PowerSwitch

We have just received our latest gas bill ... a horrific ?300!

We also won 2 free low energy bulbs as part of a British Gas lottery ... thanks BG!

I think that we will have to bring our plans for a wood burner forward.

Just imagine what the bills might be in say 5 years ... ?600 a quarter???
At these sort of prices people will start to die of cold.

I know where you're coming from.....

.... when we moved into our home 16 odd years ago there was an archaic gas heating system in place. We spent some very cold winter months before we could get it replaced for something more efficient!

Not funny.

Hi Vortex

Your bill puts mine into perspective, I was grumpy for a couple of days after (we have a new boiler and have new insulation too!)

My last bill (the 3 months from end of Oct to end of Jan) was ?187. Wasnt as bad as last year which was nearer ?280!!!

Despite the higher prices , the milder winter had brought my bills down.

People will have to save all year for there 3rd and 4th quarter gas bills from here on in!! I know I will (well by direct debit anyways - get into credit in the summer to prepare for the winter!)

well I feel sorry for old people but if your not old and in good health do you need heating especially central heating, eskimos do ok with out central heating .

Eat well spend as much time as you can being active outside and you can get used to colder conditions, get a really good arctic sleeping bag and you dont need central heating .

I think people have got into thinking that summer is all year long what I do until Ive warmed up and depending on the conditions is put on winter clothing pretty much the sort of thing you see russians wearing .

If it was winter and I had to sit around I might wear some canadian snowboots ( I have a wonderful pair of kaufman sorel boots these are rated to -40C ) and a hat and winter trousers and a russian type of jumper and I dont feel the least bit cold .

This way I dont add to global warming and have a zero heating bill ,once you have arctic clothing you dont have to keep buying more of it and wearing a pair of snowboots around the house isnt much different to carpet wearing slippers .

I think we need to rethink our clothing and look for really good clothing for winter

I agree with what you say Johnny..... but while I can afford it, heating is one luxury that I appreciate.

I have the clothing, & the woollen blankets & could do without no probs if really necessary. & We don't live in a hot house (I swelter in many people's homes)... just it is nice to come in from work and feel warm.

And with a family - warmth is part of the mothering thing - and so very hard to let go of for me!

another thing is our rooms are too big especially bedrooms .
in old houses you used to get sleeping compartments or four poster beds where the drapes could be pulled round to make a sleeping compartment, your body heat could make inside these compartments warmer much like being inside a tent .

Getting my kids(teens) to put a cardigan or jumper on is quite difficult, they seem to think that the house should warm enough to walk round in bare feet and underwear in December! I grew up in a one room heated house with coal fire- ice on the inside of the bedroom windows , no hot water etc so it baffles me. Still I do like it comfortable, but I can't afford tropical.