mogish
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Post by mogish on Mar 24, 2022 12:13:03 GMT
With government figures suggesting inflation is running at over 6%, CPI is apparently 5.5%. In my little world, I would say that these figures are extremely low, heating oil may be an extreme example , up over 10% since yesterday(94p ppl V 104 ppl this morning) , chain saw bar+chain up 25% , in fact of all the items in my ebay /Amazon watchlist , I would say most have gone up at least 25%.
Even taking fuel and transport costs rising , and some raw materials , I believe that companies are profiteering from the situation.
Apart from the probable car use reduction to save money , where or what are forum users cutting back on to reduce living overheads?
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 24, 2022 12:59:59 GMT
I managed to get a fixed electric price last September.
I have spent time over the winter checking and topping up insulation etc ( When builder created upstairs bathroom he removed all the insulation. ) . My Gas bill was the same as previous year despite increased cost per unit. I Used 7200kWh of gas from the start of October to now, compared to 7700 the previous year
One thing that has saved money is turning the flow temperature down on the boiler, and getting the boiler properly into condensing mode. I've also turned the hot water temperature down.
Also for the last hour I've set the heating down by 1 degree with no noticeable difference in comfort. I shut the curtains as soon as it gets dark.
Fitted "hats" over the upstairs light fittings
Less use of right foot when driving, Using E5 petrol rather than E10, 5p a litre more but 8% more MPG.
I do buy yellow stickered items. I am buying lower quality meat and using slow cooker. Im thinking of also getting a smaller one.
I have planted more onions and am planning on growing more of the other veg I can eat and freeze.
Planning for the allotment is slightly more scientific So instead of 2 rows of Runner beans when most is given away I will have 1 and give less away.
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mogish
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Post by mogish on Mar 24, 2022 14:01:23 GMT
Lol a man on a mission!
Funny I also driver slower , managed 44mpg the other day. In addition to less vehicle usage. Not thought about fuel type- , higher octane?more power?less throttle?
Sourced a load of wood for free(hence the chain and bar for chainsaw)
turned heating down.
Changed a flouresant fitting in garage to LED.
Got into cooking more home made meals.
Cut back on wine purchase!
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Mar 24, 2022 14:34:21 GMT
Not thought about fuel type- , higher octane?more power?less throttle? Assuming petrol... It depends on the car, but... Some cars have a base map that's set for 98+RON, and pulls down for 95, using knock sensors. This is most likely if it's turbocharged. Even then, on low throttle, you'll be on low boost or off-boost, so restricting the maximum boost is irrelevant. In the unlikely event there was any economy benefit from allowing more advanced ignition timing, it's almost certain not to be large enough to offset the extra cost... If it's a diesel, then the premium diesels are more about increased detergents than anything else. The suppliers do sometimes wave cetane ratings about, but they simply don't affect performance in the same way as octane in petrol can be used to. Premium diesel is much more about marketing and profit margin...
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mogish
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Post by mogish on Mar 24, 2022 14:48:24 GMT
Not thought about fuel type- , higher octane?more power?less throttle? Assuming petrol... It depends on the car, but... Some cars have a base map that's set for 98+RON, and pulls down for 95, using knock sensors. This is most likely if it's turbocharged. Even then, on low throttle, you'll be on low boost or off-boost, so restricting the maximum boost is irrelevant. In the unlikely event there was any economy benefit from allowing more advanced ignition timing, it's almost certain not to be large enough to offset the extra cost... If it's a diesel, then the premium diesels are more about increased detergents than anything else. The suppliers do sometimes wave cetane ratings about, but they simply don't affect performance in the same way as octane in petrol can be used to. Premium diesel is much more about marketing and profit margin... Its a smelly old civic diesel I drive , family workhouse, I tend to drive by ear, on the honda the turbo can be heard spooling behind the glovebox , as soon as I hear the boost itend to back of a bit. Seems to help keep load down and green eco lights up.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Mar 24, 2022 14:53:21 GMT
Assuming petrol... It depends on the car, but... Some cars have a base map that's set for 98+RON, and pulls down for 95, using knock sensors. This is most likely if it's turbocharged. Even then, on low throttle, you'll be on low boost or off-boost, so restricting the maximum boost is irrelevant. In the unlikely event there was any economy benefit from allowing more advanced ignition timing, it's almost certain not to be large enough to offset the extra cost... If it's a diesel, then the premium diesels are more about increased detergents than anything else. The suppliers do sometimes wave cetane ratings about, but they simply don't affect performance in the same way as octane in petrol can be used to. Premium diesel is much more about marketing and profit margin... Its a smelly old civic diesel I drive , family workhouse, I tend to drive by ear, on the honda the turbo can be heard spooling behind the glovebox , as soon as I hear the boost itend to back of a bit. Seems to help keep load down and green eco lights up. Blimey, I was assuming it had to be petrol if 44mpg was something to be happy with - even without the octane thing... We used to get 45mpg out of an old-school 1990s Citroen ZX turbodiesel, easily. I don't think you could get the non-turbo ones that low, no matter how hard you abused them. I can get above that from our current 17yo Fiat Panda... and that's petrol... and 4x4...
