have you reduced your usage

[forgotmyusername1]

I have checked the estimated gas and electric usage from feb to latest statement. Estimated electric has dropped 40% (8673 kwh to 5328) and gas has dropped 15% (13058 to 10979)

Have you been able to reduce usage and if so how have you done it. We have stopped using the tumble dryer, use the air fryer rather than the oven wherever possible, measure water for tea rather than filling the kettle up and reduced time in the shower.

I’ve dropped it slightly, but unfortunately I’ve got 2 people in the house who won’t attempt it.

Yes, we have - after years of banging on about how much we waste, family have taken notice. Two adult children living at home have finally realised that there's a limit to how much they want to pay and so turning off consoles, TVs and lights not being used is no longer optional.

We are high users and we WFH, so there's a limit to how much more we can cut back on electricity. Gas is different - we haven't used heating yet. Last year, it would have been on a couple of weeks by now.

Our estimated annual payment is less than it was before the April increase. Just makes me regret not doing it earlier - so much money wasted

Yes, dropped it from around 25kw per day to 12. New fridge and freezer, stopped DP using the dehumidifier in the garage and got him to switch off his hi-fi.

Gas is a bit trickier to estimate but so far we’ve managed with a 19.5 degree setting - not 21 as previous years.

Yes! We shower at work/ gym half the week, heating has been off since April 1st. Not had tumbledryer on since March...everything dried outside.
Temperature turned down on boiler for hot water.

The heating will probably go on next week but only for a couple of hours in the evening. We are in Yorkshire

Cut our shower time down, bought a slow cooker (love it), wrapping up more in the evenings so keeping the thermostat really low. Put the heating on briefly in the mornings, our bathroom is always cold. The brushed cotton bedding is going on tomorrow!

We’ve dropped quite a bit. Mainly I think due to a pump switch that I’ve turned off. We have an odd plumbing system and this pump apparently moves the water around so that it doesn’t stagnate but since we use all the sinks every day anyway I figured it can go off

Trying, but still using loads 😬
£5.60 ish so far today on gas and nearly £4 on electricity.

How is your stuff getting properly dry though? Im still hanging washing on the line but even on a dry day they’re not “fold up and put away” dry so most things get 10 mins in the tumble dryer.

Yep. Over 3 months of summer, total gas and elec cost 180. I don’t anticipate elec usage going up over the coming months. I’ll be working from the office as much as possible. Heating will not go on unless absolutely necessary. It hasn’t been on at all since Feb. If I can get through Nov without hearing, that’ll be grand. I switch absolutely everything off except fridge/freezer during the day (8am-5pm). I am using low energy lamps instead of ceiling spots. My Primark oodie will get me through.

I have an airer and one of those hook on the radiator racks ready for when I can't use the outside line. Also, above washing machine, I have a couple of socktopuses (socktopusi?). A lot of washing of the line has had to be slung over the airer overnight - same for socks and small items that hang on the socktopus. Next morning, they're dry enough to iron or put away. I have one high line and one normal - stuff on the high line often dries completely if there's a bit of sun, a breeze and it's out early enough.

My electric usage was fairly low, but really dropped when I stopped using my tumble drier, and again after I replaced my fridge freezer.

Gas, on the other hand, is increasing just because I've got the heating on now.

Washing is completely dry! Obviously I check weather forecast in advance....nothing has had to be dried indoors or tumbledryer used

Mid terraced 3 bed house. Victorian. Rooms ranging from 14-18 degrees now without heating. If you've put your heating on and your on standard rate - how much are you getting for your money. Hoping to last until half term, but much colder than this, and I may well weaken. Last week's gas was about £8.50 without heating.

No real change here but before the price increases we were paying 60 a month for gas and electric combined for a 3 bed semi so suspect we were already towards the lower end of use.

Annual gas usage is down last year from 16000kwh to 12000kwh but before I pay myself on the back, last winter was incredibly mild compared to usual and can't rule out that a good reduction wasn't down to that alone. But we did reduce the flow on the boiler and have been more judicious with the thermostat.

We got solar power and a home battery in May so my electricity consumption is right down - but I suspect that's cheating. Prior to that I tried reducing our consumption but, for us and our home, the high usage is indicative of a lot of convenient appliances keeping the house running and cutting them out was ... unsurprisingly, inconvenient. 😬

We are looking into solar panels. Been quoted 14k for 11 panels and 15kw of battery. Does that sound about right and is it worth it?

That's a lot of battery storage, more than us and I imagine that it doing some heavy lifting with that quote. Honestly, I'm out of my depth advising on a good price. Get a couple of quotes from mcs registered electricians.

