electric bill rip off

[Starchild]

I don't use electric for heating, I don't use it for hot water. I refuse to have oil installed and we don't have gas. We have a dishwasher (due to disabilities), washing machine, big fridge, large chest freezer all A+ rated and a C rated tumble dryer (used when needed) and our electric bill was £98 for 3 months! The only things left on over night are the broadband modem, frezer and fridge and the dishwasher goes on (economy 7). Last year the bill was £56!

[squashysu]

Just want to add that if anyone in the household recieves DLA (disability living allowance) you can cavity wall insulation, low energy bulbs and the lost insulated and even a new boiler all for free, its worth a look.

[Hashette]

We've got an oil tank, it gets filled up twice a year and it's looking empty.

Plus we have a matching bank account

*passes hat round*

[Two_Sheds]

Kristen - superb advice, thank you.

I knew I couldn't turn Sky box off, but I will put everything else on an extension lead and turn off at the mains each night (Mr Sheds leaves EVERYTHING on standby, it does my head in)

I am taking fuel readings every month because we've just moved in and not sussed yet how much our bills will be ... I would really love to have an Owl energy monitor, but can't justify the cost ... yet Owl wireless energy monitor watches your electricity consumption

[petal]

I am making a plan of ways of cutting this bill in half in future. Nagging kids and OH to turn off lights, being more vigilant about turning off electric things. Getting a new fridge freezer? mine is 10 years old and warm on the outside is it meant to be? making kids wear clothes for more than one day, increasing bedding. ....

[sharonr]

Our gas and electric are £140 a month at the moment.
Since the payments went up we have gotten :-
All light bulbs in the house are low energy ones.
Gas goes on for two hours in the morning and at night to heat the water.
If I get cold I have an old sleepingbag to sit under on the sofa so I don`t put the fire or heating on.
All electrical items that can be switched off when not in use are.
Hopefully all this will help to keep the bills down.

[lynda66]

i'm really wondering what some of you are doing with your electricity?? my new dishwasher has added about 50p to my electric used twice a week, so it now costs around £8 per week, i only use the dryer when i have to, but that only costs 27p a load, washing is 24p. i use mostly energy saving light bulbs, but some are normal ones, . i keep my freezer full, cos otherwise it uses loads.

we have a 2 year old boiler, which heats the water, a gas cooker and fire, i don't use the central heating, and rarely have a bath, now we have an over bath shower, since the gas fire has been off since about april, my gas is costing about £4-5 a week.

I'm not obsessive, and we have loads of electrical stuff, maybe i just pay more attention cos i have the card meters? but i'm gobsmacked at how dear some of your bills are.

we have cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, and double glazing, but that doesn't make any difference in summer as we haven't used the fire anyway.

[sharonr]

we have a 2 year old boiler,

My boiler is forty yes FORTY years old. We checked with the manufactorer when we moved in 3 years ago and they said it was last made in 1970.

[Starchild]

Just want to add that if anyone in the household recieves DLA (disability living allowance) you can cavity wall insulation, low energy bulbs and the lost insulated and even a new boiler all for free, its worth a look.

Doesn't apply to housing association/ council tenants. We have to wait for them to pull their finger out!

[lynda66]

Doesn't apply to housing association/ council tenants. We have to wait for them to pull their finger out!

have they changed the rules then? i had loft insulation in 2005 and cavity wall in 2007, and i'm in a council property

[lynda66]

My boiler is forty yes FORTY years old. We checked with the manufactorer when we moved in 3 years ago and they said it was last made in 1970.

we had one of those .... it erm broke, so the new boiler is great, no tankk, and hot water whenever you want it, has really saved a fortune with the hot water. ...... can you not get a grant to help with the cost of it?

[Kristen]

"Owl energy monitor"

We have one, but I'm not sure they are that useful. My DW turns the oven on, sees the huge number, and says "Crickey". And I say "That's because you've got the oven on, no way around that ..."

Its the Background usage (Standby devices etc.) that you can do something about ...

... having said that there was an occasion when we were on out way out and noticed the meter was showing a high reading and on investigation we had left the oven on ... which might have ended in disaster!

I think what is better is a gadget that you can plug a device into (say the Kettle) and leave it a week and see how much it has used, or see how much it is using in real time. Some devices are really bad, some are not, its hard to tell, but useful to know

"Getting a new fridge freezer? mine is 10 years old and warm on the outside is it meant to be?"

The condenser motor will generate heat, so wherever that is, and wherever the heat exchanger to the air is, will be warm.

Worth cleaning any air vents that you can get to

"My boiler is forty yes FORTY years old"

Payback on a modern, condensing, boiler could easily be as little as a year or two. Mind you, you do have to keep the boiler in "condensing mode" for it to be efficient, and that may not be easy without additional changes to the system - bigger tank / thermal store.

[SlugLobber]

I'm disgusted at the increases in fuel prices this year. Thankfully I had a condenser boiler fitted to the house in April and I think it's half paid for itself already, as I live alone and only use it for hot water, so I don't need to leave the heating on for hours at a time, like I did before! My old boiler was a 'Back Boiler' in the fireplace. I've got a woodstove lined up and as luck has it, the bedroom is above the living room (complete with its own chimney breast), so I'm hoping that the heat will heat the bedroom, too. The radiator is normally off in the bedroom even in winter, as it got so warm, so fingers crossed!!!

Has anyone else been offered energy saving bulbs by their utility company? I was offered 4 and have actually sent off for them. I was also sent two by an age related company, as my house was previously owned by an old lady! Makes all the age concern junk mail worthwhile

[sharonr]

we had one of those .... it erm broke, so the new boiler is great, no tankk, and hot water whenever you want it, has really saved a fortune with the hot water. ...... can you not get a grant to help with the cost of it?

We are remodling the house at the moment.(We moved in 3 years ago) And the gas boiler is in what use to be the coal shed (the house was built in the 1950`s) and we are thinking of extending the kitchen, as it is way too small, into it and the outhouse next to it so we are not sure where to put the boiler when we do.

[lynda66]

oh yeah good plan but still check if you can get a grant towards some of it for when you decide.