Statement of intent

Little_Mama

Hi Stuart,

Like you we're in a 4 bed house, 4 of us, again with high-ish occupancy as I work part time & DS2 comes home from nursery at 12.

Our gas was 16740kwh for the last year and electric 3443. Cooking & heating is gas.

We are on the "sunny south coast" so heating goes off at end of March, open fire used if particularly cold, and doesn't go back on until start of Nov.

I capped with current provider (Eon) on friday, just before Martin's email & announcement of Radio 2. It will cost £14 more per month just to use the same but when I applied the rate increases by EDF it came to the same pence per Kwh as offered by Eon on their price protection 17.

I had been looking at the prices for the last couple of weeks and had done all the comparisons and Eon were still the best for us. If they do increase then I'm still down by the online discount I was receiving but another increase would probably wipe that out.

Plans in this house to reduce gas usage are to make more use of the open fire, have logs all over the place drying out nicely as a result of a friendly neighbour's garden renovations, and to start taking shorter showers.....I am most definitely the worst culprit for this Thermostat is already set to 18c, cavity wall done, loft insulated but could possibly do with a wee bit more so am looking forward to any other suggestions too.

Best wishes
LM

StuartGMC

Little_Mama wrote: »

Hi Stuart,

Like you we're in a 4 bed house, 4 of us, again with high-ish occupancy as I work part time & DS2 comes home from nursery at 12.

Our gas was 16740kwh for the last year and electric 3443. Cooking & heating is gas.

We are on the "sunny south coast" so heating goes off at end of March, open fire used if particularly cold, and doesn't go back on until start of Nov.

LM thanks for your data, our heating and cooking are likewise on gas, but probably on a little later each day than you. Interesting that electric is so much higher for us then... I have started to switch off the power to the cable modem etc when PCs are off; in the past it was a real issue to get the modem reliably booted to a good speed, but with 10MB service roll out Virgin seem to have improved this, so, its now a need to turn off. We don't use standby on items, but do use tumble drier and dishwasher.

I capped with current provider (Eon) on friday, just before Martin's email & announcement of Radio 2. It will cost £14 more per month just to use the same but when I applied the rate increases by EDF it came to the same pence per Kwh as offered by Eon on their price protection 17.

I had been looking at the prices for the last couple of weeks and had done all the comparisons and Eon were still the best for us. If they do increase then I'm still down by the online discount I was receiving but another increase would probably wipe that out.

Yes, we are all trying to gamble; the suppliers with their deals for long-term supply plus spot market when they can get it, vs. us the consumer trying to guess whether the data they've issued now is true and that rises will be more than the suppliers are suggesting....:eek:

Kicking myself for not opting for ScottishPower 2011 deal back in Jan...:rolleyes:

start taking shorter showers.....I am most definitely the worst culprit for this Thermostat is already set to 18c, cavity wall done, loft insulated but could possibly do with a wee bit more so am looking forward to any other suggestions too.Best wishes LM

I've been trying to get 10yr old DD to understand the consumption issues of the bath vs. shower etc in both terms of energy and water... it's an "interesting" debate, and I thought this only happened once girls were teenagers!

Do look at whether you can get a grant for the insulation; amount varies with the existing depth present (and you have to clear the loft out as you can't crush it down afterwards, so it helps to clear all that "stuff" we pop in the attic) and is open to all (those on benefits just get more grant than those with incomes that mean no benefits etc are needed). We have 10" (250mm) but original "loose blown" material was only 2" (50mm).

Cheers

Little_Mama

StuartGMC wrote: »

I have started to switch off the power to the cable modem etc when PCs are off; in the past it was a real issue to get the modem reliably booted to a good speed, but with 10MB service roll out Virgin seem to have improved this, so, its now a need to turn off. We don't use standby on items, but do use tumble drier and dishwasher.

Hi Stuart.

We've got an Orange Livebox that runs 24/7, it's something I've wondered about switching off but I'm not so trusting of the machine as it took umbridge during a thunderstorm within weeks of us getting it and hasn't allowed phone calls in or out since......but good old Orange say nothing's wrong!:mad:

Have told the DSs' that we're cutting back on leccy and that they either both watch TV/DVD or both play playstation rather than some different appliance running in each room. I've also told them if it's sunny they play outside and ideally play with some of the umpteen toys they own!:rolleyes:

We do use our dishwasher probably 6 days out of 7 but, come the good weather, I try to avoid using the tumble drier either line drying or having the airer up in the conservatory.....won't win me any prizes in "Beautiful Homes" but there you go.:D

I'm getting better with the shorter showers, if I'm anything over 5 mins DS1 chastises me and I can't really nag him too much if I can't lead by example.....DS2 is a muck magnet you are doing well if you can introduce him to water every couple of days! :rolleyes::rotfl:

As for the insultation, half the loft is done in 10cm celetex (I think that's right spelling) and we've got enough left over to do the rest.....it's just getting up there and doing it, a job for the autumn when it's less stuffy up there and we've carbooted some of the stuff up there.

