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)

@PinkFlask @FourTeaFallOut
Thank you for the clarification.

Save water and energy, shower with a friend!

@ToughLoveLDN Yes I'm sure you have been paying that but the point you seem to have missed, is that it's now increasing!!!!! You'll soon be paying double your current rates, at least!

Can you claim vat back through the business for the heat for the cabin? No idea how it all works but most self employed people I know claim for all sorts of weird things. Someone even put take aways for lunch under team building buisness expenses 🤷🏻‍♀️ (or so they say)

@BertramLacey I would appeal that rent increase. I'm sure your landlord won't want to risk losing a decent tenant and having an empty property between tenants.
Also, there's now a Revenge Eviction law in place whereby it's illegal for landlords to evict in retaliation to a tenant appealing a rent reduction or requesting repairs etc. Basically they cannot evict you without very good reason! So it's worth a try

I’ve only put the heating on three times this winter. I make sure DS is warm (bought a small ceramic heater for his room and for when he’s in the living room) but otherwise I wear layers and stay warm that way!
Terrified of these new charges.

Check your meters yourselves, don’t just accept the reading even if it was done by them.

I got a bill for £3000. I live in a single room, I’ve had no heating and one warm meal a week. I checked my meter and the reader had read it wrongly (instead of taking day and night readings, they’d added them to together for the day reading - it was clear what they’d done). When I rang they refused to accept it and kept sending repeatedly demands for payment. Then I got another bill, with another £3000 on top.

I managed to convince CAB in the next county to help and this morning have been told the electric company actually owe me £200 for overpayment. The bill, when they accepted it was their mistake was still double last year.

Our electric bill has gone up by £100 and yet we have no tumble dryer or dishwasher, TV isn't on in the day, only put light on if needed. I do use the washing machine a lot but we have a toddler.
Just found out price of swimming and kickboxing has gone up and nursery is talking about raising their prices too
My wages will go up in April (because otherwise I'd be on less than minimum wage) but I truly can't see how we're going to live.

People are going to be enthusiastically voting for fracking once they're squeezed enough.

And I bet we still have threads about daily towel washing...

A dishwasher would save money, or energy saving trust used to say so.

Hi all, I feel you pain. I was on a fixed deal until 2023 but my supplier went bust. My new supplier is only a little more expensive at the moment but my bills are going to go up hugely in April.

If it is any use to anyone, I use the spreadsheets (the first set mentioned) below to keep track of how much I am spending. It helps avoid big shocks.

thnet.co.uk/power/

@Fedupbuyer

I’m probably a bit stupid but the price cap will be £1971 divide that by 12 is £164 a month or there abouts so why the massive bills?

You have to remember that MN posters are not generally average use families, loads of washing, towels often daily, clothes often changed twice a day and washed after hardly any wearing, umpteen showers, threads about how disgusting people are who don't do these practices.

The Tory party are uncaring towards the situation and I don’t think they give a shit that this will ruin lives because if they did then they would be doing more about it.

Of course they don't care. They are aware the average person in britain is stupid enough to vote for them again despite them causing your poverty. Simply because they believe Labour will do a worse job. The only way Labour could do a worse job now is by emptying all of your bank accounts every month plus your savings and tell you to forage and hunt for your food now.

@LlamaLucy

Can you make savings elsewhere? I’ve accepted that I can’t turn off my power any more than I do. But, I can save in other ways - let my hair air dry, not go to the hairdresser, dye it at home, shorter showers, use the car less, buy cheaper food/toiletries, less wine/snacks, less going out, use the library instead of buying books, buy less extravagant gifts, no new clothes

As it happens, we’re getting a log-burner fitted soon, so we’ll be able to heat the house with that rather than use the rip-off energy suppliers, which I’m loathe to support.

@LlamaLucy

air drying hair is great, home dyeing great too, shorter showers (I average 10 mins), rarely use the car but walk locally, buy all cheaper etc and library.

Log burners or coal burners are great - honestly I don't have one but parents have one which they don't use due to pollution etc but might use now - you can open the door of main room where it's in and the hot air heats the whole house literally.

My bills have gone up - don't use a lot but might have to let a spare room soon.

[quote ClaudineClare]Hi all, I feel you pain. I was on a fixed deal until 2023 but my supplier went bust. My new supplier is only a little more expensive at the moment but my bills are going to go up hugely in April.

If it is any use to anyone, I use the spreadsheets (the first set mentioned) below to keep track of how much I am spending. It helps avoid big shocks.

thnet.co.uk/power/[/quote]
Sorry it is the second set.

We bought a meter (not a smart meter as that's a con) that plugs in to our system - we went round and turned off / registered the jump when turned on for usage - and were shocked at what some items draw when on standby / plugged in. They now go off when not in use, pulled from walls and yes, we've changed how we are using electricity. No gas here and oil heating and that has jumped 20p a litre from when we last bought in August!! Hold tight folks, this is really going to hurt and especially now they are talking about different tariffs for different times of day. Anyone for an electric car now!!

I’m probably a bit stupid but the price cap will be £1971 divide that by 12 is £164 a month or there abouts so why the massive bills?

That is just a figure based on average use, you need to look at the new tariffs and your personal usage if you are on a variable rate

For example, if my supplier passes on the full increase to me electricity is (very roughly) going from something like 20p to 31p per KWH gas around 4.5p to 7p. The daily standing charges are going up too. Gas daily standing charge will be almost 50p.

@itrytomakemyway

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.

I totally understand where you're coming from😢I started a similar thread yesterday, my dc are younger 10 & 8 but it's the fun stuff we'll really be missing out on too...theatre trips, ice skating etc. We had saved so had for a sun holiday this year unfortunately that moneys going to have to be put aside for utilities. It's shit. Like I said on my thread yesterday I know there are millions worse off but this is my situation & my families & I'm allowed be upset that our hard work will now just be spent on bills & the rising cost of living...

We were £27is credit yesterday. I was asked for meter readings........ We are now £800 is DEBIT. Gutted!

TollgateDebs

I looked at electric cars and they are not worth it for the amount of usage we need. Firstly unless you payout a lot on a car that will do 2-300 miles on one charge it would take so much longer to do my job.
Time recharging = money wasted.

Then because of the cost of electricity it would probably add another £20 per day onto out electric. Charging your car isn’t free.

A lot of the hybrid versions seem to only give a mpg of some non electric cars and by the time you have compared the cost of leases there really isn’t much in it.

@Scianel

People are going to be enthusiastically voting for fracking once they're squeezed enough.

They may well be but like NS gas and oil, gas from fracking is sold on world markets, so regardless of where it has come from it makes no difference to what we pay.

After reading this I have just taken a quick lookout ours . Am with Eon. Unfortunately and probably deliberately they have changed the way the bills are - different months grouped together this year as opposed to last BUT I can see that we have had the same usage approx 780 kilowatts for the last 3 months - winter 2020 was 127 Pounds and this winter 2021 is 181 Pounds.

However also looked at my gas bill and last winter it shows as 243 kilowatt hours and this winter 2973 so I have no idea what is going on there ! Full forensic investigation will take place today.

@Limmers14 ofgem guidance says you can switch in your situation, and you won’t be charged exit fees. Might be worth contacting them if you’re having problems.

I feel so sorry for the pensioners who weren't able to save for a good pension. Will they get help?

It really is horrible for a lot of people.