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 24, 2022 15:23:02 GMT
Does therefore make me wonder if my car could be retuned to be more economical on E10 ?
6 year old Turbo Astra
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mogish
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Post by mogish on Mar 24, 2022 15:27:25 GMT
maybe I do need to wear lighter boots! best ive even seen is 55mpg , its soul destroying driving to get that gain though!
Its the last diesel we buy as its a workhorse. Wife has a fairly new kia which for a 1 litre goes well and is economical.
When the honda eventually dies , we will go down to 1 car.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Mar 24, 2022 17:25:29 GMT
Does therefore make me wonder if my car could be retuned to be more economical on E10 ? 6 year old Turbo Astra Total non-issue - the UK is very, very late to E10. It's been widespread in France for a decade, and the default standard in the US since the 70s. It's the only petrol available, or a majority of the market, in quite a few other European countries. Every petrol car built since 2009 is perfectly compatible with E10. Type approval required it. Many manufacturers, further back - Vauxhall have said it's fine in ALL their petrol cars, no time limit, except for a small mid-00s handful with one particular 2.2 direct-injection engine. check-vehicle-compatibility-e10-petrol.service.gov.uk/manufacturer/VauxhallEvery petrol car since 1992 has a catalytic converter with closed-loop fuelling, with an oxygen sensor to adjust the fuel mixture to give the optimal amount of unburnt oxygen in the exhaust.
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Post by bernythedolt on Mar 24, 2022 18:31:32 GMT
Its a smelly old civic diesel I drive , family workhouse, I tend to drive by ear, on the honda the turbo can be heard spooling behind the glovebox , as soon as I hear the boost itend to back of a bit. Seems to help keep load down and green eco lights up. Blimey, I was assuming it had to be petrol if 44mpg was something to be happy with - even without the octane thing... We used to get 45mpg out of an old-school 1990s Citroen ZX turbodiesel, easily. I don't think you could get the non-turbo ones that low, no matter how hard you abused them. I can get above that from our current 17yo Fiat Panda... and that's petrol... and 4x4... I've always had Citroens and this was one of the best (mine was the estate). Finest chassis I've ever driven, with its passive rear wheel steering, and best ride quality this side of a Roller. Superior even to my hydro-pneumatically suspended BX and C5s. Approaching Dyane standard for bump and pothole suppression. And yes, like the Dyane, the ZX was an easy 50mpg all day long.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 25, 2022 0:07:33 GMT
Anyone not on a water meter needs to consider it
For me
Non Metered
standing Charge £254 plus £2.02 per £ of Rateable Value
Metered
Standing Charge £140 plus £3.10 per cubic metre
I'd need to use 30 cubic metres of water to even match the Standing charge on non metered.
The Average Dishwasher uses 12 Litres a wash
The Average Washing machine uses 50 Litres
The Average shower is about 8 litres a minute
The average toilet flush is 6 litres
So running a dishwasher every 2 days is just over 2 cubic metres a year
200 loads of washing 10 Cubic metres
8 toilet flushes per day is 17 Cubic metres
2 5 minutes showers per day 29 cubic metres
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2022 15:19:54 GMT
Dishwashers are not a good idea, they are environmentally dubious and a poor use of money and water, I would not install
If your flushes worry you, stick a brick in cistern
Wear your clothes at least twice and jeans for 15 days before a wash and reduce water consumption
2.5 minute showers, how to explain.......
In terms of car fuel consumption the issue is not really if you achieve 45 or 50 MPG, it is why are you using a car at all and how far are you driving with it? "oh but", "I need to use a car to [fill in BS here]" No you don't, there is no "need to" there are decisions that you want to avoid so you stick to your normal behaviour and everything flows from there
Talking to a neighbour yesterday he hates the chancellor for doing so little for us and he claims to be on the poverty line. Drove to Sunderland yesterday to see his daughter, into Keighley today to buy a new water tub, into Harrogate to work (with parking ticket for 8 hours), I met him on the way to the pub.
