Ways to save money on electric

[RedRobyn2021]

Any suggestions?

Have just had our bill doubled for January and feeing really upset 😭

I know they said electric prices were going to go up but they had already put our bill up to £110 and now it's doubled this month after we sent a meter reading. We live in a two bedroom terrace and have one baby

We change the beds once a fortnight, and towels every week. I have leaving the house clothes and old clothes I pull on went I get in. The old clothes get worn for a good few days before they are washed. Natural fibres can be worn for much longer than synthetics which seem to need washing far more often.

I’ve never used the eco wash on my machine but having looked it up, will start to do that

Soontobe69,my kettle has a glass window. Disagree about 'eco", programs on dishwashers or washing machines,they only use less water much more time,this electricity. Both quick, daily on dishwasher 40 minutes

Sorry 60, arthritis hands!

@flapjackfairy

I do an extra spin on fastest spin if I am tumble drying. It cuts down on the drying time saving money.

Yes, I do a Synthetics wash because mine are all mixed loads – but once I've extracted the more delicate stuff, I give the hardwearing stuff an extra spin on fastest.

It's all more domestic labour. As someone pointed out a while back on MN, many green adaptations and ecological practices actually consist of more labour for (primarily) women.

Nonetheless, for some people it's a useful option.

I know this thread is about electricity, but I believe the biggest price rises were due to gas prices increasing, although I appreciate every little saving helps. I don’t think electricity prices have increased hugely.

I've been drying the washing outside. The wind has been brill for this. Then literally 5.min in the tumble. Compared to an hour for things like towels

If you are on an Economy 7 (cheap overnight) tariff.....consider changing to a standard tariff.

People forget that an Economy 7 tariff, is NOT A FREE LUNCH.

The downside is that 1) you pay a HIGHER DAILY STANDING CHARGE . 2) pay a HIGHER UNIT RATE outside the Economy 7 hours (12.30 - 7.30am), than someone not on an Economy 7 tariff,

The rule of thumb is if you are using more than half your electricity between 7.30am -12.30am, it is cheaper to be on a standard tariff.

Some people on economy 7 or similar are fitting a battery bank so they can store electricity overnight and use it during the day.

This video is quite interesting and you don’t need solar panels or anything

Wash clothes less often. Don’t just take them off and straight into the wash. Look to see if they are dirty/smelly first. Hang washing on the line to dry - check the weather forecast when deciding when to wash.

Turn things off at the wall eg microwave,oven. If it has a built in clock then it plus costing you money.

Turn the thermostat on your heater down one degree. Wait a week then turn down another degree. And so on until it is at 16. Wear more clothes inside.

Try and cook things in your stove top that cook quickly. Eg stir fries.
When you use your oven fill it. Cook the next nights meal too.
Defrost meat in your fridge overnight. It cools the fridge down so it doesn’t have to work as hard.
Close curtains before it gets dark to keep the heat in.

Have a couple of early nights a week where you hop into bed and read.

Shorter showers.

Use fraught stoppers. Wrap your hot water cylinder up in newspaper or similar to help it retain the heat.

i was also asked to increase my payment, i set my own preferred level which is more than i paid before but not as much as they asked for

What I find particularly distatesful is that the biggest % change in April will not be the cost for usage, it'll be the daily standing charge.

The average cap per kwh used goes from 21p to 28p (33% uplift). BUT the daily standing charge goes from 25p per day to 45p per day!!! (80% uplift) .

There is something up with the standing charge almost doubling. Not least because it is not something the end consumar can alter or control in any way.

Heated airers can work out more expensive than tumble drying for an hour if you leave them on for 24 hours.
My small dryer costs about £1 for 75 mins, anything not fully dry gets put over 3 spring fit poles I’ve put in the airing cupboard behind the door.
DD has a heated airer, 6p an hour sounds like a bargain but she leaves it on practically 24/7 so it’s £1.44 per 24 hours. She also over fills it whereas when I’m there 3x a week with DGS, I put tops on hangers and hang them in her upstairs doorways and put jeans on her big towel rails and they’re dry when she gets home.

@Riverlee

I know this thread is about electricity, but I believe the biggest price rises were due to gas prices increasing, although I appreciate every little saving helps. I don’t think electricity prices have increased hugely.

Wrong! Electric prices have increased by huge amounts, a year ago I was paying 13p per KW now I'm looking at 28p. Wholesale gas prices have in turn driven up the cost of electricity due to burning gas to generate electricity.

Trytowin20. Which would you recommend? I’ve been looking into getting one rather than putting the oven on for chicken nuggets etc thanks

It’s all very well having an air fryer but you can’t cook a whole meal in one - you still need either the oven or hob on.

There is something called a ‘haybox’ method of cooking that uses beanbag beans of all things, basically a form of slow cooker that uses no power other than initially bringing things up to temp.
Beloved of off gridders and survivalists, it’s quite fascinating.