said:

I wouldn't want a lodger. They could absolutely bankrupt you with a hidden fan heater in their room and that's on top of you having to use your heating to maintain a reasonable base temperature. From what I was reading this morning, it wouldn't surprise me if the £400 is off the cards now in place of a 5% VAT cut on energy bills and a hike in the higher rate tax threshold.

If that happens at this late stage ,there are going to even more shouts of outrage - many, many people have assumed that this will be there when the cap goes up in October - after all, 5% VAT cut is less than half of the £400 for most households.

MattMattMattUK said:

brewerdave said:

Swipe said:

I wouldn't want a lodger. They could absolutely bankrupt you with a hidden fan heater in their room and that's on top of you having to use your heating to maintain a reasonable base temperature. From what I was reading this morning, it wouldn't surprise me if the £400 is off the cards now in place of a 5% VAT cut on energy bills and a hike in the higher rate tax threshold.

If that happens at this late stage ,there are going to even more shouts of outrage - many, many people have assumed that this will be there when the cap goes up in October - after all, 5% VAT cut is less than half of the £400 for most households.

If Truss tried that at this stage then I think she would end up with her first rebellion from MPs. Many know they are in for a hiding and will lose their seats, others, even in safe seats will be getting a little nervous. Having announced the £400, to take it away from everyone would go down very badly indeed. Truss being chosen as leader will pretty much guarantee the Conservatives lose the next election, but as many MPs as possible will want to try and keep their jobs, so I just cannot see things like that happening. 

Both candidates have said the schemes already announced will go ahead.

Krakkkers

Surely a VAT cut would benefit high earners/spenders rather than people with low incomes?

ariarnia

Krakkkers said:

Surely a VAT cut would benefit high earners/spenders rather than people with low incomes?

it would help high earners more but if someone on a low income wants to buy pet food or hot water bottles then they would also find those cheaper with a cut. i think some of the thinking is probly that people on low income have already been offered a lot of different ways to be helped. and would likely *(surely) be offered more as part of any emergency package in september because no emergency budget is going to be just one thing. i wouldn't be surprised to see something aimed at helping businesses and middle incomes like a cut to vat or business taxes that make 'not just essentials' shopping cheaper as (as this thread has already said) everyone is going to be feeling some pain. like whats his name saying even people up to £45k might need some help. when you add it up it won't be anywhere near as much as someone on a low income but something isn't nothing. 

MattMattMattUK

Krakkkers said:

Surely a VAT cut would benefit high earners/spenders rather than people with low incomes?

The stats were if the standard VAT rate was cut from 20% to 15% it would cost £39 billion and more than 90% of the saving would go to households with at least one higher rate taxpayer, with more than half of the savings going to households with at least one additional rate taxpayer.