Is there any point?

Goodness! Have we really got to the stage where we're afraid to turn things off for fear of breaking a limb!!!

JaneJudge

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

Yes, that'll be me then! I have a colostomy, so you can imagine what that might mean? being disabled on very low income you would think that I would get some help, but no - because I "did the right thing and worked" before I fell ill, it means I do not get any cost of living payments, other than my £150 disability one!!

Moved here in January and STILL do not have a proper bill from British Gas, so I have no idea what things are costing me! I now have 12 paper bills, none of which are even remotely correct! 2 weeks ago they sent me a cheque or £68 + no idea why? Said 'here is the money we promised'! Another bill from 2 months before I moved in said I was over £1k in credit! Had smart meter man out twice, said it was working, twice, and still no readings are going through, although they did 'zero' the gas meter and seem to be charging from then .... good! But not used hardly any gas since I moved other that to heat water and hob on occasion. Electricity though is a different matter - there are currently 6 of us living here including 2 small kids, washing once or twice a day, drier on so she can keep up with it all. Terrified as to what it might be, but apparently they cannot back date it beyond a year so am holding out until January, as done everything I can do to get it sorted!

Once the family have gone it will be much cheaper anyway. I don't eat well as can't stand to cook, and if I do I feel so sick I can't eat it anyway, so live on TUC Crackers and cheese generally - am not well, and am getting so I can't even be bothered to think about being well anymore, am done really now, so maybe won't make the winter anyway, but don't want to go before my Mum who is 86 and fitter than me ....

I have remote control switches in my sockets that I can't get at, like my TV, etc. I've a set that I use for my TV in the living room and kitchen and another for my TV & lamp in my bedroom, saves me getting back out of bed too when it's cold. All my TVs would stay on standby as they have no buttons on the sets themselves to turn them off.

The so-called experts never seem to agree on what it costs to leave thing plugged in. One said leaving the phone charger plugged in with no phone attached cost nothing another "expert" said it does cost money. I unplugg stuff I can and switch off at the appliance ie TV. I leave my BT hub on and my Sky Box on standby and my two Frudge freezers on. I'm thinking of not using my shed freezer anymore at all as now its only me it's not really needed.

I don’t have a tv, I use my iPad as my tv. I have turned down the central temperature on my boiler to 45°, turned off unnecessary radiators, leave nothing on standby.

Every time we go out or close up for the night HB turns off switches in the kitchen and the Tivo box. Why? Because when his niece returned to her home she was met by firemen putting out her house fire, caused by a washing machine that is was not in use.

Surely we could be given some very approximate guidance from our energy providers?
Just a bullet point list.
Kettle.
Tumble dryer.
Light bulb for one hour.
It's ridiculous just dropping it all on us, without even allowing us to make informed choices about what is important to us.
For some people it could mean sitting in a cold room, sleeping in a cold bedroom, and thinking they dare not have a hot drink.

I was just thinking.
Just a colour code next to each thing, so that people could know what are high level , medium, and so on.
It's not just the cold, but the dampness, too, if things arent warmed through a little.

MadeInYorkshire

Once the family have gone it will be much cheaper anyway. I don't eat well as can't stand to cook, and if I do I feel so sick I can't eat it anyway, so live on TUC Crackers and cheese generally - am not well, and am getting so I can't even be bothered to think about being well anymore, am done really now, so maybe won't make the winter anyway, but don't want to go before my Mum who is 86 and fitter than me ....

It might be worth contacting your doctor. I have an ileostomy (further up the bowel than a colostomy) and like you am very limited in what I can eat.

If your doctor can arrange an appointment with a dietician, they may well be willing to prescribe protein drinks. Forgetting the taste of them - they have been a life-saver for me. Some days when, like you, I feel sick, I just drink those and don't eat at all. They are packed with all the essential nutrients and make all the difference to your energy levels.

And living on crackers and cheese (though I understand why you do) will cause all sorts of problems. Also, try soup (or maybe you have?) - and those tins of spaghetti hoops mixed with Italian herbs and grated cheese should sit comfortably with you - they even form part of your 'five-a-day'.

I sympathise. It's no fun having a digestive problem... to put it mildly. And I understand that feeling of not even expecting to be well anymore - it all seems like too much effort and you're tempted to give in and just accept it. But, please don't... you need some help. Don't give up!

Electricity though is a different matter - there are currently 6 of us living here including 2 small kids, washing once or twice a day, drier on so she can keep up with it all. Terrified as to what it might be, but apparently they cannot back date it beyond a year so am holding out until January, as done everything I can do to get it sorted!

