Combating energy prices

dirtychinchilla said:
Fair point. I'm not sure there's a straightforward answer. I don't believe there would be a significant saving and manic has expressed that he's not really fussed about the cost.
Click to expand...

Totally.
Mine uses about 15-18kwh of gas to get upto temp. Starting temp doesn't seem to matter that much within reason.
But then to sustain that throughout the day you can tell when its much colder. 60kwh or so for a full day (8am-10pm) when its 0 or colder outside doesn't feel that bad for a 4 bed detached.
At current temps starting a bit later its probably more like 35kwh.

Above both include 5-8 for hot water as well.

A lot is draft management as well. If I shut my office door it immediately feels warmer as no floor draft.
We have solid floors everywhere and you can always feel air current at floor level if doors are open.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
Fair point. I'm not sure there's a straightforward answer. I don't believe there would be a significant saving and manic has expressed that he's not really fussed about the cost.
Click to expand...
Thanks, and to @Mercenary Keyboard Warrior and @HungryHippos . It's a 2 bed top floor flat, "open" on 3 sides, and reasonably but not brilliantly insulated. That said, presumably as I'm essentially trying to heat 1/4 of the flat when I'm working there (i.e. one of four rooms), and gas is around 3x cheaper than electric, it's going to cost me more or less the same to heat the whole place with gas as to heat one room with electric, in which case adding the cost of an electric heater doesn't make it worthwhile?
 
Last edited:
manic111 said:
Thanks, and to @Mercenary Keyboard Warrior and @HungryHippos . It's a 2 bed top floor flat, "open" on 3 sides, and reasonably but not brilliantly insulated. That said, presumably as I'm essentially trying to heat 1/4 of the flat when I'm working there (i.e. one of four rooms), and gas is around 3x cheaper than electric, it's going to cost me more or less the same to heat the whole place with gas as to heat one room with electric, in which case adding the cost of an electric heater doesn't make it worthwhile?
Click to expand...

Yeah would pretty much be my conclusion from what you have described
 
It does make me feel a little anxious having so much in my account. How much do you normally leave in credit in yours?

Screenshot_20230208-124852.png
 
I've currently got just over 1300 in there. I've not reduced my monthly DD since installing solar last summer, so built up a bit of a buffer. I was leaving it in there in-case bills were as bad as the original doom and gloomers feared (my predicted estimate for January was over £900!).

Seeing as we're now over the main winter solstice - I'm going to cash out most of that to buy another solar battery.
 
We bought a house and had the energy bills put on totally generic estimates... 9 months later we're still renovating and haven't moved in. I think the supplier revised our DD from 160 to 20/month after we built up £500 in credit.
 
Last edited:
Freefaller said:
It does make me feel a little anxious having so much in my account. How much do you normally leave in credit in yours?

Screenshot_20230208-124852.png
Click to expand...
We've got almost £700 sat in ours. The government pay-in has certainly been helping, but I wouldn't be surprised to see our credit hit over £1000 just before we turn the heating back on later this year, even with the government help stopping and prices going up soon.
 
squerble said:
We've got almost £700 sat in ours. The government pay-in has certainly been helping, but I wouldn't be surprised to see our credit hit over £1000 just before we turn the heating back on later this year, even with the government help stopping and prices going up soon.
Click to expand...

Is it sensible to leave it? I don't mind having a little balance but it feels like a lot of "dead" money. I guess it means I can lower my DD but perhaps it's a question of just forgetting about it and feel fortunate that I don't have to worry about paying for utilities....
 
Freefaller said:
Is it sensible to leave it? I don't mind having a little balance but it feels like a lot of "dead" money. I guess it means I can lower my DD but perhaps it's a question of just forgetting about it and feel fortunate that I don't have to worry about paying for utilities....
Click to expand...
Definitely let it sit I'd say, as a buffer for bad weather and price hikes. My concern with the lowered DD is I'll get used to not having the money go out...
 
no way id be keeping that much in there.....ive not paid a leccy or gas bill in 5mths and told them to take the money out of my credit. Reasoni had money in there is they charged me 1 months leccy and gas to switch to octopus back in october, so they worked out i had to give them £333 to switch, i paid that into the account, then i had two £50 credits for referals, then solar export is paid into it and the government help too.

I may start having a bill come april, as the credit is now down to £200...but its taken 5mths to get down to that lol. But no way i would let them keep 0ver 1k...take it out and put it in a savings account instead
 
Yeah TBF 1k may be a bit high. I think I'd want to keep the difference between the winter 6 months, and the summer 6. Probably something like £500 or so?
 
LuckyBenski said:
Yeah TBF 1k may be a bit high. I think I'd want to keep the difference between the winter 6 months, and the summer 6. Probably something like £500 or so?
Click to expand...

I'm still waiting for Ovo to give me back £650. So hopefully will mean I'll have some spare cash which never goes amiss!
 
Freefaller said:
Is it sensible to leave it? I don't mind having a little balance but it feels like a lot of "dead" money. I guess it means I can lower my DD but perhaps it's a question of just forgetting about it and feel fortunate that I don't have to worry about paying for utilities....
Click to expand...
Suppose that depends on the opportunity cost of that money. If I had the £700 sat in a 3% savings account for 6 months I could probably gain about £11 in interest before putting back in the Octopus account.

It being sat there (and building a bit more over summer) just means it's ready to absorb price rises or other sudden cold snaps etc. I don't feel I've lost too much by having it there :) we'll keep our DD the same even if Octopus try to lower it. We've budgeted this amount already, and the credit just means we won't have to re-budget for a little longer than we expected.
 
Yes sensible strategy. Who knows what's going to happen with energy. Summer won't be an issue it's preparing for next winter that I guess is sensible.
 
Welshman said:
My export will be building up in the account for next winter…..
Click to expand...

Yes I'm in a lucky position that I don't actually need this money as I had budgeted for it regardless. I'll be interested to see what I end up exporting over a year. I think I'll see where I am this winter and perhaps skim off it a little.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom