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Very high Utility bills - paul (9th Aug 2022 - 20:57:55) Hi, What the general thought of paying for heating gas and electric use use in our Liphook homes? Any good tips on domestic use? We will come through this cost-of -living crisis eventually, like we did with the Covid scare. It may not seem like it know, but life, and the populace, will work things out, and lead a life to enjoy. Anyone got a spare night-light?

Re: Very high Utility bills - D (20th Aug 2022 - 08:59:57) We will find the extra money just as we did thirty years ago when the base rate was increasing by 1/4% every month peaking at around 15%. Compare that to the paltry amount of interest paid on a mortgage now. I'm sure this won't be a problem in a supposedly affluent middle class area such as ours. Unless, of course, we are not as affluent and middle class as we like to think.

Re: Very high Utility bills - WENDY MARTIN (21st Aug 2022 - 09:26:47) Reluctantly I have found a very good way to save on electricity, and water. Our boiler has packed up (its a fairly new one, serviced a few weeks ago) we are being treated as emergency customers, but still have to wait 4 days before anyone will come. So, we cant use the dish washer, washing machine, shower, etc etc. Boiling a kettle and washing at the basin with soap and flannel takes me back to my childhood, and really the washing up isnt too bad as there are only two of us. We can manage, and do when we have too. So, maybe if we all pretend we have no hot water on tap, everyone would save a lot on gas, water, and electricity? Just a thought, but I do know with a family it would be a nightmare. And I will be glad when I can immerse my body in some lovely warm water again. Note that dishwashers and washing machines fill with cold water (unless very old), so won't be affected by your boiler.

Re: Very high Utility bills - Tm (21st Aug 2022 - 12:54:03) You say a good way, then you make it sound like hell! We had to go without a boiler for over a year, not because they were too busy to come out but because we couldn't afford a new system. Not much fun, the problem is we don't live in the 1900s anymore, you cannot bathe once a month and expect everybody else to go around with smelling salts, you stand out and annoyingly the bath is now upstairs and not in the kitchen in front of the stove, so many hours carrying steaming hot water pots upstairs. Also we no longer have coal fires and our guests don't expect to bring waxed overcoats and riding boots to lunch! Yes I think sadly this winter will teach the youngsters a thing or two about how rich and privileged and good we oldies really had it😂

Re: Very high Utility bills - Penny Williamson (21st Aug 2022 - 15:08:48) Depends what you mean by Oldies Tm. In 1947 the year of the terrible winter and the big freeze no one had central heating, many, many people had outside loos and just the kitchen sink inside with a tin bath for bathing; certainly no washing machines, fridges, freezer or dishwashers. Food was rationed, very little fresh fruit, veg or eggs unless it was homegrown or you kept chickens otherwise dried eggs. We had just come through a punishing war the second in the Century so I don't think your statement that "Yes I think sadly this winter will teach the youngsters a thing or two about how rich and privileged and good we oldies really had it". I don't remember 1947, but my parents did. I do remember rationing though.

Re: Very high Utility bills - paul (22nd Aug 2022 - 10:35:16) Hi, One good energy saving at home, is to turn off mobile phone chargers when not in use. The U.K. uses 5% of it's electricity output on the use of these devices alone..

Re: Very high Utility bills - D (22nd Aug 2022 - 13:10:14) We do have enough coal in the ground to run coal fired power stations for at least another three hundred years. But it now seems to be politically incorrect (largely due to pressure from the then Common Market and the environmentalist lobby) to be self sufficient in energy supplies, instead relying on unpredictable foreign powers for our gas instead. I would be interested to hear the Green position on this, they don't want coal, they don't want nuclear.

Re: Very high Utility bills - Aaron D (22nd Aug 2022 - 13:58:44) @paul regarding unplugging. Unfortunately this isn't so much the case anymore. The power used by most devices nowadays is much more miniscule than the standby modes of even 5 years ago. See this article for example: theguardian.com/money/2022/apr/29/tech-expert-energy-vampire-devices

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