Cost of Living Crisis

[Inca]

How is everyone coping with the rising bills?

I have arthritis too and also live 'up North' where the temps are usually colder. (most often between -10 and 10 degrees for most of winter)

I am more often bedbound in winter when all joints stiffen when temps are constantly only just above freezing at warmest part of day and often below at night.

My energy bills have already almost doubled before the end of august. I'm absolutely dreading the October and Jan 2023 price rises too!

I guess I can only pray the winter will be much milder than usual

 

[Emmarose47]

Hi Inca .
Are u in UK too ?

I've been living in shared house and so bills all in ..
I'm due to move to my own place so ill get to experience more the price rises .
I feel the cold easily .
It will be a small 1 bed flat so should be easy to heat . Keep it low for longer is best way to heat rather than it going on and off at higher temp ( this is what costs the boiler needing to

 

[Emmarose47]

I also have thought about getting a calor gas heater . I had one previously .
The cannisters

 

[Emmarose47]

Don't seem to have gone up in price . They het a room so well and the gas lasts ...
It's something the gov are giving up extra money .
But I hear your concern and worries

 

[Treeman]

I always lock in a energy deal. The last one was just over a year ago, so I'm only paying a low price ( although that was twice as much as the previous deal)

The price hikes aren't going to be felt by me until next June, however by then I hope the situation has been resolved or half the UK will be bankrupt.

 

[Emmarose47]

I just read that some people living in flats which run on communal heating systems ( but are charged individually by their meter ) are not covered by any energy cap !
This is because they are not sourcing directly

 

[Emmarose47]

I always lock in a energy deal. The last one was just over a year ago, so I'm only paying a low price ( although that was twice as much as the previous deal)

The price hikes aren't going to be felt by me until next June, however by then I hope the situation has been resolved or half the UK will be bankrupt.

Good news treeman ...
How did u lock in an energy deal ?
Is it too late to do that now ?

 

[Inca]

I was unable to lock in an energy deal because of when my last one ended. They told me there wouldn't be one because of the new energy cap rules or rising prices or something. I guess mine ended too close to the time it was going up. I automatically got transferred to a standard tariff.

I'm a bit nervous about using calor gas etc as get arthritis in hands am worried I wouldn't be able to turn things enough to turn it off fully and have gas leaking.

Mine is a 2 bed bungalow but because its for wheelchair users the rooms and hall are bigger than the standard small bungalow to allow enough room to move around in a wheelchair. The front room is difficult to heat as radiator is right under the window so a lot of heat escapes there and the bedroom has a large glass single wide patio/fire door rather than just a window.

The HA won't replace the wooden doors where the wood shrinks and expands so someinner doorswon;t close properly and the front door has a wider gap at the bottom where all the freezing cold air can come into the hall and straight into the bedroom (as its one of the doors that won' t close properly).

Their argument is they'd have to keep sending someone out to change them over constantly and if they do it for one customer they'd have to do it for everyone and it would be too costly.

I had to replace the oven and hob earlier in the year even though they were originally part of kitchen adaptions, they no longer take responsibility for them. Had I know what was coming I wouldn't have bothered!!! ..maybe just bought a little Halogen oven or something and 2 ring plug in hob that used a lot less energy.

Will probably just stay mostly in bed (except for getting up to sort dog out, go to loo and bring food/drink back to bed) and use electric blanket to warm up...depends how cold it gets!

 

[Treeman]

How did u lock in an energy deal ?
Is it too late to do that now ?

I use a price comparison site which shows the best deals and choose one.

It's probably best to wait until the next prime minster is in post to see what they offer. All deals are poor and expensive now.

Europe looks like it could be capping like they have in Iberia. If that happens there will be pressure on the UK to do the same which would be good for everyone.

 

[L'engle]

Can you get small electric heaters in the UK? They don't use much power and can heat a bedroom. Also can be used for an hour here and there as they can switch on and off quickly.

 

[Emmarose47]

Can you get small electric heaters in the UK? They don't use much power and can heat a bedroom. Also can be used for an hour here and there as they can switch on and off quickly.

Ah yes we can get those ...I've always found them v drying of the air and not good for headache / sinus ..
Not sure there cheap though ?
I think they can chomp electricity

 

[L'engle]

In north america we can get ones by Honeywell for less than 100$. They use 500-1500w, (the furnace in this house uses 15000w by comparison). You might not have the same products available over there. I've only every used the low setting (500w on mine 750w on new ones), as it seemed to produce a nice heat.

https://www.amazon.ca/HONEYWELL-Cer...ocphy=9001622&hvtargid=pla-569643548302&psc=1

 

[Treeman]

I read that it's cheaper to heat yourself. During the winter months I lay in a sleeping bag with hat and gloves on.

Some cheaper heaters below.

https://heatingforce.co.uk/blog/energy-efficient-space-heaters/

 

[Emmarose47]

I read that it's cheaper to heat yourself. During the winter months I lay in a sleeping bag with hat and gloves on.

Some cheaper heaters below.

https://heatingforce.co.uk/blog/energy-efficient-space-heaters/

Hi treeman
Yep that's my way 1st ...
Lots of layering ... Extra round mid rift to heat organs ... Wool and hiking socks , wool hat .
In fact as much wool and hiking gear as I can ..
Oh and I bought some all sheepskin boots from a company in austrailia got them really reduced . They are fantastic all lined inside and insulated soles

 

[mermaid]

I have been very lucky to move from a 2 bedroomed house to a 1 bedroomed flat at the right time. It's modern and well insulated, so I am hoping that the bills will be reasonable. We have Economy 10 here that heats the water overnight and then we have reduced cost for 3 hrs in the afternoon and 2 hrs in the evening. Also the storage heaters are tied into Economy 10 also.

