My electricity bill has just tripled: how about yours? Alternative suppliers?

[Pickman's model]

Not sure i could wash my bedding less often

last night i returned home to find a fucking manky mattress had been propped against the garden wall. on the street side. then this morning the fucking thing was gone but when i came home tonight the damn thing was back.

 

[UrbaneFox]

It's that time of the year:

Abandoned Mattress Calendars

Walthamstow (unofficial) Tourist Board

walthamstowtourism.wordpress.com

 

[Pickman's model]

It's that time of the year:

Abandoned Mattress Calendars

Walthamstow (unofficial) Tourist Board

walthamstowtourism.wordpress.com

If I lived in walthamstow I'd expect this sort of shit

 

[WouldBe]

It's that time of the year:

Abandoned Mattress Calendars

Walthamstow (unofficial) Tourist Board

walthamstowtourism.wordpress.com

A4 posh paper, guaranteed soiled.

 

[Elpenor]

not changing the bed as often?

One thing I started doing during the pandemic when I was unemployed and depressed was changing my sheets every week. A really cheap way to feel good about yourself is fresh bed linen. It’s the one good habit I’ve formed from covid and I don’t want to lose it!

 

[weltweit]

One thing I started doing during the pandemic when I was unemployed and depressed was changing my sheets every week. A really cheap way to feel good about yourself is fresh bed linen. It’s the one good habit I’ve formed from covid and I don’t want to lose it!

Filled momentarily with that resolve I bought duvet covers and sheets and returned home full of determination. However sloth got the better of me and the new bedclothes still languish in their wrappers :/

However, I know that you are right!

 

[gentlegreen]

The one thing I did do this year was improve my 50-odd year old mattress.
My neighbour's yoga mat wasn't quite enough, but putting that on top of a £12.99 modular floor mat made all the difference.
It would now not be entirely crazy to invest in a cheap single electric blanket should one come along - though in the first instance I may yet try using an old blanket with my dimmer in place of the controllers that never lasted more than a season...

 

[two sheds]

I did see something from Which suggesting that people don't buy cheap electric blankets for reasons of personal safety


just sayin

 

[weltweit]

electric blaanket hmmm .. mine was a gift a few Christmases ago, and much appreciated every winter since.

 

[gentlegreen]

I kill mine very quickly.
With the first two it was the under-engineered controllers - the more recent one had a minimalist controller - just a switch and diodes - though its lack of a timer was annoying - but I damaged the sense wire on my wonky mattress ...

The greenhouse tube heater works reasonably well but it tends to disappear down the side of the bed.

 

[weltweit]

I broke my hot water bottle, my electric blanket has lasted way longer than my hot water bottle. The surround to the threaded plug started to go around with the plug and worried that it might leak boiling water on my precious skin I retired it.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

I have an electric pad which I start off at torso height while I brush my teeth then move down to roast my toes. Three temperature settings, automatic switch off if you fall asleep, no risk of scalding and it's at least ten or twelve years old. Just saying...

 

[gentlegreen]

I have an electric pad which I start off at torso height while I brush my teeth then move down to roast my toes. Three temperature settings, automatic switch off if you fall asleep, no risk of scalding and it's at least ten or twelve years old. Just saying...

Do you have a link ?

 

[gentlegreen]

Bulb have allowed me to go down to £33 a month, so once the £66 a month discounts end I will be up to over £400 or a little over 4 months' usage at the new, higher tariffs.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

Do you have a link ?

This is the more modern version Dreamland Revive me Heatpad Standard Size

Mine is smaller than that and the cover is plastic so I have to wear socks but on the plus side, I don't have to wash it.

 

[sojourner]

sojourner, I got my boiler flow temp down from 70º to just 55º, and that works fine with 6 radiators, although I may need to increase it as the proper winter weather hits us, so it could be worth lowering it a bit more.

I checked and I HAD done it successfully, so I brought it down again to 65º this morning

 

[MickiQ]

British Gas have given me my second bribe of Sunak Money. Since they have moved my account to a new system and changed my account number, they have sent me a final statement for the old account number.
It has a big blue banner on the front page that says "Good News You Don't Have to Pay Anything!"
Lying cunts, why are you taking £200 out of my bank account every month then?

 

[Ranbay]

Important debate here

https://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/drugs-and-alcohol-to-keep-warm.380134/

 

[Leafster]

I've just had an email from Bulb saying that, based on my recent usage, they are lowering my monthly payment.

I just hope my resolve holds out and I don't end up 'just turning the heating up for a little while'

 

[MickiQ]

I've just had an email from Bulb saying that, based on my recent usage, they are lowering my monthly payment.

I just hope my resolve holds out and I don't end up 'just turning the heating up for a little while'

Be strong bruv be strong

 

[gentlegreen]

I've just had an email from Bulb saying that, based on my recent usage, they are lowering my monthly payment.

