Spend to Save

Great weather today which obviously helps with the energy saving - no heating, kids outside playing rather than using electricity, washing on the line blah, blah, blah. Kids also at clubs and around friends today spreading the energy saving vibe!

Had our visit from a B&Q Energy Adviser this morning (Brad from Southend). He was very thorough and knowledgeable and Sammy liked him because she thought he looked like Joey Essex! He completed a feel assessment and we got a "C" rating (like appliance ratings with "A" being the best) which apparently is pretty good for a property nearly 80 years old!

Made time to visit B&Q this afternoon to spend some of our "allowance" on our energy saving ideas. Had made a list of some of our worst offending items that needed more energy saving alternatives and plans for things we wanted to do. Spent just over £170 but all the items purchased are for long-term energy saving even though I am going to show them against the estimated savings for this year.

Don't want to bore you with a list of everything in one go so will take some pics and estimate our savings when we fit each one. We did manage to put up one of the purchases today, new, fully lined curtains for our bedroom. The kids rooms already have blackout blinds and curtains so their windows are pretty well insulated. Our bedroom window had flimsy, almost see-through curtains - not nice for those living opposite!!! As you can see from the photo, the new curtains on the right block out tons more light and will also be loads more insulating being lined. Plus we found them in the clearance "bin" and they only cost £10!

ESTIMATED ANNUAL SAVINGS
Lined bedroom curtains                  £5
Cooking Co-operative                   £25
Dishwasher used only when full   £20
Bed half an hour earlier                 £25
Washing Machine at 30 deg C      £15
Reduced Heating & Hot Water     £50
Ditch the Tumble Dryer                £50
Still Less TV & Xbox                   £10
Total Annual Savings                  £200

ACTUAL SPEND (will add items in as we install them and estimate their savings)
Lined bedroom curtains                 £10
Total spend                                    £10 

Right, still early to bed as want these plugs off and got all our purchases to put up tomorrow (plus will be running around like a headless chicken with a load of kids at football trying to officiate them!). Oh yes, and the proper start of the "cooking co-operative" with dinner at Toni's sister's (yum, yum).

TTFN