Power usage

[Tarrel]

Another useful thing to check is your "base load", i.e. the amount you're using when nobody in the house is really doing anything. We've done this by taking a mater reading when we go to bed, and another one when we get up, and dividing the kWh used by the hours between the readings. This will be things like fridge, freezer, items on "standby", internet router, clock on the microwave, etc.

Your energy consumption will be made up of this, 24 hours a day, plus all the waking things you use from time to time, such as the hoover, cooker, TV, kettle, shower, etc., etc.

No matter how frugal one is with things like (say) taking a shorter shower, that base load will constantly be leaching your energy away. That's the one to try to reduce, even if by only a small amount, because you get the benefit of the savings 24 hours a day, every day.