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Original poster

What are you doing to reduce your electricity use?

135 replies

ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 15:31

I have Oil CH, no gas so the electricity is quite low, but oil costs are quite high. I dont think I can limit my electricity use too much other than not using the tumble dryer (I already try to avoid it) and dishwasher (was recently given to me, so am used to not having it and don't find it as much help as I thought!)

Anything else? I'm switching lights off more and not leaving the radio on all day but can't see that they use too much anyway

OP posts:
PostThenGhost · 14/02/2022 16:12

Trying to convince the teen to turn his switches off instead of leaving his phone charger plugged in & PlayStation & tv on standby is a waste of breath.
DH helpfully took the lead out of my iPad when it finished charging but didn’t turn the plug off at the socket. Drives me mad!

I came down to the microwave door open & the timer blinking away this morning. I’m at a loss.

I have, after recently questioning why anyone would ever have one, acquired an air fryer. The electricity that saves is amazing. The smart meter glows red when the main oven is turned on but stays green when the air fryer is on. Not sure it will balance out the other wastes of power though.

Shade17 · 14/02/2022 16:17

DH helpfully took the lead out of my iPad when it finished charging but didn’t turn the plug off at the socket. Drives me mad!

I couldn’t get worked up about something that would cost 50p if left like that for a whole year.

PostThenGhost · 14/02/2022 16:22

If it was a single event @Shade17 I also wouldn’t be bothered but I’ve come down for breakfast and found the fridge door open twice this year already too. All the little events add up.

Diditopknot · 14/02/2022 16:22

I’ve told everyone in this house to switch off the bastard lights when they leave the room.
Ffs.
It’s like Blackpool illuminations in this house.

Original poster
ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 16:43

@Diditopknot are you everyone's dad? Grin

I'm genuinely confused about the chargers being plugged in and switched on, but not attached to a phone etc. How does it waste electricity? Where does it go? I am guilty of it so will stop doing it now.

I usually go upstairs around this time if I'm at home and draw curtains and put lamps on.

OP posts:
Wnkingawalrus · 14/02/2022 16:48

Going to the office.

emmathedilemma · 14/02/2022 16:51

Also going in the office a few days a week to save on electricity and gas to have the heating on so i don't freeze to my desk. I'm using the showers at the gym more too and using the George Foreman more if it's something small such as a chicken breast to save putting the oven on.

MintJulia · 14/02/2022 16:56

Persuading ds to turn things off!
Using slow cooker more.
Turned off outside lights.
Ironing less (no hardship Smile)

AdoraBell · 14/02/2022 16:57

Lights off in this rooms not used. I needed to wash tea towels yesterday but not enough to fill the washing machine so I soaked them in disinfectant for a few hours and then put them in with dark clothes on a cold wash.

Heating is set at 17 and I use my dressing gown over my clothes, and blankets in the lounge.

Cooked enough for 2/3 meals then reheated in microwave the next days.

I try to only boil the kettle once or twice, haven’t found flasks since moving house just before Christmas. When I locate the flask I’ll use that to keep water hot and boil the kettle once.

Oblomov22 · 14/02/2022 17:10

I'm struggling because I don't want to do many of these things. I don't want to turn my heating down.

Grinnypiggy · 14/02/2022 17:13

Being clever with oven use? Baking potatoes for dinner, roast some veg at the same time to make soup with tomorrow, etc.
Trying not to have the TV on in the background. I am guilty of playing on my phone while its on, I really don't need to do that - either watch it or don't! I'm doing that right now actually... Blush

Original poster
ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 17:19

I do boil the kettle a lot if I'm at home . I could cut down on that.

I have a gas bottle for the gas oven , so although the price will increase for the gas, 1 bottle (£68 last time) lasts about a year and half!

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 14/02/2022 17:20

Also switch off the plug socket for the TV, it doesn’t need to be on standby while I’m sleeping.

Washing machine and dryer plug switches off too. Only use dishwasher when completely full. Last week DH was away for work so it was used last Sunday and then Thursday. Couldn’t do that before DDs moved out to University though.

EmpressCixi · 14/02/2022 17:26

Nothing. Because there’s nothing more we can do.
Already replaced all bulbs with LEDs
Use fewest lights possible. Always turn off lights when not in room.
Don’t stay up late at night.
Often use candles (proper ones, not the scented pillars of tea lights) these also add warmth to a room so heating doesn’t tick on.
Never have TV/radio on as background noise

Original poster
ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 17:30

@AdoraBell does switching the plug off make a difference though, if the TV is switched off?

