Gas and electric bill for the last week…

[Bakersnil]

30 quid. I’ve had the heating on literally two hours a day that’s it, in only 3 rooms! I’ve been having a few baths, could that be a factor?

I just can’t believe it. In winter obviously the heating may be needed for 6 hours a day. I’m so so worried.

@JustOrderADoor I'm the opposite way round - using a lot more than last year.
I got diagnosed with COPD this summer, and the advice is to keep living rooms at 18° and bedrooms at 15°. I'm at home all day, and worrying a bit about December/January...

I'm lucky in that our local council is opening up "warm hubs" this winter and I live across the road from one if the worst comes to the worst.

What sort of temperature are peoples homes if they are heating them for 6 hours.

Mine comes on for an hour max in the morning to bring it up to temp, half an hour in the evening after dinner once we sit down in the lounge and maybe another 30-60mins over the course of the day, usually afternoon heating clicks back on.

Not worried about energy costs as we have a good fixed rate, but then again we only go up to 17/18 degrees in the house which is plenty warm enough for us wfh

Are you aware how patronising it is that you’re choosing not to put your heating on when you can afford to in solidarity?

I’m sure all the people who genuinely can’t afford their bills are thrilled that you’re not heating your house…

@Youcancallmeirrelevant my thermostat is set at 18°.

Looking at my bills for last winter when i was on a fixed tariff, it was costing me £20/month in gas use for December/January... using exactly the same amount this year will be £66/month.
Ouch.

@NewBootsAndRanty

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis.I imagine the symptoms leading to diagnosis have been pretty horrible. I hope you have a good medical team around you that are supporting you & are on to the best treatment for you xx

if you have things like that, keeping air at a constant & reasonable temperature is important, keeping yourself warm is not enough. I don't think I mentioned in in my previous post, but I have on others, the main thing that eill
prompt me to put the heating on is an annoying cough I get in cold air. I guess this year is going to help me define 'cold air' & if I can't stop the coughing in another way, the heating will be going on.

have you checked all the grants available? plus pip etc There are several you might be entitled to & can you get listed on your providers protected list, so you won't get the power cuts?

the heating hub might be good as long as there aren't too many bugs around!

Take care xx

@STARCATCHER22

tske it how you want💁🏻‍♀️

I said 'a bit' but largely to do my bit so everyone avoids black outs.

YOU feel patronised, others feel supported, that's down to the individual & there's Jack shit I can do about that is there?!. If everyone who can minimises their use, we might collectively be able to collective make just enough difference to avoid or delay some black outs.

I don’t feel patronised. I can afford to put my heating on thanks.

I am aware though that there are many families who will not be able to do so through my job. I know that they wouldn’t want to hear that I’m choosing to not heat my house in some attempt at virtue signalling.

There isn’t “Jack shit” that you can do about patronising people… maybe don’t tell people you’re not using your heating but can afford to. I love the idea that you’ve told some people that you’re not using your heating in solidarity and they feel supported… sure…

I don't think that's excessive OP

We use about £5.00 a day gas + leccy.
Heating gas, cook electric.
3 bed semi bung
Have showers only.
Heating on 6-8 am, 6-9 pm set at 21 deg

If you have a gas boiler, have you optimised it?
Most boilers run too hot for the home, esp if you only heat 3 rooms.
Google your boiler brand + 'flow temperature' for the most accurate advice on your set-up.
I changed the flow temperature on my valiant for both rads and hot water to 60 degrees, from 80 and noticed a drop in the bill.

OP do you track your usage in KWh? Most appliances are labelled with their draw in Watts, it's possible to calculate how much each item uses by the hour

You need to know your appliances and your KWH use.

What is your heating like - gas or electric?
How do you heat water?

Kettles do not use much - just make sure you just fill it with the amount you need.

It's heating water for heating or running high power devices for a long time that use energy.

We use about £1 - £1.50 in electricity a day (about 3 - 4 KWH) and about £1.50 - £2 in gas (about 15 - 20 KWH) plus the daily standing charge. So that's about £21 - £28 plus £5 standing charge for the week.

Heating has been on. I also like my baths.

Christ. If mine was 30 quid a week which included 2 hours of heating a day I'd be skipping down the street

Exactly that - dreading to see what our bill is going to be at end of October.

As it was already that high in September before the next price hike

A typical TV uses between 50 - 100 watts so about 2 - 4p an hour