Shit just got my electric bill!!

[2anddone]

Just got my electric bill it's gone up £200 compared to this time last year....it's going to get worse isn't it!
I have night storage heating which works on a thermostat and is set to low (17 degrees) plus a log cabin which I need to heat for my work (childcare so have to have heat!). I don't leave lights on unnecessarily, don't have my hot water heater switched on, only run my washing machine and dishwasher when they are full. The tv is on every evening but not in the daytime, don't have a tumble dryer.
I honestly can't see where I can save money on my electric bill (was over £400 this month)

@Narwhalsh excuse me butting in, I’ve just had solar panels and a battery installed so thought you might be interested in my setup too.

12x325W panels = 3.9kwP with optimisers fitted (because shading)
3.6kW hybrid inverter
5.2kWh battery, 90% usable.

When fully charged it will run the house for at least 8 hours, usually more - up to 16 I think. Depends on temperature, as we have loft-mounted PIV units which suck electricity when the temperature is below 10 degrees (daily usage can be as much as double when it’s freezing). You would need to look at your house’s typical usage to work out what size of battery would be best for you (£ permitting - batteries are expensive). I wish I’d got the next size up (8.2kWh), but when I specified the system it wasn’t yet cold enough for the PIV things to kick in so I didn’t know about that - first year in this house.

I charge the battery at night on the cheap rate I have 00:30-04:30 (Octopus Go, as have an EV.). The past few days, the battery has been topped up from solar during the day enough that it had not run out by the time 00:30 came round again. In January (shorter days, colder, more cloud) it ran out at some point in the afternoon/evening.

As days get longer I will be able to reduce the overnight charge (not sure how soon/quickly). But I expect May-August we will be running almost entirely from solar and saved solar, plus will have some spare to put in the car. There is always some breakthrough grid draw, though, because the battery can’t supply more than 2.6kW and there is always some switching delay.

System cost £8,140. Looks like our winter bill will be little more than half what it was pre install, and summer bill should be not much more than the standing charge. A good chunk of the winter saving though is because of the split rate EV tariff, which you wouldn’t qualify for without an EV. Economy 7 would be worth looking at.

If you're heating the cabin normally (rather than storage heaters) then it might be cheaper to come off the night / day tarrif.

Grab a bill and run the figures both ways. Then maybe think about changing to central heating (check gvt grants).

If cheaper on night / day check your times and run everything you possibly can at night.

Washing machine, get up early to boil kettles.

Plug in heater for cabin to come on full blast for the last 2 hours of cheap rate to pre heat and keep day heating down.

Triple check the timings of the cheap rate are set right, especially with daylight saving.

Also, we could use the microwave more! I know we laugh at the Americans, but the electric kettle is ridiculously inefficient. We could heat water in the microwave, and use it for hot water bottles, and we could use the MW for cooking other stuff too.

My oven and hob are hideously expensive to run - so, I’ll try and cook several days food in the oven at one time, to save me turning it on more than once a week. Then, just use the MW to heat throughout the week.

Many people probably already do this - sorry if I’m stating the obvious!

OP it will be heating the log cabin that is costing you - buildings like that are rarely well insulated (my parents had one and it costs a fortune to keep warm). As PP has said, the sensible and fair thing to do is to pass some of that cost on to your customers, as much as you won't want to.

We pay £30 a week for gas and electricity in a 3 bedroom house where everything is always on.

We're with utilita with no special deal at all.

@cakeorwine

And people making savings by not spending as much because bills have increased - and businesses who have to pass on increased costs to consumers - is going to have an effect on the economy...and people's jobs.

It's a bit depressing

Maybe when the effect on the economy starts to bite our useless Government will sit up and start to notice.

@earsup

put prices up.....everyone is where impacted by extra energy costs....my hairdresser has just increased prices.....sunbed also gone up by 20%....ultimately tho if everyone puts up prices then inflation will rocket....you cant reduce useage.

But its not just inflation, more importantly, unlike in previous inflationary periods, people aren't getting significant pay rises (and haven't for many years) so far less money in our pockets, less spending in towns, cities & the wider economy. This is going to have huge knock on effects.

LlamaLucy You might want to research the effects of log burners on your lungs etc, before having a burner fitted. www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2020/march/open-fires-wood-burners-bad-health

@SantaMonicaPier

Also, we got some Oodie style hoodies from Amazon for £25 each. They are amazing. When we are wearing them I have to put the thermostat down one or two degrees or it's too warm. I highly recommend them for colder months.

I'll second this.

DH got me one for Christmas and I can't bare the heating on when I'm wearing it. I'll be kitting out the rest of our family with them now.

With so many people already living in poverty and struggling so badly they need to rely on food banks, this is just fucking appalling.

Unfortunately, we are all in the same boat. 15 small companies have gone bust in the UK. Ive had the same thing happen to me. I was put back with the company I left because of their gross mistakes. Assume, you, poster are on Economy 7, as you have storage heaters. Before anyone says it, (another thread) YES you do pay a bit more per kw hour for your electricity, during the day, so you must make good use of the night rate times. That depends where you live, you can get a map up.I started doing most of my washing on a cold quick cycle. It goes outside if at all possible.Blame the "Greens", they wouldnt allow, nuclear,fracking, using our own gas reserves., therefore, we are reliant on overseas producers. I did a fix with Octopus in June 24m months, 21.6p day, 12.3p night, the fixed day rate is now just over 39p. We only have my pension, although my DH (not pension age) had to stop work 18 months ago owing to an accident, so its thick jumpers,throws everywhere!

I got an email from BH last week. £160 to £245 a month. I messaged them to see if I could have some sort of payment plan, their response was...we need your uptodate meter readings.
My usage is down on this time last year according to the bill, but the costs have gone up, and will do again. Really quite worrying.

unlike in previous inflationary periods, people aren't getting significant pay rises (and haven't for many years) so far less money in our pockets, less spending in towns, cities & the wider economy.

Inflation has also been rising steadily for those same years, but at a lower rate - so it’s a double whammy

Wages haven’t risen in line with inflation and now inflation is predicted to reach 7% this year

My bills were about £80pm on my fixed rate. That ended November and since then they’ve been £160-£170pm. That’s before the 54% rise in April. I’ve turned radiator thermostats down, don’t have the heating on as high, make the kids wrap up etc. I’ll probably manage ok but I feel awful for people who can’t cut back anywhere. I have family that are already struggling to afford it.

Gas doesn't worry me as we dont use huge amounts, electricity however terrifies me.

We are on a fixed plan till Aug but already use a good £80‐£100 a month.

We wfh so have 2 computers plugged in and in use for 8-12 hours a day. There is always something on charge, be it the kids devices, mobile phones etc. We have a tumble drier, which I do use but it tends to be once a week it's on the go for a whole day, and maybe a half a day elsewhere. Same with the washing machine, in that I try to get all the laundry done over the course of a day or two so not having it on constantly.

Dishwasher I use in eco mode usually, but where possible I will just try to do the 30 min wash.

I'm worried!

@WorstXmasEver

We pay £30 a week for gas and electricity in a 3 bedroom house where everything is always on.

We're with utilita with no special deal at all.

That sounds about right for a family. I live in a three bed house with everything on but there's only me now and mine has gone down to £87 a month. I'm with EDF. I've no complaints for myself but I do feel for others who are feeling the pinch.

Every other time the country is in recession the government kick start the building trade!
The Eco summit was very recently.

I do wonder if this is some sort of forced Eco plan to get homes insulated and solar panels heat pumps etc installed in homes - increase the tariffs, reduce the cost of installation.

Not long ago solar panels were £25K on average now that’s reduced and is worth investing in.

We haven’t yet but we are considering it.

@Nidan2Sandan

Gas doesn't worry me as we dont use huge amounts, electricity however terrifies me.

We are on a fixed plan till Aug but already use a good £80‐£100 a month.

We wfh so have 2 computers plugged in and in use for 8-12 hours a day. There is always something on charge, be it the kids devices, mobile phones etc. We have a tumble drier, which I do use but it tends to be once a week it's on the go for a whole day, and maybe a half a day elsewhere. Same with the washing machine, in that I try to get all the laundry done over the course of a day or two so not having it on constantly.

Dishwasher I use in eco mode usually, but where possible I will just try to do the 30 min wash.

I'm worried!

Should say, tumble drier is only in the winter. I hang out as much as possible. I did try hanging washing out yesterday but after 5 hours it was still as wet as when I hung it out.

[quote ivykaty44]LlamaLucy You might want to research the effects of log burners on your lungs etc, before having a burner fitted. www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2020/march/open-fires-wood-burners-bad-health[/quote]
Open fires and older woodburners yes but the EU approved ones are very efficient, changed out my old burner for a Charnwood and get far more heat, use 50% less wood, can see the smoke being recirculated and re burnt.

the EU standard is better again than the UK's DEfra approved 'burners.

Quality of the fuel is paramount though.

Mine has dropped - but that's because compared to last year I am now a 1 person household. I expect next year to hurt.

@StarCat2020

Tory / neolib way

Yup

These price rises are going to impact on the lives of millions of people for years.

My son is in his early 20s. He would love to buy their own home and he is really sensible with money. However hard they try though they just cannot get enough in the bank for a deposit. The rental prices are shocking and now their energy bills are shooting up. The chances of becoming a home owner is slipping further and further away.

I know that not everyone want to buy their own home, but for me it has been critical. Having a mortgage free home allowed me to give up work when ill health meant I just could not go on any longer. I would love to be able to help my son out but my savings are gone.

All this talk of turning off heating, putting on jumpers etc makes me so sad. I worked for 30 years. I don't want to live in a cold house like I did when I was a child. I don't want my son to have to keep living in overpriced, neglected rentals. I want to live, not exist. All of the 'fun' things we looked forward to returning after covid - eating out once in a while, theatre trips, two weeks in the sun - covid stopped that for two years, now it will be fuel poverty that puts an end to it for so many people.

Our gas reading was significantly higher for January than for December which shocked me as we've not been having the heating on in the evenings in recent weeks.

Life is just getting more and more grim. #wfh will become a lot less appealing for people when they're struggling to keep warm while consciously turning down the thermostat to save money.

I've just changed my fixed DD to a monthly direct debit on the bill.
I don't trust them to estimate my usage - especially as I WFH a lot last year.

I will just have to make sure I put money away in the summer months to cover the Winter bills.

here is always something on charge, be it the kids devices, mobile phones etc

Devices like phones etc don't use much energy at all.

It's the showers they take that you need to worry about!

I'm sure December was particularly warm, for December. There were a handful of days in the mid-teens.