Cutting down energy use- what is happening around you?

I use an electric throw blanket when on the sofa which is cheap to run and keeps me warm. Thermals on every day plus thick duvets and bedspreads. Seems to be working.

I have noticed that shops seem to have turned their heating down a bit this year.
Most of them used to be far too hot in the winter for customers coming in wrapped up in winter coats, scarves and gloves.

I’m a bit puzzled about how some folk on here say they are economising by only putting their washing machine on fortnightly.
How does that work then? The washing will still build up.
If I only used my machine fortnightly I would eventually have about six or eight loads which would then all have to be dried.
Unless I am missing something, as far as I can see, the only way to ‘economise’ would be to keep cramming more and more into the machine, which of course means nothing would wash properly.

(I'm in Belgium) My local councel switched to led streetlights ánd led holidaylighting. Depending on how busy the street/road some lights are dimmed or even shut down between certain hours at night. Myself : I have cheaper electricity at night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.), so a casserole that needs to be in the oven for a long(ish) time I pop in at 9 p.m. and switch the oven of when I go to bed. I hang laundry (instead of tumbledrier). Instead of always hoovering I use a sweeping brush in between. I installed draftstrips where necessary and a cover over the mailbox on the inside of the frontdoor.

I'm generating energy by (secretly) fuming at the neighbours.

The house opposite me is competing with the whole of Blackpool illuminations. ( I live in the South east). Strings of lights from roof to ground, Lifesize Father Christmas on sleigh with presents parked on porch roof, reindeer in front garden, more lights in porch and round door, two 8 foot arches in drive, with more illuminations - amd I predict more to come. He has a habit of adding more on as the time passes; large boxes arrive and morelighted scenes go up.

The man of the house absolutely loves putting up lights at any excuse - we had a full on display for Halloween, with witches, skeletons, and giant spiders' web covering the whole of the front of the house.

Christmas display went up on December 1st, comes on at about 4pm and is still on when I retire to bed at 10.30pm. I suppose you could say he's saving a bit of my energy as my bedroom is lit up by his display!

The house next door to him, who never normally puts up lights, has for the first time filled their front garden with illuminations too.

Do they not know about potential energy crises? Surely they read the odd newspaper or catch the news from time to time? Blackpool illuminations man has 2 children and I completely understand that he gets pleasure from anticipating Christmas by lighting up, but surely he could restrain himself this year?
it's almost as though he's saying
Look at me! can afford the cost and I don't care about anybody else!!

We have been making sure nothing is left on standby for some time, turning off lights in unused rooms, turning off heating if going out. I do have the heating on all day from 07.30 to 21.30 if we are in if I don't I cant move at all. I'm sitting here now fully dressed the heating is on and my hands and feet are ice. It's a new build house with lots of insulation but I am a cold, arthritic soul. We recently participated in 3 energy saving hours run by Octopus our energy company- heating on but only one lamp, no TV or oven on. I shall be putting a pot roast on in a minute which will serve two days meals. We don't have games consoles, heat lamps, electric blankets or a sauna, hot tub, or swimming pool. I suppose my big sin is using the tumble dryer for towels and jeans and heavy items. Our bill is £177 per month before the government discount, this will go up after Xmas and its within our budget.

I'm in full thermals with walking socks inside my slippers. I'm switching off lights, especially outside ones. In previous years, I admit, my house has been like Blackpool illuminations! (That word looks weird!) I'm also using much less hot water. My dishwasher is always run at full to bursting. (The Which report says dishwashers are way more economical than washing by hand, by the way.)

My bah humbug moment (also on another thread) was driving through my local town (Morpeth, Northumberland) on the evening of 18th November and seeing the full works Christmas lights blazing. That's two weeks too early for me. The cost will be reflected in the coming year's council tax, no doubt. Apparently, it was the same switch on day in Alnwick and probably all the other towns in Northumberland. December is surely soon enough! What price energy crisis, cost of living crisis etc?

I already economise on energy use so although I take part in Octopus’ energy saving sessions where I turn off everything except fridge freezer and sit with a battery lamp for an hour I only manage to save about 50p.
I have a smart meter which I use to monitor things but was dismayed to find a couple of days ago after I’d been out for five hours, so everything turned off except fridge that after coming home and turning on heating, tv, lights etc and checking the day’s usage the next day it was as high as a normal day when I’m home all day. How can that be?

I would worry about condensation from drying clothes indoors. Black mould is nasty and difficult to totally eradicate and very bad for health.

I've stopped using the tumble drier which I only normally use in Winter anyway, Washing is now dried on an airer in the spare bedroom, of course that does mean that the radiator has to be on in there to do it.
I did ask myself the question which is cheapest though, radiator on in an unused room or the tuble drier?

Just had my monthly bill for November

£211 for both fuels. Gas slightly more than electric.

December will be more if this weather keeps up for sure.

I would just like, for once, not to feel cold all the time. I'm not sure what else we could possibly pare back.

My gas and electricity consumption is down quite a but but the cost has rocketed. Central heating on for 4 hours in tge evening when I am more inclined to be sitting, can't remember last time I used the oven, microwave for most cooking with tge induction hob now and then. Washing once a week, and no tumble dryer. All the pipes for heating and water run inder tge main bathroom floor so washing is dried on airers over the bath. Four layers on top, and thermal leggings under whatever I have on the legs. What a way to live!

