elect bill Jul-oct2012

London

Here is a bit of what ordinary living is like. 

Nobody blogs about the things like gas and electricity bills and what the costs of these are in each of our lives. 

 

Maybe it does not loom large in people’s lives, but I am curious about it and to see how you control the costs. 

 

I got my electricity and gas bill today for the quarter july-oct2012

 

It was almost the same as my previous quarterly bill for mar-june2012.

These two periods I consider the summer months. 

 

I used 335kwh of electricity in 92days costing £59.81

 

First 181kwh x 23.513p = £42.56

Next 154kwh x 11.20p = £17.25 

 

Average costs 

0.178p per kwh

0.65p per day

3.64kwh per day

 

 

The gas bill is zero. It has been zero for 3 or 4 yrs now. 

 

People here in uk have constantly been advised to change providers to chase the lowest tariff. 

 

I am sceptical about that advise because more often than not, u are enticed by their low rates to change, and then they up the rates once they got u by the balls and tie u down to a contract which imposes a stiff penalty if u leave. 

 

My strategy is to cut down usage to the minimum. If I don’t use their electricity, they cannot charge me for it. That would poke them in the eye haha. 

And the more they raise their rates, the more I save with each kwh I don’t use. 

 

 It is interesting that none of the advisers advocate this course of action. 

 here is a tip, unplug every appliance, except the fridge. leave no appliance on standby.

another way is to stop using the heater. i think that bit will be a challenge for most of you. but i am made of sterner stuff. haha. Now i find i dont need the heater. i know how to keep warm just with fleece jackets, hotwater bottles, hot drinks, food… amazing how warm u can be after a meal, and how easy it is to not feel the cold when u have a good meal of meat.

and take a walk, it is amazing how warm u get after a walk or any exercise. 

 added. 6.11.12 now that u got me going, let me add more tips.

i find there is no need to have hot water when u wash up. the washing up liquid can dissolve fats in cold and u can rinse off with cold water.

if u find cold water is uncomfortable on your hands, wear washing up rubber gloves. i dont, because i am used to it now. yes, u may find it hard to believe, how can anyone get used to freezing cold water in washing up.

i saw a tv nature program about eskimos, and saw them washing up in freezing water with their bare hands, and the voiceover says they have the ability to control the flow of blood to the hands .

if they can do it, so can you.

also, when u wash up, u dont need to have the water flow over your hands, it is the plates that needs  washing, so let the water flow over the plates. simple common sense really but many have lost that.

change the way you cook.

for eg, it takes a lot more power to cook in the oven. so consider a stew instead. and when stewing, bring to the boil and then switch off with lid on and let it continue to cook. u can prolong the heat retention by covering the pot in a blanket or whatever heat insulation u have. in the olden days they use a straw box.  

there is no need to simmer on low heat for hours. a real waste of power.

when u are cooking veg, just put a small amount of water in the pot with lid closed, with the veg in it and bring to boil, then bring down to the lowest setting, the steam will cook the veg.

that is the way u cook rice too. (just cover the rice with  5mm or half inch of water above the surface of the rice).

there is no need to keep it boiling at high heat with lots of water which so many people do. and then they throw away the water.