Octopus Saving Sessions
Money Saving
Wondering if any other members are participating in the Octopus savings sessions. I am quite a low user of electricity but got £1.83 just for not using as much electricity for one hour the other day.
This, part of email, I got today might explain better:
:
Hi David
Thanks for being part of our first Saving Session. Together with more than 200,000 other Octopus customers across the country, you just pulled off the largest home energy shift in UK history.
Collectively, you saved enough energy to effectively switch off an entire gas power station throughout the Saving Session.
Here’s a quick look at the difference your efforts made.
You saved 0.255kWh and earned 1464 OctoPoints – worth £0.58.
You made an even bigger change than most – you were one of the top 10% of Savers, and have earned our Super Saver Bonus! That's an extra 1000 OctoPoints, worth £1.25.
Together, Octopus customers saved 108MWh of electricity. That's a lot of dirty energy the UK didn't have to generate. In fact, it was equivalent to effectively shutting down an entire gas power station throughout the Session. That saved 20,415kg of CO2 emissions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're taking part how did you do - and how did you do it?
I warned on this site a couple of years ago against getting a smart meter . My reasons being that it would lead to "differential pricing " . Effectively you would be charged more , but disguised by paying less during off peak hours . to me an obvious trick so we would pay more , A vision of what was possible with smart meters 
.
Well events have moved forward and it appears energy suppliers are really strapped for the energy they supply (as opposed to earning more profits ) so really need us to use less during the peak hours ,and are rewarding us for helping them do so .
So I've finally agreed to have a smart meter fitted (if they turn up with a SMETS 1 they can go walk !)
My little protest was probably right for a couple of years , now circumstances have changed , I was right at the time but now 2 years on smart meter is the way to go .
Occasionally we have intelligent , helpful Chat topics such as this one which I always try to add to . Sadly we have so much dross posted on Chat purely for points 
. Hope members will read this one and pehaps learn ?
I would appreciate that members would actually read my post before replying Too often members scan the comment then reply on a totally different wavelength (for points?) I am determined to make Latest Deals a great Deals and advice website - only members can make it such .
Golfforall I shared your concern regarding smart meters a few years ago, but now realise how useful they've become. I have seen a decrease in what I now pay. I didn't realise that it was so much cheaper to use gas (when available) than electricity (hence my now very low electricity use). No doubt the prices will level out in coming years - but until then I'll take advantage of the big difference.
I did, last year, mention to one member who deliberately vandalised my attempt to alert others of a possible issue when smart meters were fitted. that it would be taken further if he tried it here. So hopefully this topic can survive without totally inane and irrelevant gifs.
Thought I'd mention how I managed to get £1.83 for only saving about 5 penceworth of electricity. I decided to switch OFF my fridge and separate freezer (they needed defrosting). I wouldn't be without adequate lighting. I kept my router on (the energy used is negligible) I listened to radio, via Alexa, instead of watching TV. The Chase which was on during the hour could be watched later on catch up.
davidstockport Think I posted on here re putting a power meter on one of my (now ex freezers ) . Most electrical appliances use x kwh , a freezer uses x kwh when the compresser is running . Who knows until you put a power meter on it ? My 15 year old built in undercounter freezer used 1.6kwh per day (about 50p . £15 per month ) My American Fridge freezer uses 1.4 kwh per day 35p or £10 per month .. Needless to say the guzzling freezer is now gone (I don't need 3 freezers !
My point is do members really know how much their appliances cost ? do they know how to find out ,can they even do the sums ? Are they bothered ?
A kettle is 2kw takes 1 min to boil - simple 30 boils a day = 34p similar with light bulbs 100watt old style for 24hours about 80p per day . LED one same light output about 10p -15p a day . Not so simple with a fridge /freezer etc , the compresser uses about 600 watts but doesn't run continuosly , my old one about 3 hours per day my new one 2 hours per day (on and off )
My point ,Food for thought , for those who can be bothered to think about it ? Understanding your energy usage will save you loads if you can take a few minutes to work out your usage and it only takes a few sums (get your kids to do it if you can't be bothered !)
The sad thing is that on Latest Deals you have many tips (most posted by myself to help members ) but who reads comments on here ? You really should ?
I take time to share sometimes obvious , but factual tips to members . It's a very exclusive club - open only to those members who actually read the comments 
and not available to those who "click and paste" their 3 a day or mindlessly click on the "Tinder for Deals" function .
Golfforall Got to agree working out how much individual power appliances use helps save a lot. As you imply it isn't always possible to know exactly how much power is being used as with some appliances the energy used will depend on many things - even the volume and brightess of a TV will affect the amount of energy used.
I actually think knowing how many hours an appliance will run for on one kwh of electricity is important too.
An example; an Echo dot uses a maximum of 1.25 watts so 800hrs will equate to 1 kw - 800 hours is more than a month* - so I'm not going to lose any sleep about the cost. That's why I didn't switch mine off during my hour of reduced energy consumption.
* 1 kwh of electricity costs between 12p and 31p maximum at present.
I am using more power at peak times in case my energy provider offers this at a later date.
Howmuch I did say I doubted that it would work but now realise you might be correct. I will be experimenting to see if by using things I'd usually use outside peak times I try to use them during the peak hours. It does mean the energy savings scheme is flawed if people do this... the only day there'd be any pressure taken off the grid would be on energy saving session days, and many many more days when it would add pressure to the grid.
Time will tell... I'll keep you updated.
I doubt that will work, although if it does let us know From what I've read the way the reward is calculated (with Octopus) is based on a quite complicated formula, I am not entirely clear of how it works but reasonably certain that I got the extra £1.25 because I did not try to manipulate things.
I was quite surprised to find I got £1.83 for reducing my usage by five penceworth of electricity (even 58p would have surprised me too )
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