Energy tariffs/price rises. What are you doing to lessen the impact?

[AlternativelyWired]

Shamelessly posting here for traffic.

I currently pay £140 a month which includes some arrears otherwise it would be £110 a month. If I go on a fixed tariff it would increase by £50 on a 1 year fixed tariff and £80 on a 2 year fixed tariff.

I'm trying to figure out what to do for the best regarding the tariff. I've already stopped using the tumble drier and use a clothes maiden instead (no chance of drying in my garden unless it's summer). The shower isn't electric and just uses the hot water from the tank that gets heated twice a day for an hour. The heating is on minimally with an hour in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon/early evening. It's set at 18 degrees. There are 3 of us with another dc visiting regularly for a few nights. It's a modern house with double glazing and I have thermal curtains on the front door and patio doors. Curtains are always closed once dark. I'm on UC and I can't see it being increased to allow for the energy increases.

@ihaveonecat

Blanket under the mattress is really good, and then one on top of the mattress under a fitted sheet

We used to have a wool blanket under the bottom sheet, top sheet and two wool blankets tucked in then quilt. Unheated house in a warmer climate where it was single digits inside at night a couple of months a year. You can buy army surplus blankets online for about £12 then use them sideways on a double bed.

Heated under blankets for bedrooms
Lots of throws
Candles give an illusion of warmth and tiny bit of heat
I have heating on for 1 hour in morning and 4 at night - all thermostats set quite low - bedrooms even lower
Electric shower and only wash up once a day
Use washing machine on economy and only for full loads
I don’t have a dryer or dishwasher

@QueeniesCroft for you. Please don't feel you can't post on this thread. I've had times where I've not eaten dinner telling the dc I'm not hungry, or I'll have some toast instead of a proper evening meal. Please look into food banks near you, I believe GPs and HVs can refer you.

@PurplePansy05

Duchess, you're spot on.

Also talk about mistimed announcements, Shell announces their profits today, it's disgusting. The numbers are sickening.

Regarding reducing the costs, please consider keeping your home at steady temperature - IME this is cheaper than heating twice a day. I'd also say be very careful with lowering the temperature as in many house this will lead to condensation and damp issues and rectifying them will costs a lot of money. Not to mention eventually it will affect your belongings and health. I know this doesn't help, but I'm just flagging up that there are potential even worse scenarios, unfortunately.

I'd say if you lower temperature, buy a dehumidifier which costs peanuts to run. Also those wfh - are you claiming the £6 pcm back from HMRC? I think this is still available, anyone pls correct me if not as I'm currently on maternity leave.

It’s £6 a week not a month.

@Snoozer11

Fucking fed up of this country.

I've worked throughout the pandemic and while I'm grateful to have had a job, I resent the idea that I'm now having to pay more because they decided to close everything down and pay people 80% of their wage to sit on their arse all day and bake cakes.

Me too.

It’s £6 a week not a month.

It’s tax relief on £6 a week. So you don’t get £6 a week.

That's what I meant, it was a typo. And no, you definitely don't get £6pcw, it translates to few quid a month less in tax, as per your new tax code.

I'm not feeling too bad at the minute

My energy is fixed until October - I managed to swipe a deal literally an hour before they pulled it and I'm wishing I had fixed for 2 years now as the price was really good. I just wasn't sure what to do at the time and didn't have long to deliberate!
My mortgage is fixed for 5 years, and my interest rate is high anyway as it's an adverse lender
Food prices worry me though

Feeling so glad we didn't move and upsize in the end ! OH wanted to buy a drafty large Victorian detached home I said no. Rates will rise inflation is out of control. I'm glad we are still in our small 1970s well insulated semi I don't worry about the bills at all here .

I don't turn on the heating. I have a lovely heated throw I use on my bed. My DC have hot water bottles and heated cuddlies. We all have a blanket downstairs and an electric heater when we need it. We also have a draft excluder on front door which goes straight into our living room. My sympathies it is tough. My UC was put down in September (uplift stopped) just as my utility bill went up by 50 %

I really didn't want a wood burner but looks like I'll have to get one instead of the gas fire place I originally wanted

Oodies for the kids

Colour my own hair and trim my fringe with hairdressing scissors, instead of going to hairdresser

It's all of it. Fuel in general. I work about 20 miles away. Fuel costs are insane now. I can spend a fortune in a month, just going to work and having nice food at the weekend. No nights out, nothing.

And no, I can't use public transport. Well I could, but it would be a 6 hour round trip.

I can't move closer to work because my life and the dc's life is here.

I would like a job closer to home, but the right one never comes up.

I've altered the heating to come on later in a morning and reduced the hot water down to twice a day but only for half an hour each time. It should be enough.

I would look into getting a wood burner as lots of new regulations on what you can burn. Another thing the government want to ban.

A wood burning stove isn't for us. No chimney for a start but I have bad asthma (enough to be CEV) and have a friend nearby with asbestosis who is greatly affected by wood smoke. We used to have open fires as a child and while lovely they played havoc with my breathing. I'm going to get myself some thermal vests.

Quite a few coal fires round here. I thought they'd all died out. I'd forgotten the sheer stink of them. I remember the shit next door's used to leave over our car and washing too.

Not put my heating on at all today. Sat under my heated blanket and it was snug. I mean … I achieved nothing but starting my new book. But hey at least I was warm.

The heating went off at 7 and it got quite chilly by 8.30 so I got my hot water bottle and a good book and snuggled in bed. I need a new dressing gown that comes down to my ankles for cold days and nights. If I'm in during the day I put my dressing gown on over my clothes.

[quote MonicaGellerBing]@MorningStarling what a miserable way to live [/quote]
Unless you're offering to pay her. Ills, I think that's a pretty nasty thing to say.

There are going to be more people who can't afford to put their heating on At All.

@AlternativelyWired

The heating went off at 7 and it got quite chilly by 8.30 so I got my hot water bottle and a good book and snuggled in bed. I need a new dressing gown that comes down to my ankles for cold days and nights. If I'm in during the day I put my dressing gown on over my clothes.

I live in dressing gowns. I find them so much warmer than a hoodie.

This website helps you search for local grants to help fund home improvements like insulation or wall insulation, it also has advice on cold weather payments etc.

www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants

Hello! Just popping by to say that we're doing a Q&A with fuel poverty charity National Energy Action about these energy price hikes on Wednesday 23rd at 12 noon. The thread is now open for questions here.