I just hope my resolve holds out and I don't end up 'just turning the heating up for a little while'

I'm feeling pretty confident in my energy usage - so far no more than 1kwh a day - just heating my bed and my feet when out of it is working fine most of the time.
And a quick blast of a fan heater goes a long way and I could have an hour a day for 1kwh / 32p but don't need it.
When I move I am definitely going to come up with a super-insulated room for winter - even if I'm way from other houses and had access to cheap firewood, I would want to minimise my burning of it...

 

[MickiQ]

According to my smart meter my gas consumption was ticking along steadily at 39p per hour but shot up to 51p when I ran a bowl of hot water to wash up, I have the flow temp set to 55C a bit below default.
It will be interesting to see how much a shower costs, Mrs Q is not a reliable lab partner but when 'The Girl Who Does Not Fully Grasp The Concept of The Off Switch' comes home from Uni I will take some measurements.
Probably get me a funny look from her Mum though.

 

[gentlegreen]

I was going to have a bath, but the moment has passed now ...
In the end I boiled a kettle to wash my smalls ...
Maybe if the weather warms up again...
It would be precipitated if I had an appointment somewhere ...

 

[cupid_stunt]

According to my smart meter my gas consumption was ticking along steadily at 39p per hour but shot up to 51p when I ran a bowl of hot water to wash up, I have the flow temp set to 55C a bit below default.
It will be interesting to see how much a shower costs, Mrs Q is not a reliable lab partner but when 'The Girl Who Does Not Fully Grasp The Concept of The Off Switch' comes home from Uni I will take some measurements.
Probably get me a funny look from her Mum though.

My boiler flow temp is also set to 55c for the CH, but the hot water is set lower at 50c, IIRC a shower costs me about 12p, and 10p for running a bowl of hot water to wash up, but if I do both at the same time, i.e. leave washing-up to soak whilst I take a quick shower and get back to it, together they cost just just 16p.

 

[MickiQ]

My boiler flow temp is also set to 55c for the CH, but the hot water is set lower at 50c, IIRC a shower costs me about 12p, and 10p for running a bowl of hot water to wash up, but if I do both at the same time, i.e. leave washing-up to soak whilst I take a quick shower and get back to it, together they cost just just 16p.

Never thought about lowering the hot water temp so just checked and it was at 57, I have lowered it to 55C, normally use the shower on 40C(ish) so it depends on whether the taps will be hot enough I will try them over a couple of days and see if I notice a difference (eg Mrs Q complaining the water is cold) if no I will turn it a bit lower. I am following the trail you have blazed.

 

[Storm Fox]

My boiler flow temp is also set to 55c for the CH, but the hot water is set lower at 50c, IIRC a shower costs me about 12p, and 10p for running a bowl of hot water to wash up, but if I do both at the same time, i.e. leave washing-up to soak whilst I take a quick shower and get back to it, together they cost just just 16p.

With the hot water under 60C be careful of legionella especially if the hot water isn't used that often.

How Does Temperature Affect The Growth of Legionella?

The impact of temperature on Legionella growth | Up to 85% of warmer water systems may contain Legionella | Learn how to manage water temperatures to minimise the risk of Legionella | Legionella Testing| Find out today

blog.hydrosense-legionella.com

 

[cupid_stunt]

With the hot water under 60C be careful of legionella especially is the hot water isn't used that often.

How Does Temperature Affect The Growth of Legionella?

The impact of temperature on Legionella growth | Up to 85% of warmer water systems may contain Legionella | Learn how to manage water temperatures to minimise the risk of Legionella | Legionella Testing| Find out today

blog.hydrosense-legionella.com

View attachment 353639

50c is safe enough, which is why despite the fact that seems too hot, I've not lowered it further.

IIRC a higher temp is needed if you have a hot water tank, i.e. a 'hot water system', rather than a combi boiler supplying hot water directly to taps/showers.

 

[Chz]

Was going to say that. It doesn't really apply to combi systems. I have mine at 48. I still have the CH at 64 though, so I'll look at lowering it tomorrow.

 

[Elpenor]

Was going to say that. It doesn't really apply to combi systems. I have mine at 48. I still have the CH at 64 though, so I'll look at lowering it tomorrow.

That’s useful to know. First time with a combi boiler for me. I can’t recall ever getting involved with the boiler in any rented houses.

 

[zora]

I've just had an email from Bulb saying that, based on my recent usage, they are lowering my monthly payment.

I just hope my resolve holds out and I don't end up 'just turning the heating up for a little while'

My energy supplier Octopus now has a forecast that apparently takes into account usage for the property in previous years (including where applicable previous tenants) and weather forecast for the foreseeable plus another couple of parameters, so if yours is similar I would have thought that your lower payment predictions would include a bit more heating for these next few coldest months of the year.