The “how much does this cost to run” thread?

[AtomicBlondeRose]

Based on posts about people thinking of using candles instead of electric lights - which is both dangerous and not likely to save any money, I’d like to set this thread up as a place where people can ask how much items in their house cost to run, to let posters make informed decisions about whether or not to keep using them after energy price rises.

If you want to ask, useful information to have is: the energy usage of the item - eg a heater might say on it that it’s 1000w. If you don’t know that the name/model number as accurately as possible. Also to give you a useful estimate it would be good to know your current gas/electricity price tariff price per unit. However it’s easy enough to work out at current and predicted price cap levels.

I can’t promise to answer everything so please can I call upon other numerate MNers to help out? I think this could be a real lifesaver.

I have another one
Dehumidifier Ultra Quiet Compact Portable Mini Electric Dehumidifier for Home Bedroom Moisture Damp Mould Absorber in Basement Bathroom Kitchen Office Laundry Caravan Garage (700ML) amzn.eu/d/dUiKOgW

That is drom 8:30 to 21:30. I believe the grand total is 10p.

Re the 500w heaters. I have on in the bix room/office and it heats the small room really well. It's won't do maaaive living space, but for small rooms it's great. I wfh and have it on couple of times a day. Doesn't make much difference on a meter overall.

Can anyone help please, I've used 67 (units/what) of gas since October. I don't know how to calculate how much this costs (I'm on SVR)

And 667 of electricity!!

It depends on the units - basically a meter measures in cubic metres or cubic feet. The metre will say the units and what it's reading in.

It needs to be converted to kWh using a formula.

Cubic feet - roughly 2000 kWh
Cubic metres - roughly 670 kWh

At 10p a kWh - it's £200 or £67

Roughly

@SamBeckettslastleap it depends what your meter says on it and if old

Mine is old so I have to times units x 32 to get kWh then x 10p

So if you were same as mine it would be 67 x 32 x .10p so 2144 so £214 for gas

Plus then sc and vat

The other is lower so 67 x a lower number but not sure what - want to say 11

So at worst your gas bill Will be about £230/40

1 kWH = £0.34
667 kWH = £226

Multiply the units used by 34p or £0.34

Thank you so much, I went looking for an answer on Google but got lost at calorific value.
It is an old meter so feet.

This is for 47 days electricity and gas £440 for both plus standing charge so more than £10 a day, and I have been so frugal. However at least being frugal has meant that we are within what we budgeted, we have more than halved our usage, we can't cut anymore.

That's a lot for electricity

667 kWh over 47 days is 14 kWh a day

Do you have electric heating?
A lot of electric showers?

Knowing what is using that could make a big difference

No electricity showers or heating.

Definitely higher than last year but I've had to have 2 dehumidifiers and a heated airer as we used to dry clothing in the house but with the lower house heat we are getting damp so didn't want to add to that. We work manual jobs so have a reasonable amount of washing, plus teenagers who play sport/hormonal so can't cut back the washing. Maybe cut using the heated airer and just try dehumidifier?

Electric oven, and usual electronics. Lights are older style but have been very careful.

Dehumidifiers shouldn't be using that much. Nor should the heated airer.

Typical household electricity is about 8kWh a day. It shouldn't vary too much in winter.

Your electricity is about £5 a day (14 kWh)

Thanks @cakeorwine I'm going to investigate then as we don't leave things plugged in/only use lights in the rooms we are in etc.

If you haven't got a Smart Meter, then the best thing is daily meter readings - or more often - so you can get an idea of when consumption goes up.

We've always been 12/14a day so higher then typical. Not sure why tbh

Thanks @cakeorwine I haven't got a smart metre so going to take lots of readings.

Between 10am and 4pm today I've used 5kWH.

Electrics being used were
Samsung 9kg washing machine (6years old) 2 washes at 40°c. (I do a load every day except Friday and then do three on a Saturday but the above use was for 2 washes)
Henry Hoover 30 minutes
Smart TV on 3 hours
LED lights on tree
Google hub playing music 4 hours
Standard Fridge Freezer
Chest freezer
Dishwasher one load on eco setting
Router
One celing light on in lounge for the whole time .

Does that seem reasonable?

How old are your fridge freezers? Old ones can use a reasonable amount of power

You can get a power monitor which plugs into devices and shows you the power being used.

Will be interesting to see your usage from 4pm onwards.

Is your ceiling light the incandescent type - the ones that get hot?

@SamBeckettslastleap

Do you have an immersion heater at all?
That always gets mentioned on here when people mention unusual electricity costs

13 overnight!

One wash at 40
Christmas tree lights
Outside Xmas lights (v low w)
One smart TV 5 hours
Heated airer 12 hours
Dehumidifier 12 hours
No cooking as used hob.

No emersion.

Those devices should not be using that much.

The only thing on that is the dehumidifier depending on the wattage.

What is the wattage of the airer and the dehumidifier?

I am back with another data. 5.7l Crockpot slowcooker (old). I know lots of people were interested in them.

Link here but it did NOT cost 300 quid!!! Just for illustration.

8 hours on high used 1.78kwh. Energy used dropped after cca 3 hours from 0.32 to 0.21.
Will soon know how much for cooking on low as well. While it is bit more pricey than I thought, it is a massive slow cooker and still waaaaaay cheaper than other ways of cooking what I was cooking.

@SamBeckettslastleap Did you end up getting the Woods dehumidifier? I’ve been using mine for a week now and it’s costing around 5p an hour - best buy so far! I’m drying my washing in the bathroom on a standard airer and am surprised at how quick everything dries. Must be even quicker with your heated ones. The dehumidifier also fixed the damp patch in my daughters bedroom. It’s a good machine and I kind of wish I’d bought 2 now!! They are out of stock at Costco and they were the best price there

Back again like an old penny.

Usage from 17.12.22 until today

Electricity 518
Gas 49 old style meter on SVT

Does that sound horrific? I'm making it to be over £300 and we have hardly used the heating. We've been in jumpers with fake oodies and wooly hats.

So 518 x 34p plus sc and vat so £176 plus

49 x 32 x 10p plus sc and vat so £157 plus

So 350 ish

Thank you @Blondeshavemorefun that really is sobering, we have been so strict with the heating, currently can see our breath indoors. Have to heat the water as manual jobs.

That's terrible @SamBeckettslastleap

I was good nov to Dec and still 350 ish

Dec to Jan was on more due to -7 for a week + and Xmas holidays

Ans was 400 +

I'm not cold cold but could be warmer but can't afford the bills

Insane