2 hours free electricity WWYD?

[Soontobe60]

Today I have got 2 hours of free electricity via Octopus. If you had 2 free hours, what would you do with it?

I’m doing the following:

• as much laundry as I can using the dryer
• cooking a beef rendang, apple pie, and a load of roast spuds
• batch cooking individual meat pies
• turning the gas heating off and using an electric heater
• vacuuming everywhere then washing the vacuum head afterwards (IYKYK)

Using mine today too so batch cooking and running the dryer

Charging the car and a load of laundry. I think we only have an hour though.

My DH pointed out that as it’s more expensive to use the tumble dryer than the washing machine, I should do a load of washing before my free hours then get it in the dryer as soon as the free time starts. He’s not stupid 🤣🤣

What are you cooking?

If it was a cold day I'd plug in the electric radiator and electric logburner in the spare room and heat the place for a couple of hours without paying.

Laundry would be first on my list, nothing comes to mind that you have not listed OP.

Chili and possibly a chicken pasta

I booked 10-12 thinking I wouldn’t be up in time for anything earlier but I’ve been poised to spring into action for hours 🤣

This is such a marketing gimmick, it's not really free! You have or will pay for it at some point.

We get 5 hours half price with BG and I use it on 60c towels and sheets wash, dishwasher, tumble dryer and electric shower

I got 2 hours too so I’ll be washing towels and a quick blanket wash, cooking lunch and using the dishwasher. I’ll use the dehumidifier. I may vacuum a bit too. Car is fully charged and I did a load of laundry overnight on my cheap rate.

Yup. A gimmick that makes me do all my chores, win win really! 🤣🤣🤣

It's not free, they just refund you what you've used on top of your normal consumation _ usually about 60p if you really go for it

Charge my car 🤣

It's free!

Do they have an oversupply of wind-generated energy for some reason? 🤔

Charge power banks, cordless hoover, electric toothbrushes. Run a dehumidifier.

Yes, I agree it won't be much, in the summer it is even less as the ambient water temperature is much higher so it doesn't need heating as much. With the BG scheme I probably get back about £3 - £4 a month in winter, much less in the summer

Any electric forms of heating the home
heating hot water eg using immersion heater over gas
electric shower
any items with battery charged (including vehicle)
cooking / baking
washing machine/ tumble dryer if needed. Tumble dryer tends to use more overall. Washing machine uses a chunk of energy at the start of the cycle to heat the water but then not much after.
dishwasher - on mine the heating cycle is about half an hour in and then about an hour later
ironing
boil the kettle and make a cuppa
any projects involving electric tools

I got 8 hours free with EDF last night and used around 50 kWh. House and hot water heated with ASHP, car and home battery charged, dishwasher started at 11pm and 60C towel wash on a timer finishing at the end of the cheap rate. Hung the towels outside this morning and it’s so windy they’re probably dry already so didn’t need a tumble dryer.

I’m with EDF. Did quite well before they changed to flexi. But they’ve made unachievable with their new calculations. And I also decided that the £8 I got wasn’t worth me knackering myself out for.

So if anything it’s made me less careful and I do things when I need to. I live alone so using the microwave or air fryer to cook a meal is minimal and also avoided other machines. Three weeks in I’ve not done enough and I’m not not eating to get the free hours.

i think my historical achievements have made recent goals unachievable.

I charged the car, did some cooking, and ran the washing machine / tumble dryer / dehumidifier.

Is it everyone? We have octopus but didn’t hear about this

you need smart meters to participate. It’s been triggered through the summer “saving sessions” which if you save energy then it gives you free hours to book on a Sunday. It ends on 1 November.

I save typically 0.2 kWh per saving session, and use about 10kWh per free energy hour, so I reckon I’m up on the deal.
Charge the car
Run the Dishwasher
Cook a quiche and also a crumble for dessert
Make a pot of tea at the start and the end of the session
Clean something with the steam cleaner
Run the washer (fast wash) and dryer (hot cycle)
Charge appliances and batteries.

Changing the temperature of things is the most energy-intensive domestic process, so use free power to make cold things hot.

Maybe heat up a wheat pack, hot water bottle or thermos and keep them insulated for later.

I've got four hours today. I've put the washer and dishwasher on, another wash load to go and I'll use the dryer to get the bedding dry. I blow dried my hair. I'm watching TV when I wouldn't normally but partly as don't want to go out yet. I put a light on instead of struggling. I'll charge my Shark as well.

I have half price electricity with BG 9-5pm so I have stripped the bed and put washing in. We will have roast pork for lunch. I will also charge my Kindle and watch.