To ask what you're doing in advance of gas/elec rises in April?

[irritablehead1]

I feel like I wade through treacle when i try to work out how to try and minimise rise of the gas/elec in April.

Can anyone offer a short cut through all the advise and pretty much tell me what I should be doing to cut the impact?

@Idontlikeworms

I've started to.go up to bed at 7.30 p to read, watch TV work on laptop. No need for heating on if I'm in bed !!

We bring our duvets downstairs and just have the heating on in DS' room. Nice and cozy.

Stop doing hot meals at home. I'm going to turn off the cooker and remove the kettle.

If you are already poor you won't have the option of buying solar panels, new front door etc.

@Invasionofthegutsnatchers you can get free loft & wall insulation if you are on certain benefits though, or a new boiler www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation/

I just realised I need to buy a *pressure cooker, it speeds up cooking. Also I have a baby oven which I’m sure is cheaper than a big one? But it’s a bit rubbish. Moving to a place with garden so will dry things outdoors. Luckily I won’t have a mortgage so can hopefully afford a bit more for energy. But the house is an old church and not in great shape so I hope won’t freeze to death!

Ah I'd love a pressure cooker. Aldis got them in for 50 quid I think I saw yesterday.

@gamerchick OMG really? DP was there yesterday but never said anything 😭 but he keeps away from the middle zone maybe cause I always waste time there. Are they stainless steel? I think the aluminium ones are not good, wouldn’t it be leaching aluminium into the food?

@gamerchick I think they were less than £50 on Amazon but that was a while back 😤

Oh sorry, that looks like I’m making a face at you! @gamerchick

Just online I think.

www.aldi.co.uk/copper-pressure-cooker/p/807995577740102

There's a stainless steel one as well.

@AutomaticMoon

Oh sorry, that looks like I’m making a face at you! *@gamerchick*

It's cool, I knew what you meant

@gamerchick Phew 😃 I’m glad! TY so much for the link, I completely forgot they’re plug in now, I was just thinking of the old school ones 😭 but probably much more energy efficient than using a bog stove?

No idea. I would think they would be. Tempted to get one myself.

Reduce clothes washing.
Dry all clothes outdoors unless absolutely impossible.
Turn everything off at night not left on standby
Use microwave more and gas rings less. Don’t use central heating unless absolutely necessary from April.

We are already paying £245 a month, £1,200 in debit and I cannot even think about it. We are with Bulb. Our gas bill is really low but our electricity bills is through the roof. We cannot figure out what the problem is, and they won't give us a smart meter because previous occupants of the house had one with a different supplier. Why this means they can't give us one I don't know.

An extra 50% will mean we will really struggle. Like, really. That's going to take us to almost £370 a month....

I've sorted out some draughts from windows and doors. Turned down the water temperature for radiators and hot water - just a small reduction makes a difference.

But my main one is that I've been paying a higher direct debit than needed for a while, so I've got some credit built up to soften the blow of higher prices.

I wear my dressing gown over my clothes when I WFH. Just put heating on for Dec getting up and home from school. Blankets on knees!

(take dressing gown off for zoom meetings!)

[quote AutomaticMoon]@gamerchick Phew 😃 I’m glad! TY so much for the link, I completely forgot they’re plug in now, I was just thinking of the old school ones 😭 but probably much more energy efficient than using a bog stove?[/quote]
This one looks like it’d be energy efficient. It says it works as a slow cooker too, which is so low energy. We have something similar and sometimes use it to slow cook or use the pressure function to make things like soup, casseroles and curry in a flash

@Readingtoaster What is this magic plug you speak of please? 😀

@Readingtoaster Ignore me, I've just spotted your post. Thanks :)

Getting a log burner

I have my heating on 5.30-7.30 in the morning and that’s it. I use my wood burner in the evening if I need heat.

@Player20868

- Heating only on in rooms as needed

• leave oven open after cooking and make maximum use of flasks, batch cooking, slow cooker, rice cooker, Wonderbag (similar to old haybox)
• lots of layers of clothing including tights, base layers, socks, leggings, warm boots and lots of layers on top including scarf and hood and also appropriate fabrics, lots of natural fibres and fleece
• hot water bottles including old stone variety which stay warm for hours - we found one at our local hospice shop and others on ebay
• heavy lined curtains, bubble wrap and foil to reflect heat
• eating plenty of porridge, pasta and potatoes and drinking lots of tea and coffee and soup
• only buying what we really need this year, we have already cut back on treats

-working a second line of work for at least another 20 to 25 hours on top of full time job, I've forgotten what a weekend feels like as I'm always working

• eating a lot less meat (that one also due to climate change to be fair)

This is pretty much how I grew up in the bitterly cold north east and the fact that I'm here again in mid life is just one more reason for me to hate the government at least as much as they evidently hate the poor, old, disabled and otherwise dispossessed.

Player20868

What kind of things can you cook in the Wonderbag ? Can you do things like stews ?

I've put a couple of spare single duvets down in the lounge to snuggle under rather than put the heating on during the day.