Cost of living crisis

[bonio]

I've been thinking about heat pumps the last 10 years or more. It ought to make sense, but there's always a good practical reason why it doesn't work out to retrofit. If I had a house with underfloor heating pumping fluid at 40C, I'd install a GSHP with a deep, narrow borehole for heat and have a gas boiler for on-demand hot water. As for an ASHP, it seems to me that its success depends too much on having a good installer, and who knows what the chances of that are? Recently I've started wondering about installing in an air-to-air heat pump in the kitchen, as it's the room we basically live in and keep warm all the time. Installation is cheap, there's not not much to go wrong, and coupled with the solar panels on the roof it's got to be a winner. Only problem is we've no wall space left to put it on.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

3 hours ago, keith1200rs said:

Anyone know of a reputable charity that you could donate the £400 fuel rebate if you don't need it, to help people who do?

You could look for somewhere opening as a warm bank. The other massive rise in demand is food banks.

[husoi]

2 hours ago, goat said:

So no one in a charity should get paid?

I am a member of a charity and I don't get a penny.

All travelling, hotel, food comes out of my pocket.

Most money that goes into charities is spent on 50k plus wages for people sitting at a desk.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, husoi said:

I am a member of a charity and I don't get a penny.

All travelling, hotel, food comes out of my pocket.

Most money that goes into charities is spent on 50k plus wages for people sitting at a desk.

I think you've over generalised and have unrealistic expectations of how charities can and should work. You can't expect charities to be wholly staffed by volunteers and be effective. I worked for a charity, a wildlife trust, my pay was £22500 (most environmental charities pay poorly). I ran a community engagement project engaging with local volunteers and community groups in conservation management. For that the council got lots of work done on parks and nature reserves for very small investment as well as helping people get work experience and get off the dole. Whilst a portion of the funding went to my salary and to some supporting office staff the money was well spent in my view and delivered results on the ground. It simply wouldn't have happened without paid staff. Even in charities where people get paid well, why shouldn't they, if the charity delivers on it's objectives. 

[Gerontious]

My new job, which as long as I can jump through all the hoops is due to start at the beginning of October is for a charity.  And the pay is significantly better than I’m getting now. No shareholders or investors wanting their cut of any profits explains that and charities tend to be rather more ethical towards their lower paid employees. They are under a lot of scrutiny from all sides but especially the charity commission and have to account for every penny and show results.

[Bianco2564]

For those with a smart meter and don't mind sharing, what are your daily energy costs currently?

Ours are around £2.50 to £4 a day depending on how much washing Mrs B does.

Just the two of us in a 3 bed semi.

Supplier is Bulb or the government since Bulb "went out" earlier this year.

Paying £170 a month and about £400 in credit at the last statement.

 

 

 

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Bianco2564 said:

For those with a smart meter and don't mind sharing, what are your daily energy costs currently?

Ours are around £2.50 to £4 a day depending on how much washing Mrs B does.

Just the two of us in a 3 bed semi.

Supplier is Bulb or the government since Bulb "went out" earlier this year.

Paying £170 a month and about £400 in credit at the last statement.

 

 

 

Similar to ours daily cost, that's two of us, partner working from home (multiple computer screens etc). That's just leccy, no gas here.

[Bender]

10 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

A friend installed a ground source heat pump years ago but he's a clever chap and went into it himself first, so he has the right radiators fitted and the system works quite well. Their house isn't a hot a some people have their central heating on but it is comfortably warm. We have more than enough land available to install the ground works needed but we'd need to replace all our radiators and pipework - but I know for sure we won't be here for more than 4-5 years at the most so it's just not viable. It's tied accommodation so we can't sell the system with the house. It would only make sense if we recouped the cost in heating bills within a couple of years.

 

Hence we're preparing to heat upstairs but leave downstairs off. I'll move a desk into a small spare bedroom and my wife already has a desk in another bedroom.

Ground source is much better, airsource rely on average temp of 7c which in winter ain't happening, they do continue to work below that but efficiency drops off, ground source will live with temp at 0 the ground however can maintain 10c throughout the winter, if you have the land it's the way to go. 

 

 

[oldgrump]

Hi @Bianco2564, Right 3 bed semi,  on British gas,  last month £66 electric, so £2.00 roughly a day,  that's including the workshop,  today been running the lathe etc,  and currently this is the reading!!

