Households across the nation will be looking for ways to cut back on their energy bills this winter, as rising costs are expected to plunge millions into poverty.
For 44-year-old father-of-two Stewart Morton-Collings, extreme measures are being put in place to stop his family's bills from going through the roof, the Express has reported.
Stewart, owner of ‘For Me and For You Designs’, which sells artwork and gifts, lives with his wife Jax, 43, and their two children in Macclesfield, where their combined gas and electricity bill is on course to hit £700 from October.
Now they're fighting to keep costs low, and hope they can limit their energy spend to £400. "And we're still going to find it tough affording that," Stewart said.
The family aims to save £300 a month, which will total a hefty £3,600 a year, and Stuart is trying to make it as fun as possible for their two children Esme, 10, and Jacob, 7.
Stewart said it’s like "going back in time" as the family unplugged household appliances they used to take for granted, starting with the dishwasher.
Now, they’re washing dishes by hand using lukewarm water in a bowl in the sink.
“With washing-up liquid and a good brush we can still get our dishes sparkling,” Stewart said.
The family has even taken to Facebook for energy-saving tips from a group called ‘Energy Support and Advice UK.’
Stewart said: “Now we wash all our clothes at 20 degrees, using a laundry cleanser that kills bacteria at lower temps, and spin clothes on the fastest setting.”
Unplugging the tumble dryer and instead drying their clothes outside has also helped the family save some extra cash.
Although this will be harder in the winter months, Stewart has a trick up his sleeve.
“We’ve bought a heated clothes rack with a cover and use that with a dehumidifier. It dries a full wash in six hours for a fraction of the cost and warms the room, too”, he said.
Stewart and Jax plan to order a ceiling-mounted clothes rack to hang above their stairs.
He said: “My parents have always had one. Ideas that predate modern technology are the obvious way to go.”
Ditching their heated bathroom towel rails has also made a huge difference, he said. “We had been heating them 24 hours a day for almost 12 years, without giving it any thought.”
“Switching them off has saved a huge amount of electricity", he says, as has unplugging an old chest freezer in the garage. "It feels quite empowering to stop wasting money."
And the pair are even considering using camping stoves to reduce gas bills and ditching their oven for an air fryer as a cheaper and faster alternative.
As winter fast approaches, Stewart and wife Jax are especially worried about how they’ll heat their home, and are having to be really selective.
"We're working out which radiators to use and when, and are fitting reflector foil behind them. We'll also put up extra curtains."
And although the father-of-two is disciplined about the turning lights off when leaving a room, his kids tend to forget. "I’m pretty sure it’s written in the ‘Dad’ contract that I’m the one who complains that the house is lit up like a Christmas tree.”
He added: “We can’t go walking around a pitch black house, so we’ll buy some big church candles and put them in large glass jars. We’ve just ordered some LED strip lights to run up the stairs.
“In the evening we tend to all be in one room, rarely use the main lights and all our lamps have energy saving bulbs. We’ve got a huge fleece blanket that we can all snuggle under and the kids have onesies and slippers for when it gets chilly”, he added.
Stewart said their children were aware of their parents' financial position and that they don’t earn a lot of money.
“They know it’s a trade-off for running our own creative business. Luckily, they don’t use a lot of electricity, mainly TVs and games consoles.”
Small extras, like holidays, gifts and treats for the kids have been scrapped, and Stewart is giving up his own treats, too. “I need to lose weight and those few bottles of beer during the week add up.”
The family is hoping that the £1,000 they’ve built up in credit with their energy savings will help ease them into winter.
And they’re even saving money outside of the home. “I cycle the kids to school each day, then peddle across Macclesfield to my workshop,” Stewart said.
To slash his £150 a month van fuel bill to £50, Stewart has converted his mountain bike into a cargo bike, with a storage box on the back for books and lunch bags.
Stewart and Jax have been making good use of their business skills for everyday essentials.
“We’ve paid for haircuts with Christmas decorations, swapped artwork for food, and bespoke signage for a new kitchen table.”
And to bring more money in, their “only option is to work seven days a week, every week, with no breaks”.
But Stewart knows where to draw the line with his extreme saving measures. He told the Express : "With two women in the house with long hair, there’s no way I’m cracking down on hair dryers. I won’t even try it.”
