My Energy use Diary

Frugaldom

I don't think it's stopped raining here all week but o the plus side, having the dehumidifier has meant not having had to use the tumble dryer at all, so it's definitely going to get advertised for sale. Dreading next week's readings as they will be so high compared to everyone else's on here but there isn't a lot I can do. On the plus side, I'll be moving into a smaller house soon and will have a log fire, so that SHOULD help enormously

A_fiend_for_life

Hey good news on the new house. Sounds really cosy.

[Deleted User]

do any of you know if i measure have had the draw and who won the £250? Final date was 30th sept

SuiDreams

nykmedia wrote: »

I don't think it's stopped raining here all week but o the plus side, having the dehumidifier has meant not having had to use the tumble dryer at all, so it's definitely going to get advertised for sale. Dreading next week's readings as they will be so high compared to everyone else's on here but there isn't a lot I can do. On the plus side, I'll be moving into a smaller house soon and will have a log fire, so that SHOULD help enormously

Very envious would love a log fire

Little_Mama

nykmedia wrote: »

I'll be moving into a smaller house soon and will have a log fire, so that SHOULD help enormously

Remember when you're out for a walk to pick up any twigs/branches you see to use as kindling.

My DSs, particularly the youngest, loves to pick up sticks when out on a walk and role play with them while we are out.....guns unfortunately are the latest role play , however, I've now found a good use for the stash he'd built up.

Also for anyone else who is cutting back trees and trimming up the garden at the mo, see what you can re-use in the fire.

I also find my log fire great for getting rid of unwanted spam mail that has all my details on them :mad:.....sets a fire off beautifully ....then I use the ashes down the allotment:rotfl:

Lovely warm day down here today but looks like this evening will be a bit fresh, I've popped some candles on to warm things up....see if I need a fire after dinner.

LM

Frugaldom

kittie wrote: »

do any of you know if i measure have had the draw and who won the £250? Final date was 30th sept

Final date must have meant week beginning 29th September as the latest news update was on 2nd October and it said,

"This week is the last week for our £250 prize draw - if you have only 5 sets of readings make sure to go into imeasure this week. Even if you have only just join imeasure don't worry I am sure we will do other prizes to keep imeasure sweet. Go to www.imeasure.org.uk with your meter readings."

I would imagine the draw would be done very soon.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

belfastgirl23

So we're back to the big day again. this week I used 66 kwh of electric (9.4 per day) and 335kwh of gas (48 per day). I'm really finding it hard to figure out how to bring it much down from here - this means only having the heat on for about 90 minutes a day which seems to be the bare minimum at the minute to take the chill off and finish drying clothes. And I've not used the dishwasher or other electric so much this week too since DH has been away and has also had a big birthday! so we ended up eating out a lot.

I also phoned our electric company to increase my direct debit and got quite a shock. We're currently paying £29 a month which is def too little (I was running down a big credit) and I was proposing to up it to £45 a month. But the woman suggested putting it up to £66 a month!!! We've recently had an increase of 14% and it is going up again by 33% and the company are suggesting people try to get ahead of the increase. In the end we compromised on £55 a month and I said I'd keep an eye and see if this meets the useage. Can't imagine how it must be for low income families trying to manage this! And of course in N Ireland there is no such thing as switching suppliers, we are in the unfortunate position of both gas and electric companies having monopolies.

Which means it's def well worthwhile being carbon friendly from a money point of view as well!

Hope you guys have all done well this week!

A_fiend_for_life

Excellent clear night out there.

I was thinking of buying a slow cooker rather than cooking on the hob to reduce energy consumption. Looking at how they work they seem to be no different than I rice cooker so as I have not been cooking rice for a few months....

:j Big pots of tasty soup at less kWh: it barely shifted the meter. 10 mins cooking and 20 mins keep warm and the flavour was great. No more hob. The capacity is 2L, slightly less but more than enough for one person, and the energy rating is slightly higher at 450w. Parsnip, sweetcorn and black pepper soup was great.

Think I'll be doing a good stew:j this week and possibly some Pad Thai soup. Chicken and ginger? Is there a relationship between kilowatts and calories?

Oh its gone midnight:p.

whatatwit

Fiend, your soup probably cooked a lot quicker in the rice cooker than a slow cooker. Mine is 200w so the usage was possibly similar.
Maybe check out car boots and charity shops for a slow cooker

Back to business, have just updated my Imeasure, my usage this week is only slightly up on last week.
Electric 75 (72)
Gas 233 (222)

As the carbon club rating seems to alter wildly, I've not bothered showing that yet.

Hope you've all had a good week.

[Deleted User]

our gas and electricity comsumptions seem to have become very consistent at electric 5.7 kwh per day and gas 4.7 kwh per day and it will definitely not go lower than this. We haven`t used any form of heating yet and have felt comfortable wrapped in a fleece if needed. I haven`t used the oven for a good 5 months now and bake/cook in whatever is appropriate ie pressure cooker, remoska, slow cooker, breadmaker, good stainless steel pans which are very fuel efficient and will simmer on the absolute lowest gas setting. I also make stews, soups etc for 3 days in one go, whereas previously it was for 2 days. It has made a dufference