Is there any point?

Yes of course it will cost more on standby as the rate goes up!
That’s so obvious it is pointless to even mention it.

My example showed that it costs me 2p a day at my current rate to keep my microwave oven on standby, £7.30 a year.

I hope this information helps kircubbin.

But it will double the cost of the power it does use. I thought that was the subject of the thread

Me too.

Is it worth leaving them on.
And the fact that electricity can be consumed even if they are just plugged in and not left on standby.

Don't think anything will be using power, even if the plug is in the wall, if the switch at the machine and the one at the plug are off, can it,*Callistemon21*? Or am I missing your point (highly likely - brain not in gear today).

We complain about paying a standing charge to energy companies before we even use any power, so why do we hesitate about preventing an appliance from costing us even when it is not being used?

If that £40 a year is correct, that would be £40 less on our total annual bill. If we spent that £40 on remote controls for sockets in inconvenient places ( £31.29 for 5) , it would help us the next year to switch things off with fewer contortions, as well as saving again in the future.

Wheniwasyourage

Don't think anything will be using power, even if the plug is in the wall, if the switch at the machine and the one at the plug are off, can it,*Callistemon21*? Or am I missing your point (highly likely - brain not in gear today).

If the switch on the plug is on then yes, I believe so.

How many of us turn everything off completely at the socket every time we finish using it even if we don't leave it on standby?

I turn off almost everything, but not the microwave as I can't be bothered with the faff of resetting the blinking display just for heating a cup of coffee. I turn off the oven. The washing machine and dishwasher are plugged in behind the appliances but the plugs are wired to another plug above the work surface where it can be accessed. Tumble dryer is in the cellar and is only switched on for occasional use when the washing can't dry either outside in in the conservatory. PC is turned off when not in use.

I think I'll buy some of those remote-control plugs.

Elegran

We complain about paying a standing charge to energy companies before we even use any power, so why do we hesitate about preventing an appliance from costing us even when it is not being used?

If that £40 a year is correct, that would be £40 less on our total annual bill. If we spent that £40 on remote controls for sockets in inconvenient places ( £31.29 for 5) , it would help us the next year to switch things off with fewer contortions, as well as saving again in the future.

I do turn off my PC when not in use and lights when not needed, but not anything else.

Maybe I should get one of those gadgets to test my appliances, but I'm still not convinced it's worth the faff.

My electricity usage bill is currently just over £10 a week (I guess that will almost double in October. That's dwarfed by standing charge, VAT and my winter gas bill. If I could save 50% of my electricity usage bill, I think it would be worth it.

Apparently fridges and freezers use quite a lot of electricity as they are in use all the time.
Washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers are top but cold appliances are a close second. That is an average as some people may not use the wet appliances as often of course.

If we need to change an appliance it's worth buying one with the highest efficiency rating.

energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/home-appliances/#:~:text=Appliances%20are%20tested%20for%20how,%2B%2B%2B%20being%20the%20most%20efficient.

Top energy consuming appliances.

energysavingtrust.org.uk/top-five-energy-consuming-home-appliances/

Hmm ... thanks for that Callistemon. I looked at the companion page energysavingtrust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy/

1 I already turn off my PC and lights. The jury's out on whether turning off standby would save much.
2 All my windows and doors are draught-proofed.
3 I already turn off all lights when not needed (I have a low power, plug-in night light on the landing).
4 I only ever use my washing machine when it's full and use a low temperature setting.
5 I never use the tumble dryer.
6 I only ever spend a few minutes in the shower.
7 I usually have a bath once a week - and if it's only costing me £12 a year, I'll carry on.
8 In summer, I hardly ever cook anything (except eggs) because I eat salads (mainly home grown). In winter, I use the microwave and slow cooker. I can't remember the last time I used the oven. I make coffee in the morning and keep two more cups in a thermos flask and do the same in the afternoon for green tea. If I'm thirsty, I drink water.
9 I wait until my dishwasher is full before turning it on (usually twice a week).
10 I have adequate roof insulation, but I have a strange heating system and have never found a "jacket" to fit my hot water tank. The advantage is that I don't need extra heating upstairs in winter, so the radiators are always switched off - they all have thermostatic valves anyway.

Apart from buying one of Johnson's £20 kettles , I really don't think I can save an additional and significant amount on energy.

