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Housekeeping

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Original poster

So was i being too unrealistic to think I could keep the heating off, and have you caved in?

206 replies

piratecat · 27/10/2008 16:54

It is still off in my home, but gosh it's cold today.

Upstairs is ok (boiler up here) with the hot water pipes giving off a bit of warmth. Yet downstairs is miserable.

It was ok to say, 'ooh i am going to wear fleeces etc...' when it was 12 degress, but 5 is slightly different non?

I CAN@T AFFORD IT and i feel like poo, for not being able to put it on yet.

OP posts:
needmorecoffee · 28/10/2008 09:24

what sort of oil do you put in it Bride?
I don't blame the Guvmint for energy prices going up, I blame greedy companies - did you see BP's monstrous quarterly profits posted today?

Original poster
piratecat · 28/10/2008 09:30

well i have been finding that 3- 5 oclock is the worst, sun goes down, distinct chill.

By about 7 last night it seemed warmer. We are still wearing lots of layers. It is like you want to 'win', to be light about it, but it's also very depressing to think that such a basic is being withheld, thru greed.

OP posts:
jeee · 28/10/2008 09:33

Does tide actually affect temperature, filz? I live by the sea and I've never noticed this... Anyway, still got heating mostly off, but when pouring with rain need it on to bake the wet clothes (don't have new-fangled things like tumble driers)>

expatinscotland · 28/10/2008 09:38

Teeny, yes, we live in the Argyll area.

Brrrrr this morning!

Outdoor thermometer read -3 at 7 this morning.

Sun's out today.

For the next leader or representative to chastises the British people and tells them to wear another jumper or that their days of wearing tshirts and going barefoot in winter are over , I wish you all the worst you've got coming in this life and the next. I really and truly do.

expatinscotland · 28/10/2008 09:39

'I don't blame the Guvmint for energy prices going up'

They had the power to cap how much the energy companies could raise their prices in a given year, as other nations like France have done.

But higher prices mean more revenue for the Government in the form of VAT.

So everyone of them deserves their place in hell and they'll have blood on their hands by winter's end.

needmorecoffee · 28/10/2008 12:37

I worry given how much of our energy is now foreign owned, if the Govt attempts to do anything thy will just take their business elsewhere. Total madness to have private foreign companies in charge of a country's energy system.

Bride1 · 28/10/2008 13:19

I believe we have Butler fuel for the central heating. We pay by direct debit so it's hard to tell exactly what's happening with price at the moment.

Dunno what's in the little electric/oil heater.

bozza · 28/10/2008 13:20

We have been trying to cut down on our heating costs although we are luckier than a lot of you in that we can afford it if we have to. We won't go into debt just have to do without othe things. We currently have ours on 1 hr in the morning and 1.5 in the evening. We are fine in bed and OK in the morning. It is just the evening that is cold.

shinyshoes · 28/10/2008 13:23

I've had it on all day I'm bloody freezing, I was only hoping to have it on in the evenings, but needs must

nickytwooootimes · 28/10/2008 13:25

Mine goes on in the evening at 17.
Not on during the day and I am bloody cold today.

sorkycake · 28/10/2008 13:26

We have noticed a difference with the cavity walls filled. I had the heating to take the chill off the house for one hour on Monday.
I've switched off all the radiators upstairs, so there's only really the living room one on full. Thermostat was at 20c.
Then I used the hot water to wash the floors and have a bath with the kids all at once.
We don't have our hot water on anymore, only for one hour before we have a bath and everyone uses the same bath.

I'm really hoping to get through to December before using the heating. Everyone is dressed in enough clothes as well.

It galls me that the pilot light cost £6 per month to have before the price rises, god knows what it costs now!.

Have cooked pizza for lunch and left the oven door open

sorkycake · 28/10/2008 13:29

Once the kids have had their tea we wrap them in fleecey blankets and read their stories, we have no heating on of a night. Me n Dh snuggle under a throw on the sofa with cups of tea and biscuits.

We can afford to have the heating on luckily, but I just resent the amount we have to pay to not notice too much difference iyswim.

I agree that sun down is the coldest time, I'm obsessed with shutting all the blinds and curtains once 4pm comes atm.

whatironing · 28/10/2008 13:47

Tried to turn my heating on - but its broken! fleeces and hot drinks all round still

AmIWhatAndWhy · 28/10/2008 13:49

We've got a prepay meter and last night running the heating quite low for four hours (brand new boiler), two baths and a shower cost us £5.60 in gas. I need to go jumper shopping!

AmIWhatAndWhy · 28/10/2008 13:52

We've turned off the radiators in the hall and don't have one in the kitchen so it's only four radiators too, in a fairly small split level two bed flat, shocking.

expatinscotland · 28/10/2008 14:09

did anyone catch that horrible report on Watchdog yesterday about energy companies who fail to update the meters in pre-paid homes (their responsibility) and then backbill the customers hundreds and sometimes even over a thousand pounds?

AmIWhatAndWhy · 28/10/2008 14:15

They have done that to us. Though they are usually quite quick to update the meter for a price hike, they take forever when prices go down though.

There is a campaign at the moment to force companies to give prepay customers the same tariff as billed ones. We are crossing our cold fingers.

expatinscotland · 28/10/2008 14:21

'There is a campaign at the moment to force companies to give prepay customers the same tariff as billed ones. We are crossing our cold fingers.'

It should be illegal to charge people more money for not using direct debit and do billing based on estimates rather than actual usage.

But again, those two things are the tip of the iceberg with how these companies have been allowed to raise prices.

expatinscotland · 28/10/2008 14:21

'There is a campaign at the moment to force companies to give prepay customers the same tariff as billed ones. We are crossing our cold fingers.'

It should be illegal to charge people more money for not using direct debit and do billing based on estimates rather than actual usage.

But again, those two things are the tip of the iceberg with how these companies have been allowed to raise prices.

bobsyouruncle · 28/10/2008 14:28

We've got our heating on for a short time in the morning in the living room only. Then off all day until 4ish, then it's on (low) all evening in the living room and bathroom (for dc's bathtime). I've given in now the clocks have changed, I was holding out until then, but like to think I haven't given in completely until it's on in every room all day Can't see that ever happening tbh!

purpleduck · 28/10/2008 14:42

it was bloody cold last night
shivered under the duvet for ages!!

needmorecoffee · 28/10/2008 16:47

does anyone (except my wealthy in-laws) heat bedrooms at night?

sorkycake · 28/10/2008 16:56

good god no what a waste!
That's what quilts are for and besides it's not healthy to sleep in a heated room surely.
I closed all the blinds and curtains at 4pm. Apart from MN and one energy saving lightbulb everything is off.
Must go wake the baby...

WhereWolfTheWildThingsWere · 28/10/2008 16:59

OMG it is cold today. I have relented and put it on for an hour this aftenoon, but it has gone off now.

Have to put it on for an hour or so every morning, we are up at 5.30, 6ish with dd, it is freezing and she is only tiny.

needmorecoffee · 28/10/2008 17:00

just lit a fire. am cold

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