However, the Service charges are likely to go up quite a bit next year as we all pay towards the electricity in the common areas and in the laundry.

 

[Anchoress]

Ireland here as in Eire ie the independent part. Long term disabled pensioner here, The govt is really looking after my kind well this year. Extra free allowances eg electricity . also My neighbour cuts turf and sells it a t a reasonable price,

 

[Anchoress]

Ah yes we can get those ...I've always found them v drying of the air and not good for headache / sinus ..
Not sure there cheap though ?
I think they can chomp electricity

I was unable to lock in an energy deal because of when my last one ended. They told me there wouldn't be one because of the new energy cap rules or rising prices or something. I guess mine ended too close to the time it was going up. I automatically got transferred to a standard tariff.

I'm a bit nervous about using calor gas etc as get arthritis in hands am worried I wouldn't be able to turn things enough to turn it off fully and have gas leaking.

Mine is a 2 bed bungalow but because its for wheelchair users the rooms and hall are bigger than the standard small bungalow to allow enough room to move around in a wheelchair. The front room is difficult to heat as radiator is right under the window so a lot of heat escapes there and the bedroom has a large glass single wide patio/fire door rather than just a window.

The HA won't replace the wooden doors where the wood shrinks and expands so someinner doorswon;t close properly and the front door has a wider gap at the bottom where all the freezing cold air can come into the hall and straight into the bedroom (as its one of the doors that won' t close properly).

Their argument is they'd have to keep sending someone out to change them over constantly and if they do it for one customer they'd have to do it for everyone and it would be too costly.

I had to replace the oven and hob earlier in the year even though they were originally part of kitchen adaptions, they no longer take responsibility for them. Had I know what was coming I wouldn't have bothered!!! ..maybe just bought a little Halogen oven or something and 2 ring plug in hob that used a lot less energy.

Will probably just stay mostly in bed (except for getting up to sort dog out, go to loo and bring food/drink back to bed) and use electric blanket to warm up...depends how cold it gets!

Can you roll cloth eg an old jersey up to block the gap under the door? well used to things like that in old houses..
Ireland here... As i n Eire not Northern Ireland.
I have a bottled gas cooker; bottle is outside and I get help to change it every few months. As they govt are giving us a very much increased free electricity allowance I am now using an electric kettle rather than the gas, Also a microwave and getting a hobtop little cooker soon. Variety so I can cook whatever the weather. As I am abed much of the day just a HWB occasionally. My place is small.. The fire is lit now in the kitchen ( which in Ireland means living room) and heats the water for radiators if need be and warms the whole place.

 

[Anchoress]

Ah yes we can get those ...I've always found them v drying of the air and not good for headache / sinus ..
Not sure there cheap though ?
I think they can chomp electricity

Just keep a bowl of water nearby and that will sort that. And they use at a rate according to their size so a small heater uses less.

I have a solid fuel stove in the kitchen aka main room that has a back boiler so heats radiators IF you need in bathroom and bedroom. Never needed to as I leave the bedroom door open. And that is enough for me. I have a small electric radiator but hardly use it. HWB at my back avails much

 

[Anchoress]

ll

In north america we can get ones by Honeywell for less than 100$. They use 500-1500w, (the furnace in this house uses 15000w by comparison). You might not have the same products available over there. I've only every used the low setting (500w on mine 750w on new ones), as it seemed to produce a nice heat.

https://www.amazon.ca/HONEYWELL-Ceramic-Tower-Heater-HCE317BC/dp/B07GQ4GM1Y/ref=asc_df_B07GQ4GM1Y/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292937894358&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=894262193176030982&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001622&hvtargid=pla-They 569643548302&psc=1

They have these in the UK and in Ireland. Just so many folk are not as clued up as you are on them.. I have a small plug in radiator as supplement in my bedroom and know exactly what it uses and costs.. Rarely need it as my main heating is the solid fuel stove in the main roomkitchen. Small home...

 

[lenora]

Fireplaces warm the room you're in, but heat is generally lacking in the rest of the home. After getting ready for bed, the heat goes off and the electric blanket is used (we don't like air blowing on us at night). Yes, heaters are great for small areas and we have a few.

A gas heater is also good so that you're covered if the electricity goes out. We do have to be careful of frozen pipes that may burst and then flooding. My husband has them all well insulated....still!

Inflation is high. Not just that, but the sizes of cans are smaller by a lot. We make a lot of soups and stews...typical winter foods. I should say that my husband does. He's a great help. Our son-in-law here loves to use his outside grills and smoker, thus he always arrives with a delicious chicken, salmon.....pork and does the same for his parents. Both partners are great cooks, and we get leftovers from our daughter (when she's talking to me). A little bump in the road at present.

Our home in PA had no heat in the upstairs while I lived there. Frost everywhere and we learned very early on the art of layering clothing, sleeping together and running into the bathroom for warmth (had the gas heater). Warmest room in the upstairs. But boy, did we sleep!

After I left, the upstairs was heated but there's something to be said for fast moving on cold days. Everything was woolen....no softer materials and that was just fine. Friends used to consider it an adventure to spend the day/night with us. We had a good time.....but now they're almost all gone. (my family) Yours, Lenora