Some of the people it will hit hardest are those who have disabilities which mean they cannot not use the washing machine or tumble dryer because of their needs. These people are the kinds of people who will already be most likely to be living in poverty already. People with physical disabilities who find their dishwasher a godsend as it means not having to use up their own energy to wash up. We may as able bodied people be able to make choices for ourselves but lots of other people do not have choice. Even if you use specialist bedding to prtoect having to wash every day you either a) have to pay for disposable mats/products or b) are faced with washing and drying the protection anyway. This is just one example but it is a daily battle for some people to keep on top of washing (I know as, as a carer I have been there) Then add in the fact people who are unwell/disabled generally need to be warm and fed properly too in order to stay well. I was reading an interesting article (though very sad one) which suggests we will see illnesses we haven't seen in a long time because of food and fuel poverty combined. I have googled but can't remember where I read it but lots of articles came up none the less, like this one

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/01/generation-britain-long-term-illness-cold-poor-winter-cost-of-living-crisis

I know where I'd like to shove Johnson's £20 kettle

I don't know the difference between stand by and off.
Also, why pull plugs out? Is it not as effective to switch off at the wall point?

3 I already turn off all lights when not needed (I have a low power, plug-in night light on the landing)

Good idea. We've got one to use if the DGC stay but it's a good idea to use it all the time as I stubbed my toe really badly a while ago going to the loo in the middle of the night.

Caleo

I don't know the difference between stand by and off.
Also, why pull plugs out? Is it not as effective to switch off at the wall point?

Standby is when you have some power going into the appliance - a light to show that the TV is ready to be turned on with the remote, or a clock on the microwave, for example. Off is when the switch on the wall is off, and yes, I can't see the point of unplugging as well (although we do unplug most things except the fridge and freezer if we are on holiday).

I was getting really worked up about the huge rise in bills until I started noting just how much we were using per day. Yesterday we had one bath (shallow), one shower, I cooked one meal and one light snack, had about 8 cups of tea (family visiting), washed all the dishes by hand, ran 4 loads of laundry on cold, cut the front hedge and the back grass. All that cost a total of £1.25 including standing charges. We are on the cap as our deal finished just before the war started.
Our costs will approximately double next month so say £2.50 per day plus heating over winter.
For us that is fortunately affordable and we will be careful about the heating over the winter. Usually all the rooms are heated but we will reduce that and the temperature.
What I want to convey is that it may not be quite as expensive as most people are fearing so try not to worry too much.

shysal

I heard a different figure, it was £16 per year in total for all household equipment on standby.
I unplugged my TV and digital recorder the other night, next day realizing that of course it didn't record the few daytime and late night series that I enjoy. I do turn off the TV at the set when not watching.

This sounds a more accurate figure to me.
to turn certain things off every night is a headache indeed.

Take note:
An experienced electrician has just informed me there is no difference in power consumption between switching off at the wall and unplugging.

I would agree that anything left connected that shows a clock or light of some kind is actually on standby and will be using some power all the time (it has to be).

If the item actually has to be switched on before using then it probably uses little or no power, and is not worth worrying about.

Esspee I don't know what kind of deal you're on, but my total bill over the summer months has been just under £90 a month on average. I really am frugal with power and haven't had the heating on. My electricity is just over £1 a day (same as yours), but my water is heated with gas and I have a gas hob.

I can see from my history on the Ovo dashboard that my usage more or less doubles during the winter months, so that would be a bit less than £180 at today's prices. If the increase is 80%, as predicted, that will be £324 a month.

I really don't think that saving a pound or so on electricity by turning off appliances is going to make much difference. Like most pensioners, I will receive £900 from the government, which will pay for approximately five months of increased bills, but goodness knows what will happen after that. I'm relieved I've reached pension age and will receive an extra £500.

My Direct debit went up to £140. However, latest reading says my actual usage was a third of that hence £100 overpayment since March ?

£100 per month!!

How on earth have you managed usage of £33 Aveline?

My actual usage (before standing charge and VAT) has averaged about £65 a month for gas/electricity over the summer and I'm tearing my hair out thinking how I can save any more, other than give up washing myself, my clothes and dishes. I know my water heating system isn't particularly efficient, but I live in a rented property and can't do anything about it.

Ooops! A third of £140 is £47 not £33.

My guess is that your direct debit has gone up to cover your predicted usage and cost over the next year.