We also collect the water that has to be run from the hot tap before it heats up. We use it to fill the kettle for cuppas or for cooking. It's 2+litres plus each time. We also collect the water we have to run off before the shower gets hot. That gets used to rinse out the bath.

In summer this saved water can be used to water plants.

Just a small contribution, but I've cut down on washloads by switching out of my usual black trousers and sweatshirts, which were always in the wash, to a couple of those lovely loose stretchy dresses, worn with black tights and a close fitting Rohan walking jacket (smarter than a cardigan). Dresses can be worn many times between washes. By sticking to darker colours, everything can now be washed with DH's things, thus avoiding a separate light-coloured wash (except for sheets).

We managed not to use the central heating until this cold spell. We put it on for half an hour once or twice a day if necessary although we try not to. However, to avoid cold damp forming we make sure to switch it on for half an hour every three days. I've bought a single induction hob and use that rather than the gas hob. We already had a microwave combi oven so never use the gas oven. I've always batch cooked. The washing machine is used on 20 degree setting. We don't have a tumble dryer. We close the curtains just before we lose the sun as the temperature drops rapidly when it's gone. We use rechargeable lights and candles. The lights are charged through our camping power station that we charge when we're driving. Other than that it's lots of clothes and blankets.

We're keeping one room warm with the gas fire. Up to last night, we've just been putting the heating on for about an hour to warm up the bedroom, but last night was so cold that we ran it longer on a lower temperature. We've both got health conditions - mine is my heart and his is severe asthma - and it's recommended that people with these sorts of condition keep their houses heated to at least 18 degrees and preferably 21 degrees. My osteoarthritis is also worse in the cold. However, we can't afford to run the heating to keep our house constantly at that temperature.

We keep warm(ish) during the day with extra clothing - I have a big shawl and fingerless gloves, he has a thick fleece jacket that his late father owned but never wore. We look like we're waiting to go to the workhouse.

In the evening, we have electric throws to huddle under and we've just bought a super king size 15tog duvet. However, I worry about the possibility of my husband's asthma getting worse due to breathing in cold air. We'll have to use the heating more as it gets colder, even though we can't really afford to.

I don't know what the council here is doing but we had a very rare trip to the cinema to take the grandkids to see "Matilda" and it was absolutely freezing.

I'm careful using the oven, always make sure at least 2 items are being cooked. Use microwave whenever possible. We now turn off lights when a room not in use (DH has finally got the message). Afraid the oil CH is going to be on all day today, except when we go out for a freezing walk, at least the price of oil seems to be dropping. Wish our neighbours over the road would turn off their all day flashing Christmas tree.

Only having heating on for an hour and a half in the evening. We went without for 3 nights recently, so we could put it on for longer the 4th evening.

It doesn't bother me too much, because I wear so many layers I can stay warm, but I do worry about my grandson. Sometimes he denies he's cold to avoid putting on more layers and his little hands and feet are freezing.

Also using the oven a lot less and fill it when it is on. Lights off. Things unplugged. My utility bills are about the same as last year, but only because we're massively economising.

Hetty58

I read about European governments (ours wasn't mentioned, of course) putting strict limits on the lighting and temperatures of public buildings, swimming pools etc. I, too, would like to know what the UK is doing.

I don't think I can cut down on my usual, frugal habits really, although I'm pretty sure I should use the microwave to boil water for tea and coffee. I've retrieved last year's polystyrene (packaging) panels, from the shed,for the two bathrooms and downstairs loo windows - as they let in enough light and block the cold effectively. The living room door curtain makes a real difference too.

I’m pretty sure I’ve read reports that it is more expensive to use the microwave for boiling water than the kettle. Just make sure you only boil what you are going to use

Norah, my friend uses the large-size bubble wrap on her (single glazed windows. She just sprays the glass with a little water and it stays stuck on!

I'm washing my hair less often now - as I'm always wearing a knitted hat anyway.

Log burner heats our living room, so it at least is cosy. We don't light it until late afternoon though, so if I'm in for the rest of the day, if I'm sitting, I just wrap a fleecy throw round me. Checked the temperature in the rest of the house today and it's around 13C! It's been really cold here (Scotland) all week - we had some snow today.

Heating on first thing in the morning mostly for hot water for showers. Mid afternoon when we have done most jobs we light the wood burner. We leave the living room door open a little so warm air can circulate.Kitchen is freezing though so just use it to cook and prep stuff
Hot water bottle in bed an hour before we go. Wood burner filled and doors open so all house warms a little overnight.

Apparently, next week, thick clear plastic is being applied inside all the windows in my husband's business buildings - to cut drafts and "insulate" the windows. Doesn't sound attractive to me, but I don't have to be outside in those old buildings, I quite hope it proves economical.

GrannyGravy13

London Christmas lights are on from 3pm until 11pm this year as opposed to 24/7 in previous years according to Google.

Excellent news- makes total sense. Not spoil it for people, but switch off later!

Washing machine fortnightly rather than weekly. Thermostat never higher than 18. More delicious sandwiches and less oven. Can't think of anything else as I've always been 'switch off' aware.