Energy use.....talk to me!

[Decafflatteplease]

Hi all we are a little behind everyone else with the April price hikes as we were on a fixed deal so out price hikes are starting in a couple of weeks. We are going from £125 to £299.

Trying to see where we can cut down energy use especially looking ahead to the winter.

I'm a SAHM so generally it's just me at home In school hours so I've bought a couple of oodie type hoodies so no heating needed in the day for myself. Have also got an electric fan blower thing but worried that will run away with the electricity!

We have the type of hot water system where you need to put it on before you want it. We generally do around 30 mins on the morning for daytime dishes (no dishwasher) and around 2 hours on the eve depending whose having a bath (or a shower) the hot water tank holds enough for one bath so if we need more than one bath ran it stays longer as has to refill then heat up again.

I've bought an airfryer so not putting oven on as much.

Sometimes we have to use the tumble dryer but trying to cut this down but it's hard.

Usual turning lights off etc.

Debating a door curtain for front door but don't know how much it will actually save compared to money and time of getting it up

Am I missing something glaringly obvious?

[MrsPelligrinoPetrichor]

Will that be actual use or just a new direct debit?

[willithappen]

So you need to take a look at your annual usage and calculate that based on your new prices. Please don't take the direct debit amount as it's the actual units you are being charged that need to be looked at. Your standing charge and unit charge. Also considering whether you want to fix again or stay variable.
A lot of people are fixing now as the prices are due to go up around 50% in October apparently. Some are staying variable in the hopes that something is done to stop the ridiculous prices

Turning off all the plugs when not in use massively helps me. As it's summer right now we don't have any lights or heating on. It sounds drastic but I'm taking advantage of hair wash nights at the gym after I have been swimming and can use the shower there to avoid a long shower when washing hair (electric shower).
If me and my partner are watching anything in bed at night we generally watch it on an iPad/laptop so it's just the electric to charge those up being used.

I want our chargers turned off over night but with bed position we have extension cables in behind bed and it's a nightmare as would need to move bed to switch on and off so I think I need to look into other ones.
Also plan to get an air fryer.

[Woollenfox]

We are on an electric key meter thanks to the previous owner and I’m really worried about October. :(

thankfully we’re on a fixed tariff for Gas until 2023.

I think we’ll be getting a door curtain but there’s not much we can do as most of our electricity usage is the standing charge. I’d rather keep my gas usage down to allow for more to be spent on electricity.

our hot water is gas (including showers)…

air fryer has made a huge difference to us!

[starpatch]

Woollenfox if it wasn't you that got into debt and caused the electric key meter, then just ring up your supplier and ask for it to be changed back, you don't even need your landlords permission.

[Woollenfox]

@starpatch thanks! Have cleared the historical debt when we moved in, it took weeks because Scottish Power kept messing it up.

We own the house but are struggling to get Scottish Power to take the prepayment meter out. They have a third party that do it and they’re awful. It’s like talking to a brick.

anyway, stuck on variable tariff for the foreseeable!