And yesterday reading all day,

Mind you did go out for breakfast and evening meal .

And we pay for what we use,  so no fixed price per month, same as gas,  around £27 a month at moment. 

Edited September 2, 2022 by oldgrump

[Gerontious]

In Spain, train journeys under 300km are free until the end of 2022.

France’s energy bills are only rising by 4%.

Germany has cut public transport to €9 (£7.70) a month. 
 

Our Government is telling people to buy a new kettle.

[S-Westerly]

7 hours ago, Gerontious said:

In Spain, train journeys under 300km are free until the end of 2022.

France’s energy bills are only rising by 4%.

Germany has cut public transport to €9 (£7.70) a month. 
 

Our Government is telling people to buy a new kettle.

The German 9 euro ticket (which was really good) was only for the months of June, July and August. Also you couldn't use it on the long distance  inter City trains. Other than that it was brilliant.

Edited September 3, 2022 by S-Westerly

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

We've just bought a Remoska so we don't have to use the oven so much. 

 

Better than a new kettle.

[Bender]

8 hours ago, Gerontious said:

In Spain, train journeys under 300km are free until the end of 2022.

France’s energy bills are only rising by 4%.

Germany has cut public transport to €9 (£7.70) a month. 
 

Our Government is telling people to buy a new kettle.

No that's not what they said to do. 

[onesea]

This crisis is hiting every body, just in different ways...

https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/world/russia-gas-germany-france-shortage-b2158231.html

 

The world is learning the hard way we are all financially interlinked and inter reliant in ways politicians and people didn't expect.

[Bender]

21 minutes ago, onesea said:

This crisis is hiting every body, just in different ways...

https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/world/russia-gas-germany-france-shortage-b2158231.html

 

The world is learning the hard way we are all financially interlinked and inter reliant in ways politicians and people didn't expect.

Trump warned Germany of reliance on Russian oil and gas at the un and they just smirked at his comments, well there not smirking now. 

[Bianco2564]

21 minutes ago, Bender said:

Trump warned Germany of reliance on Russian oil and gas at the un and they just smirked at his comments, well there not smirking now. 

Ronald Reagan warned Europe about it in 1981.

[Bender]

1 minute ago, Bianco2564 said:

Ronald Reagan warned Europe about it in 1981.

They didn't listen to that either then were they caught on camera smirking at regan? 

[Gerontious]

1 hour ago, Bender said:

No that's not what they said to do. 

I know. It was taken out of context as an analogy within a speech about nuclear power.

but it’s better than what they have said so far.

 

nothing. Since the top up payments were announced based on a price cap that’s now a distant memory. A fraction of what it is now. My own mother. After all her bills are paid, now has just under £20 a week to spend on food. And when the next rise arrives. What then?

 

 

[Bender]

7 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

I know. It was taken out of context as an analogy within a speech about nuclear power.

but it’s better than what they have said so far.

 

nothing. Since the top up payments were announced based on a price cap that’s now a distant memory. A fraction of what it is now. My own mother. After all her bills are paid, now has just under £20 a week to spend on food. And when the next rise arrives. What then?

 

 

Probably the same as Europe, power cuts and starvation. 

 

Will have to wait and see what interventions are rolled out next. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

1 hour ago, Bender said:

Trump warned Germany of reliance on Russian oil and gas at the un and they just smirked at his comments, well there not smirking now. 

But didn't Trump also think Putin was great guy?

[S-Westerly]

2 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

But didn't Trump also think Putin was great guy?

Everyone makes mistakes. In this case the biggest mistake was neither of their mothers used birth control.

[rob m]

In the meantime, it's projected that UK energy companies will generate profits of $170 billion over the next 2 years during a global energy crisis.

[Bender]

Ive just had my sat spoiled, I rent a garage that has 3phase supply and 3meters, usualy bills are around £90. Today's just landed,  over 1k,  that's unsustainable. 

[Tiggie]

Talking to my boss at the shop and he said he's not worried yet as we are on a fixed rate until April but come then he's no idea what's going to happen if things don't calm down. When Utility bills and product costs are doubling or more where is the money to pay for that going to come from? 

 

 

[Essem]

Putin playing geopolitical chess, aiming to weaken Europe to the point of economic collapse. Things like Trump and Brexit just strengthen his position by sewing division.