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Original poster

My heating was on for two hours yesterday…

345 replies

AchillesLastStand · 02/04/2022 08:30

My heating was on for two hours yesterday, on in the morning for an hour and in the evening. We had one bath yesterday which the boiler heats the water for. We shared the same water. I logged onto Bulb to see the energy costs for yesterday, £4.50 for gas, £3.50 for electricity. It’s unsustainable if it goes up again in October. My 8 year old DS is under his bedcovers with his tablet because the heating has had to go off.

OP posts:
Flipflopssndsocks · 02/04/2022 08:39

It’s mad. I don’t have a smart meter so have a book to record usage so I can work cost out. It’s scary. Dh can’t work due to ill health and go back to standard variable mortgage rate soon as well. Struggling to remortgage due to missing dogs income and price rises so I don’t want to think about October!

Flipflopssndsocks · 02/04/2022 08:39

The dog doesn’t work either🤦‍♀️

Skyeheather · 02/04/2022 08:50

Our smart meter was £3.00 higher yesterday than the day before, we didn't use the dishwasher or washing machine and dc were at school so the TV wasn't on all day. How are people going to afford anything? With spring coming I don't think people will see the full extent of the issue until next winter.

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Neverendingdust · 02/04/2022 09:03

Wait until October onwards when the heating goes back on 😳💸

cakeorwine · 02/04/2022 09:08

Do you know how many KWH you used.

That seems a lot for the energy you seem to have used.

RewildingAmbridge · 02/04/2022 09:14

I went down to the kitchen at seven this morning, boiled the kettle, the smart meter already showed £1.65 and there wasn't a light or electrical device in in the house, the heating wasn't on, the hot water had been on for half an hour (gas boiler not immersion)

Igotchills · 02/04/2022 09:18

Could you get a shower attachment for the taps if you don’t have a shower? 2 short showers will still cost less than one bath-depending on how deep you have it obviously.

AtlasPine · 02/04/2022 09:18

@RewildingAmbridge

I went down to the kitchen at seven this morning, boiled the kettle, the smart meter already showed £1.65 and there wasn't a light or electrical device in in the house, the heating wasn't on, the hot water had been on for half an hour (gas boiler not immersion)
I don’t have a smart meter but wondered if it starts every day with the standing charge? Outrageous that this has risen along with the unit cost. I can’t see the justification.
Original poster
AchillesLastStand · 02/04/2022 09:20

@cakeorwine

Do you know how many KWH you used.

That seems a lot for the energy you seem to have used.

The smart meter reading for electricity on Bulb is 7554. I don’t know if that’s KWs. Our average daily electricity usage before the tariffs went up was between £1.40 and £2.50 depending on whether the washing machine had been on. Our highest daily gas use last month was £2.56. It’s that gas that’s the killer and we hardly use the heating and have a new energy efficient condensing boiler.
OP posts:
cakeorwine · 02/04/2022 09:21

Keep a record of your daily usage in KWH.
Try and understand how much energy devices use - the more you understand your devices, you can see the changes to make.

cakeorwine · 02/04/2022 09:24

Our Smart Meter will tell me in KWH how much my daily use is.

You can see the cold days last week.

MrMrsJones · 02/04/2022 09:26

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

Deebeedore · 02/04/2022 09:27

It is scary how much this is costing, god knows what we're all going to do in October. My house is mainly electric (electric shower, electric hob etc) but the heating is gas. We're putting on lots of layers and hoping for this cold snap to disappear. I cried when I rang our energy company and was so embarrassed, the lady told me I wasn't the first to cry and most definitely won't be the last so not to panic. As a single parent working full time I have zero idea on how I'm going to get extra money to pay for the price rises, guess we'll just have to be cold

Ecosralayce · 02/04/2022 09:30

that seems an excessive cost for 2 hours if gas use, even factoring in the tariff increase. Our heating was on for around 4 hours all togther (DS was home from school unwell) plus the usual heating of water in morning and evening for showers ect (3 dc and me and dc here in 4 bed detached house) and our gas use was "only" £3.88 (this is quite a high use day for us as well tbh due to ds being poorly at home and the fact it was still trying to snow!)

Itsbackagain · 02/04/2022 09:32

@MrMrsJones

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

Yip and single glazing,! Blankets and hot water bottles.
PaperTyger · 02/04/2022 09:32

Electric blankets.

We've all got used to beautifully warm homes. the house I grew up in was freezing.
Ice inside window panes, wooly hat in bed, layers and hot water bottles a life line.

KonTikki · 02/04/2022 09:33

Keeping an eye on my EDF tariff options having come off my fixed tariff.
Standard Variable is still the cheapest option for me.

Madre123 · 02/04/2022 09:33

Your landline phone charger, electric toothbrush charger, fridge freezer.....etc etc...you will be surprised...try to ensure all is off at the plug and nothing left on stand by.....x

cakeorwine · 02/04/2022 09:36

@Madre123

Your landline phone charger, electric toothbrush charger, fridge freezer.....etc etc...you will be surprised...try to ensure all is off at the plug and nothing left on stand by.....x
Honestly - that's not going to make much difference. Standby power is so low nowadays.

And I really wouldn't unplug a fridge freezer

TheirTheyre · 02/04/2022 09:38

Can you invest in some gel heat packs? A minute in the microwave will help keep you warm- tuck it under your jumper or at your back? I use these as according to dh it’s always ‘roasting in here’ whilst he’s sat in a T-shirt and I’ve got five layers on.

Looseleaf · 02/04/2022 09:38

We’ve got used to a colder home and the DC don’t seem to notice even when it’s -3 at night . They have heated throws but one doesn’t bother with it. It’s worrying though and I just feel relieved we are heading into spring as have a new baby imminent due in days will need heating for. And a lot of washing !

lollipoprainbow · 02/04/2022 09:44

Just because we didn't have heating back in the day doesn't mean it's acceptable now in the 20th century in one of the richest countries in the world. Why should we have to live in a cold house ??

ReadyToMoveIt · 02/04/2022 09:47

@MrMrsJones

When I was a kid, we only had heating in the lounge.

People have got too comfortable with hot houses

Do you only heat your lounge now?
itrytomakemyway · 02/04/2022 09:48

Just because we had cold houses in the past does not make it ok to have cold houses now.

I don't want to go back to the miserable 1970s and 1980s thank you very much. Are people really happy to just accept a drop in their standard of living?

Some things in the past need to stay there. I doubt any Tory MPS are putting on extra jumpers and jollying each other along about the good old days.

It's an absolute disgrace that people lining in the UK in 2022 are sitting in cold houses.

Bigassbeebuzzbuzz · 02/04/2022 09:49

I've set my thermostat at 10 degrees and woke up this morning to a toastie warm house which was a nice but I immediately jumped out of bed to turn it off. I havent checked how much I've used but ffs in 2022 everyone should be able to heat their homes when its below 0 degrees.
I'm petrified what's going to happen come Oct. I may have to resort to selling a kidney.