Which do you think will be cheaper?

[hbr1989]

I usually turn the central heating off at 7.30 when the children go to bed. After that I usually potter around tidying up and am then in my bed by 8.30 to keep warm. I read or watch tv. I've just decorated the living room and now that it's lovely I would like to enjoy it on an evening. The room has got an electric fire. I was wondering whether it would be cheaper to have the electric fire on or keep the heating on whilst I'm in the living room on an evening.

I would have thought central heating. Can you switch off other radiators so just have the one on in the room you're in?

Probably the central heating, just keep it on in the rooms you need.

Turn off the radiators in all but the living room...or turn that one off too and snuggle up with a blanket and/or hot water bottle - I do the latter once DS goes to bed...

Thanks. I will try going without either but put the heating on for a bit if it's freezing

how many bars does the fire have?
what is your unit rate for electricity?
and for gas?

but it is almost certainly cheaper to use the central heating, as well as keeping the house warmer which is better for it.

We have some huge blankets and light candles in the evening instead of Central heating being on. I understand the bar heaters are expensive but I'm not entirely sure.

Our heating is never on after 8pm and it doesn't get that cold before we go to bed (around 10.30pm) unless it's a few degrees below freezing outside. I do tend to get changed into pyjamas & dressing gown before the heating goes off, so there's no changing when it's cooler. Also, you could always have a blanket in case anyone is chilly, that way you can avoid any kind of heating.

A while ago I worked out it costs us around 30p an hour on average to use the heating, don't know what yours works out to, but this might help against the unit cost of electricity used in an hour.