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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To put the heating on constant and not give a feck about the bill..........

44 replies

BloodyCold · 10/01/2009 20:40

for now (and prepare myself for a heart attack when the next bill comes in)!

I am fed up of the house feeling like a fridge within 30 mins of the heating going off. We have double glazing and live in a relatively new house but it is blardy cold.

I have had it on a timer but am now going to leave it on unless we get too hot (oh what a feeling that will be!).

Our last bill for only 6 weeks of gas and electric was 310 quid!! and that was with the heating on for only 5 hours a day and hot water for 3.

DD has told me that the car is warmer than the house so will keep it on and worry about the bills later (hoping to win the lottery before I get it!!)

OP posts:

nickytwotimes · 10/01/2009 20:41

I sympathise.
I have been maily frozen to the bone this winter and have had the heating on far more than ever before.

noonki · 10/01/2009 20:48

who are you with? that is a huge bill. Ours have gone down by a third after going on one of those comparison sites

expatinscotland · 10/01/2009 20:49

YANBU. I don't get this British stiff-upper lip bullshit about freezing to death slowly. Where's the virtue in that? If you can afford it, crank it up.

Leo9 · 10/01/2009 20:51

I agree that sounds way too much. We pay £75 per month which works out at 900 per year and that's for both gas AND electricity. How big is your house? Who are you with??

Why don't you consider direct debiting per month rather than waiting for bills - it spreads the cost throughout the year.

ilovelovemydog · 10/01/2009 20:53

Expat, got that fleece electric blanket from Lakeland for Christmas

God I love it!

expatinscotland · 10/01/2009 20:54

oooo, ilovemydog, i am !

that looks just lush.

Original poster

BloodyCold · 10/01/2009 21:07

We are with British Gas in a 3 bed detached, it is probably larger than average and ground floor is all laminate so does feel very cold.

Did use to pay by DD but they kept changing the amounts so now pay quarterly. If the bill is too much to handle at once, we normally spread it over the next few months, which is what we will do this time.

Honestly, heating is a basic need and it makes me angry that people have to stress themselves out, when it is really cold like now, as to whether they can afford to heat their homes.

OP posts:

FAQtothefuture · 10/01/2009 21:16

expat - agree with every word of your 20.49 post

Have to say though that's a hell of a large bill!!

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 10/01/2009 21:20

I feel the same as you op. We can technically afford to have the heating on almost constant, if we make other cutbacks (off for a few hours at night) but the bill will be huge. The alternative of course is to be uncomfortable in your own home. No easy answer imo.

JumpingDizzy · 10/01/2009 21:21

I'm also dreading my next gas bill but have mine on constantly too. My downstairs is open plan so gets very cold.

theboob · 10/01/2009 21:22

my electric alone was £279 from oct to dec,I'm dreading the gas bill

noonki · 10/01/2009 21:26

British gas are surely the worst, the devil incarnate...

go to one of those comparison websites NOW!

PaulaatMummyKnowsBest · 10/01/2009 21:26

we keep the heating on 24/7

I can't bear to be cold. I work hard and think that i should be able to have one "luxury". I don't smoke, I rarely drink so having the heating on is my thing.

Our combined bills (G & E) are about £200 a month though.

naturalbornmum · 10/01/2009 21:30

Totally agree. YANBU. In the back of my mins I am dreading our nest bill but I just don't want to/can't be doing with living in a freezing house. Just miserable.

naturalbornmum · 10/01/2009 21:32

Do some of you really have your heating on at night? I could'nt do that - makes me ill. Having said that it has been v. cold and I have a hotwater baby on board so flsuhing nicely at night.

notcitrus · 11/01/2009 12:54

I never had heating on at night in my life until having to breastfeed at 4am. Previously I always thought the phrase 'freezing your tits off' was a metaphor...

megandtyler · 11/01/2009 13:09

i think having it on a constant temp could work out cheaper as you are keeping house warm and not having to heat it up from freezing.don't slate me i might be wrong

megandtyler · 11/01/2009 13:11

also a friend who did some teaching in finland said she got told off for trning the heating down as it takes longer to warm the place back up again

GreenGables · 11/01/2009 13:11

ROFL citrus!

DD1 came into my bed last night, whilst scrabbling around for another blanket and jumper for her, she said in that very-cute-half-asleep voice ''I didn't know it could ever get so cold!' (the hot-water tank is in her room, so it doesn't usually get very cold in there), this is the first time I have ever considered putting the heating on at night. But surely it is unnecessary (unless BF!) to heat the house at night, everyone is asleep and so none the wiser.

GreenGables · 11/01/2009 13:13

oh dear - please ignore all of my extra commas! [need an exhausted smiley!}

lucykate · 11/01/2009 13:16

dh has told me to stop being so tight with the central heating and put in on more. his view is he's not working all the hours he does, to be constantly cold when he's at home.

Clarissimo · 11/01/2009 13:19

If you look on the live chats board there's a chat with an expert tomorrow- my first question is exactly the one about being on all day V heating up a freezzing room twice daily.

We have ours n a low setting constantly atm- heat retention is zero as the place is old and very draughty (2cm gap around front dorr and open plann(ish), old sash windows, one of those plastic ventilation grills directly into living room so its too cold for abby to go on floor in the evenings even with heating).

So, its on low then we wear enough clothes to bring up to nice iyswim- happy (ish) halfway house.

Heating bill £110 a month for gas and electric. We checked that on uswitch and nobody could come even close. Make up for it a bit with energy saving lightbulbs, sharing abths for the kids, A rated applicances etc.

Clarissimo · 11/01/2009 13:20

(and yes am BF at night so night time helps LOL)

MarmadukeScarlet · 11/01/2009 13:24

Gables, surely your hot water tank should be so well lagged it souldn't actually make much diff to the temp in there?

I put mine on to come on for a while today as it was 14 in the house. It is rarely over 19 though, heating on for 2 hrs am and then 3-4 pm/eve. Certain rooms of the house are not heated, we close the curtains early and have thermal linings etc. WE wear lots of warm clothes, I am home with a pre schooler much of the time.

I think one has to be sensible about it, I rolled my eyes reading a post on here t'otherday when the poster stated her joint bills were way high, there was outrage and cursing at the demonic providers. Then she confessed her DH (who was at home all day) liked it set to 25 so he could be barefoot and in a t shirt. Well, it doesn't take a genius...or does it?

We cannot have the benefit of cheaper electricity by getting both E&Gas from the same provider, as there is no gas around here.

On the upside, although oil is expensive you do see the reduction in price very quickly. Last year in Feb a 2000lts was over £1k, last week same amount was just over £700.

watsthestory · 11/01/2009 13:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

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