I’ve just been more careful about not wasting energy. Switching off lights when I leave a room, turning the Tv off and reading if there’s nothing to watch instead of channel hopping. Switching my laptop off when I’m not using it etc. I have a double oven so only use the small one and also trained my son who lives with me to do the same!

I'm on a fixed rate, which is about the same as the April Price Cap.

I'm using this winter to get prepared for my Fixed Rate ending next year!

At the moment I'm just being mindful. Last year I kept forgetting to turn the oven
or (electric) Hobbs off 🙄 (brain fog) also leaving the back door open (I like it open & a lot of air circulating)but forgetting to turn the (auto) heating off.

so just not doing those stupid things will help!!!

im also being more mindful to use the cold water tap for as much as possible. The hot water in the kitchen is on the right hand side (what's the norm? I'm getting them swapped over when I get the kitchen done) & I'm right handed plus the left hand tap (cold) is 'behind' the tap spout/outlet/whatever you call the bloody thing where the water comes out) and awkward to turn on/off... so the 'default' to rinse things/wash hands/rinse something is the hot tap, which fires up the boiler and takes ages to get hot, by which time you're finished doing whatever you were doing, in cold water NOT dishes obviously, but that takes ages for the water to get hot!

I'm not changing the cycle on my washing machine. I use cotton 40° and never have any issues with the clothes not getting clean. The other cycles don't seem to save any watts anyway.

I don't have a dryer or a dishwasher (though I'm sure they're more efficient than me & my scalding water to wash & rinse) but I don't want one for other reasons.

as I replace lightbulbs, I'll be looking for much better efficiency! The lounge one uses far too much, as do the kitchen ones (they'll be replaced when the kitchen gets done). They're staying off unless actually needed (they used to stay on for convenience/ambiance)

the TV is an old, 2 men to lift Jobbie. Not looking to replace my 'Phil' unless he decides he's 'ad enuf' but I'm not just putting him on for background noise. He's quite a greedy chap.

I should get rid of the old undercounter fridge. He doesn't get used hardly at all now, but we're mates. He saw me through 12 tough years & he was second hand when I got him (with 'Phil') pennies wise the smart meter barely changes, I need to see the watts.

The Heating hasn't been needed yet, but I have a few health issues that are made worse by the actual air being cold. So when they're impacted I'll put it on low.

boiler is being serviced tomorrow (yes stupid I know, I intended to get it done in the summer, but life happened) & I'll ask the bloke to set the flow & temperature to what he thinks best (given my needs).

I need to do a few maintenance jobs to help things a bit.

so hopefully saving some energy & 'doing my bit' 🤞🏼No black outs. I'm very very grateful for my 'fix' and my ability to pay for it (right now, touch wood, anyway) .

We have reduced our gas use by 40%. October/September have been fairly mild months so far and we have only had the heating on for three hours this month (not at all in September). We also had a shower fitted earlier this year so we rarely use the bath now. Electricity has been more difficult. We have only managed to decrease the amount we use by 10%. We have a separate fridge and freezer and they are on all the time, so our use is quite consistent each month. We do not drink a lot of hot drinks so our kettle use has always been low. We have tried to reduce our washing machine use, switch off lights, etc. but it hasn’t made much of a difference.

We haven’t had the heating on yet (and we did this time last year). I’m washing darks on 30c, and trying to stretch out the washes - washing my bedding every 10 days instead of 7 now it’s cooler. I’m not going round picking things from other bedrooms to fill a wash, I’m waiting until people actually put it in the basket (not often with a 13&14yr old!). I’m having less baths - only allowing one a week and showers for the other days - apart one or two days a week when I just have a wash, I wfh and don’t get particularly smelly when it’s cooler. I’ve lectured Dp on his water usage - we have a dishwasher but when he washes up the odd bits and bobs he likes to use scalding water, running high, constantly 🙄

If I compare this year and last year we are using fewer kWh. Unfortunately it’s still costing us more.

I don't have figures but we have definately economized. I cracked last night and put the heating on at 20 for an hour, first time this season (thermostat is set to 16 anyway so it hasn't reached that yet).

We are now all well trained on turning everything off, but now the nights are longer it does feel like we are living in permanent gloom because every light is switched off if no one is in a room - I know this makes basic sense, but I often feel like I'm some Victorian miser moving from room to room with a candle. It does make the house feel less welcoming.

OH commented on this at the weekend. We’ve dropped out electricity and he was confused how lol. No tumble drying. It’s literally that and more conservative cooking. We haven’t used the main oven in ages.