I do hope you won't be expected to pay the bill for all that electricity, MadeinYorkshire.
The weather has been wonderful so, really, there was no excuse for using the tumble dryer even with washing for small children.

As Dickens says, please try to eat something other than cheese and biscuits. Protein drinks can be obtained on prescription, too.

SparklyGrandma

I don’t have a tv, I use my iPad as my tv. I have turned down the central temperature on my boiler to 45°, turned off unnecessary radiators, leave nothing on standby.

You’re risking Legionnaires Disease by having the boiler temperature so low. According to the HSE the minimum temperature should be 60deg. Anything less could allow Legionella to flourish.

Router not Tivo

I came across this table. For the sake of a few quid I'm not going to risk putting my back out to get to the plugs behind the tv/bedside drawers etc.
MoneySuperMarket looked at the annual cost of running over 130 household items. It found the most expensive household items to leave on standby over one year are as follows:

Digital TV box (left on) - £36.91
Multi-room speakers (in idle mode) - £27.52
Router (left on) - £7.51
Microwave (left on) - £4.53
Digital clock (left on) - £2.56
TV (on standby) - £1.72
Coffee maker (left on) - £1.68
Phone charger (plugged in, not charging) - £0.37

That's useful, thanks. Really useful.

MadeinYorkshire
My gp surgery, now has a care coordinator service. (Not much good at mine, but that's by the by)

The idea is to stop people with multiple issues and problems to end up with lots of emergency admissions to hospital, by helping sort things out before they develop further. Please phone your gp and ask if they have this service.
Please.

They come out to you, too, by the way.
I know how it feels to be that poorly that it's an effort just to "be".

You only have to worry about legionnaires if you have a tank of water standing. New combi boilers don’t, so not a problem.

Hi Ladies ....

Dickens I laughed out loud actually about the soup! I had a period of 6 months where I couldn't eat anything but blended soup and yoghurt, lost 4 stone and felt horrific, can't even look at a tin of Heinz anymore! As for the Fresubins and Ensure protein drinks, I spent many an hour trying to coerce poor elderly patients into drinking them, and now know why they didn't, lol .... vile! I do like the clear fruity ones, BUT they are all full of sugar and I am diabetic, lol. I am on the dieticians books, I know what I should be eating, it's the apathy that's the issue really, coupled with the nausea due to the massive abdominal hernias I have, I will try not to give up yet .... depends on what British Gas send in the post next!

Callistemon you are absolutely correct about the tumble drier, but sometimes it's best to pick your battles!

MissAdventure yes, actually, before Covid hit I was seeing ours, forgotten about that, looks like she's dropped me, too much hassle! Lol xx

Oh, that is good to know.
Well, not that she has dropped you, but that you could pop up again.

I'm sure that would make her day.
I imagine their workload must have increased over lockdown, by a massive amount.

Might be worth asking if you can see her, then you might get an appointment before the real winter problems put more work into them.

Happysexagenarian

Our house looks like fairyland at night with standby lights of all colours glowing in each room. I really couldn't be bothered turning off every appliance and charger at night and have to reset them again each morning, it would take us all morning to do it! And what about mains wired smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, surely they should be left on.

We still shower and use the dishwasher and a full size oven each day, the washing machine and tumble dryer at least twice a week. I have just bought an air fryer out of sheer curiosity as everyone is raving about them but chances are DH will continue to use our big ovens. We'll get by somehow - I hope!

You will get by Happysexagenarian, but won't you be prepared to reassess if it looks as if we are heading for rationing? It's not just about the money but the likely shortage of fuel too.

JaneJudge

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

Get in line!

I have to strike a balance. Try and keep electric use as low as possible. So for example still put washing out on the line - result sweet smelling free dried clothes but the effort of carrying it in and out and putting on the line etc. However with a bad back and other problems , trying to put everything off rather than leaving some things on standby has to be balanced by the effort and pain of reaching plugs etc.. As others have said the problem is also that if you have always tried to be economical, it is hard to see where else you might cut costs.

kevincharley

JaneJudge

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

Get in line!

Not boasting or anything but we bought a new kettle before Johnson advised us to ? Are we the first?

It is speedy

(The other one had karked it anyway)

LIke Growstuff our electricity bills are pretty consistent day and night, month by month.
I know that it's likely to be because of the very old Iced Diamond fridge freezer. Use about 10p and hour day and night soon to be 40p. But new fridge freezers are very deep and just would not fit into that space and leave the area usable.
A conondrum.
Keep looking at catalogues but can't make up my mind to get a new one.

Has anyone information on how much wear and tear is caused on electric sockets by removing/inserting plugs everyday. I know quite a number of years ago an electrician told me the action causes a lot of wear.