OP posts:
JuergenSchwarzwald · 14/02/2022 17:32

All I do is try to make sure I turn lights off. I don't know how much charging all the various appliances costs, but I don't think there's much I can do about that. We do have a tumble dryer but don't use it much.

qualitygirl · 14/02/2022 17:42

I'm turning off all switches at night and using minimal lighting in the evening. Electricity is my only bill that I can't opt out of so I'm not TOO bothered but I'm more conscious for sure!!

Theghostofchristmasarse · 14/02/2022 17:49

I honestly don't know. No gas heating here, air source heat pump, uses about £10 a day to heat the house. Can't just have it on for a few hours, doesn't work like that. I turned it off midweek. I cannot afford to heat the house, at a rate of over 300 a month, that's before the rises. I'm in debt with the electric, so now we have hot water and an open fire, which I will buy coal for, that's only about £3 every couple of days, so much better. Apart from that I'll try to change a few bulbs that are still not LED, got lights in the bathroom that are crazy, 6 bulbs in each, so I'll remove most of those. Apart from that, we are in dressing gowns and slippers all the time, keep doors closed, TV off every night, try to turn off all lights apart from a lamp in the room I'm using.
I'm seriously considering selling the house for something smaller, I'm a single parent and want to stay here for the kids, but if I can't afford to heat it something has to give. Problem is I've no idea if I'd be better off somewhere else ...

2catsandhappy · 14/02/2022 18:01

I have just started these.
Using slow cooker, dishwasher, phone charger and washing machine on cheaper rate electric times.
Wearing uniform and pyjamas one extra time.

Getting dd to use a paper towel for toast not a plate.
Switching tv off at wall.
Swapped out bath sheets for bath towels.

So, fewer laundry loads, fewer dishwasher loads. I reckon my water bill will go down a fair bit too. I already used slow cooker 5 times a week, so I just use recipes that benefit 8 hours on low. Early days, but the smart meter looks promising.(unplugged smart meter and use the app on PC)

Original poster
ImFree2doasiwant · 14/02/2022 18:06

@Theghostofchristmasarse I'd always imagined air source heat pump heating to be economical??

Im also a single parent, I have the heating on more than I would if it was just me. I've also found that if I leave it off during the day, the house never warms up. I've been having it on low but then have noticed even with it being oil CH, it still uses electricity and I see the smart meter rising

OP posts:
Theghostofchristmasarse · 14/02/2022 18:17

@ImFree2doasiwant nope ☹️ well it's about the same as oil I guess, and if they're installed well, into a new house, then yes, but this place is draughty and open plan, so having it on very low all winter is in theory ok but actually makes for a chilly house. Worst thing is now that with no carpets, the floors are freezing.
My neighbour was paying similar for their electricity/oil/bottled gas with 4 adults home most of the time, but a smaller house. So I guess it's kind of ok. But at least if I had gas I could put it on for just an hour in the morning, again in the evening. It's either on or off. So now it's off...I'm wishing the months away and hoping for a warm, early spring!

CornishTiger · 14/02/2022 18:21

I’m becoming more of a nag regarding the lights.

Our bill is about £130 a month as we are in a fix til Oct 23. However if we move ( which is needed for safety grounds) then we’ll lose that. The bill will shoot right up so thinking of energy savings regardless. We’ve always been frugal.

I use the dishwasher and tumble drier. When it’s better weather I’ll hang on line but if neighbour starts his abuse again I’ll revert to tumble drier.

We are lucky we live in one of the warmer spots of UK and it doesn’t take much to heat house. We have windows open in mornings for condensation. We have blankets around which we use but I can’t stand it if air is cold cold. If my nose is cold we have a heating blast.

I think our biggest usage is cooking so need to look at that more.

Billandben444 · 14/02/2022 18:26

Anything that heats up is expensive so look at hair dryers and straighteners as well. I wash my hair in the morning (but only once a week now) and leave it to dry naturally, plenty of conditioner and a drop of argan oil stops it looking frizzy. Showers are much quicker now, literally a couple of minutes.

AdoraBell · 14/02/2022 18:29

I’mfree yes, apparently the TV set uses the same amount of power on standby as when switched on.

balalake · 14/02/2022 18:32

I have a storage heater on for in theory seven hours overnight. Unless very cold, gets turned off when I get up.