Be interesting to see whether we can manage to reduce much more....OH would say less time on the PC but this is essential research/liaison!

Best wishes
LM

StuartGMC

Little_Mama wrote: »

Have told the DSs' that we're cutting back on leccy and that they either both watch TV/DVD or both play playstation rather than some different appliance running in each room. I've also told them if it's sunny they play outside and ideally play with some of the umpteen toys they own!:rolleyes:

I was expecting you to say one cycles and runs the dynamo to power the game for the other.... :rotfl:

We do use our dishwasher probably 6 days out of 7 but, come the good weather, I try to avoid using the tumble drier either line drying or having the airer up in the conservatory.....won't win me any prizes in "Beautiful Homes" but there you go.:D

You see houses in those photographs not homes which are somewhere where the children can play and we have to have all the "materials" that entails!

I'm getting better with the shorter showers, if I'm anything over 5 mins DS1 chastises me and I can't really nag him too much if I can't lead by example.....DS2 is a muck magnet you are doing well if you can introduce him to water every couple of days! :rolleyes::rotfl:

As it is so warm, you could chase each other in the garden with a hose - the cold water and the risk of the neighbours seeing you should get your shower time down even more :rotfl:

Be interesting to see whether we can manage to reduce much more....OH would say less time on the PC but this is essential research/liaison!

I quite agree, but, keep thinking really I should use the laptop not desktop.. but of course must be aware of posture and RSI which can be an issue with laptops for extended time

Keep plugging away at things slowly but surely, and do record your "successes" to show the improvements; our groceries bill is reasonably good as DW already obeys most of the "good practices" so we can't suddenly reduce it significantly, unless I have less beer! I've cut down though, honestly

Little_Mama

StuartGMC wrote: »

As it is so warm, you could chase each other in the garden with a hose - the cold water and the risk of the neighbours seeing you should get your shower time down even more :rotfl:

OMG what a prospect! :eek:

I'd not have to worry about a mortgage then, I'd be on free B&B from HMP for indecency! :rotfl:

All the best
LM

setmefree2

Hi Stuart:hello:,


Good luck with the food, shopping and energy use challenges:T


All The Best

SMF2

StuartGMC

setmefree2 wrote: »

Good luck with the food, shopping and energy use challenges:TAll The Best
SMF2

SMF2
Many thanks.
Need data to stabilise but presently for 3 of us shopping spend:
Food £76.10 per week (which is probably close to "average" spend and seems reasonable I think)
Cleaning and toiletries £13.02 (a little high as it covers 6 weeks and there are some "stock up" items in this which will last over some time - including Stardrops... - yes, been reading other boards too!)
Others like reusable shopping bags etc £6.00 per week (again high against expectation and average should be lower)
Alternatives annual saving £62.88 for changing a few items. Likely to change only a little as we have optimised purchases in the past before monitoring here, but still some room for improvement. I don't list the savings made in BOGOF etc and special offers as they cascade to the average spend of course.

To indicate why care is needed to gauge spend over a period of time our monthly clothing spend would indicate £190.61 plus shoes £61.91 per month... just because we have taken advantage of sales etc. Sadly £261.29 per month petrol cost is accurate...

Floxxie

StuartGMC wrote: »

Our annual consumption figures are:
Gas 14228kWh pa
Electric Day 3871kWh, Night 1315kWh
Electric total 5186kWh pa

Is this good or bad in your experience?

Well compared to my figures, your gas is very low. My annual consumption in the past 12 months (May to May) was:
Gas 26527 kWh pa
Electric 4881 kWh pa

OH works from home (although spends a lot of time travelling around the country) and until March I was working three days a week. So how on earth have we used that amount of gas!
We live in a 5 year old mid-terrace property so would like to think that the insulation is ok.Yikes, it's going to be woolies for the rest of the year - I shall have to claim the heating is broken.

Floxxie

StuartGMC

Floxxie
Heating comes on 0430, 30mins before I get up in winter, but I'll adjust to turn off at 0700 as DW and DD will be up by then and residual heat should be fine (save 30mins a day heating) and I'll look at evening settings too.

I bet your gas usage relates to heating the house while occupied in winter, but thanks for the data; lot's of hot tea and coffee for you in winter instead!

Maybe that's why our electric is so much more than you and Little Mama; more tea being brewed?

Actually we do have a timer to turn on lighting in one room in winter to help deter break-in by impression of being occupied but it runs to a 300W halogen in a free standing light (on dimmer though)....

Thanks for your data
Stuart

StuartGMC

I should clarify that for cooking hob is gas but oven and grill are electric