A MUM saved £355 on her electricity bill after going back to the basics – here’s how she did it.
Jenny Bean, 60, and husband John have managed to save hundreds over the last three months by using wood-burning stoves.
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The couple from the Isle of Man are currently renovating a 250-year-old cottage while living in it – but the electricity is capped at 22p per k/Wh and the property doesn’t have a gas supply.
To get around their situation and help keep their three children warm, Jenny and John bought £600 worth of logs in August last year – which they are still using to heat their home now.
The nurse told RSVPLive: “With the cost of fuel for the chainsaw and log splitter it works out at £30 a month for both woodburners.
“This provides our heating, hot water for washing clothes etc and us, cooking and ironing.”
Jenny also explained how one of the woodburners has an oven in the bottom which lets you cook on it and grill over the flames.
The married couple’s washing machine broke a few months ago – which also saved them money as they wash their clothes in the bath with the heated water from the burner.
“Washing is put in the dolly tub in the evening and left to soak overnight, then rinsed and spun the next day,” Jenny added.
“As I currently can’t use the washer I borrowed a mangle – very hard work but does the job!”
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The thrifty mum also saves money on heating her bathroom by buying a modern ‘tin bath’.
Before the pair got the woodburners, Jenny said they used electricity for everything with their bill for April to June last year being £450.
“The electricity bill for April/May/June 2022 was £115, a saving of £355 compared to the same period 2021,” Jenny added.
“We just had the bill for July/August/September. It’s £108!
“Our combined energy bill for this three month period (wood & electric) was £280.
“If we can keep it up it is possible we could achieve a yearly energy bill of about £900!”
Jenny said this is what works for her family and helps them save money – but stresses not every household is the same.
“I’m thinking of everyone who is struggling with the cost of energy, it’s a terrible situation,” she added.
Wood burning ovens are however restricted to help with the Government’s Clean Air Strategy.
It means all new stoves or fires on sale this year onwards need to be Ecodesign models.