There is real poverty in this country and a lot of noise from people whose "standard of living" is getting worse. No discussion that their standard of living was unsustainable or unsupportable. It makes me sick.
I saw a nice piece a few days back about the average house temperature in the 1980s was 14C, with double glazing and insulation all that has happened is we now run houses at an average of 20C and walk around houses in T shirts. Similar with lighting, in the old days you turned off lights when you left the room, we got LEDs and now you leave them on......duh. My sister asked me to look at her supermarket bill recently. I went through it and spotted some specially high costs. They were mainly for meat. "well you have to have meat", yet when we were growing up together you had meat on a Sunday and that lasted you until Friday with the odd vegetarian meal added in.
Don't get me started on buying in meals. The arguement is that the very poor don't cook as they have energy poverty so need to buy pre-cooked meals
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travolta
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Post by travolta on Mar 25, 2022 16:17:05 GMT
ifanyone is interested my 2004 Volvo XC 70 averages 53 mpg ...diesel .
Couldn't get near Hereford Sainsburys this a.m. Diesel @169.9..........however Griffiths of Leintwardine had some @ 165.9 ..probably sold out by now.
My life is pretty well pared down,but I give a lot of stuff away to famly and friends.
Am helping a young family in The Valleys who are £20,000 under in credit card debt . ( You could cry with frustration over the ignorance that led to that!)
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 25, 2022 17:33:24 GMT
Dishwashers are not a good idea, they are environmentally dubious and a poor use of money and water, I would not install
10-12 litres of water per cycle far lower than most people use washing by by hand
In terms of car fuel consumption the issue is not really if you achieve 45 or 50 MPG, it is why are you using a car at all and how far are you driving with it? "oh but", "I need to use a car to [fill in BS here]" No you don't, there is no "need to" there are decisions that you want to avoid so you stick to your normal behaviour and everything flows from there
40 minutes to get to my partners by Car, 2 hours by train ( and a 3 mile hike one end a 2 mile the other ) , and nearly 3 hours by bus.
No bus back after 6PM or train after 8pm, no service on a Sunday
We share Plants etc for allotments I don't think bus companies would be happy if I loaded it up with several trays of plants.
The argument is that the very poor don't cook as they have energy poverty so need to buy pre-cooked meals,
One Local foodbank is saying people now so hard up they can't afford to cook !
It's a question of priorities !
Opposite me are on benefits, they have takeaways delivered at least 3 nights a week.
He gets through at least 2 24 packs of Budweiser a week.
For me the issue isn't those on benefits its those just above the cut off, an elderly friend of mine who gets a top up because of a low pension is getting more help from the Council with his rent and council tax as his "available" income is reduced by increased fuel prices, yet another who is literally a few pounds better off at the start gets nothing as he is over the limit, meaning that the one on benefits is actually better off. The Issue is that its a binary entitled / not entitled and entitled opens up a load of other help.
it is a standing joke round here that you can tell the houses where no-one works they all have the big TVs and a full SKY package.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 25, 2022 17:58:42 GMT
ifanyone is interested my 2004 Volvo XC 70 averages 53 mpg ...diesel . Couldn't get near Hereford Sainsburys this a.m. Diesel @169.9..........however Griffiths of Leintwardine had some @ 165.9 ..probably sold out by now. My life is pretty well pared down,but I give a lot of stuff away to famly and friends. Am helping a young family in The Valleys who are £20,000 under in credit card debt . ( You could cry with frustration over the ignorance that led to that!) Id take a bet that a lot of it is at silly APR ( 30% plus ) Not always ignorance it can be stupidity, I have a friend who ran a business successfully, flash holidays no problem , daughter loses phone just buy her a new one. Attitude was always plenty of money coming in no point in saving. yes he's mid 50s and no pension other than state one He became ill and didn't work for a year or more but with no money coming in he carried on spending at the same rate. He is thousands in arrears on his mortgage and has most of his cards maxed out. Business is down the pan as he left numerous customers in the lurch. Me and a few others are trying to help him so he doesn't lose the house. And then this week he says he's just got daughter a new phone and had to buy a new TV as she threw her "old crappy Samsung s10 at the TV and smashed both" Err hang on that phone is 2 models upon my S8 which still does everything I need Id have got her a basic alcatel or whatever but no its the latest Samsung. again its priorities this new phone and TV have wiped out the £1,500 that was put aside to make a dent in the mortgage arrears so We could show he was trying to sort it.
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