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Original poster

Wow! First month's new energy bill

103 replies

JadeSeahorse · 02/05/2022 16:15

Received our bill for the month of April - first one including huge price hike. (Octopus)

Have cut down where we can. Unplugging things at night, line drying washing much, much more, economy setting for washer, dishwasher etc. heating on 14 degrees so hardly ever on, (We are just using gas fire occasionally in the sitting room as house is really well insulated.). Never even bothered previously as the cost wasn't really an issue.

Last year the bill for the month was £102 in total for dual fuel when we weren't cutting back at all. This year - £183! Fortunately, we can easily afford the extra but, my God, how on earth are people on low incomes/tight budgets going to afford this sort of rise? This is seriously scary!

Anyone else had their first month's new bill as yet and how was it?

OP posts:
Savingpeoplehuntingthings · 02/05/2022 17:17

I kept a record of how much my smart meter was reading at 10pm every day in april, (sad i know) my tariff ended end of april so i'm going to keep a record the same in May to compare the two. Strangely yesterday's was cheaper than 1st april (both fell on sunday) and todays isn't looking any more expensive. I'm confused i was expecting a big increase.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 02/05/2022 17:18

I'm with octopus too, dh has just gone to get a meter reading and I'll be back sobbing in a bit ...

Blimeyherewegoagain · 02/05/2022 17:18

It’s worth putting in a meter reading every month from now on

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Cost of living
MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:19

Mine has actually gone down this month. I don't pay by direct debit as it's a complete rip off so I just pay for what I use each month. Last month was £159 and this month is £129. That's 4/5 people in the house all day and night.

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:20

I would suggest cancelling your direct debits. They wanted to charge me £241 a month but I actually use £129 a month

dementedpixie · 02/05/2022 17:23

I can move my direct debit up and down myself. I have not been asked to change the amount yet but increased it myself as I could see my running balance was rapidly decreasing

rurbane · 02/05/2022 17:24

IcedOatLatte Sorry didn't mean to sound nosey, just trying to remember which months were cheaper than average and which were more expensive and annoyed with myself for not keeping a record. I realise everyone's usage is totally different.

IcedOatLatte · 02/05/2022 17:26

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:19

Mine has actually gone down this month. I don't pay by direct debit as it's a complete rip off so I just pay for what I use each month. Last month was £159 and this month is £129. That's 4/5 people in the house all day and night.

Can you explain how it's a rip off? You don't pay any more and a lot of tariffs are cheaper if you pay by DD

There's nothing wrong with choosing to pay a higher rate for variable monthly payments but I can't see how anyone who chooses a DD is getting ripped off

Tiredmum12389 · 02/05/2022 17:27

We are bulb and my meter readings state we are using over £8 a day. We have no heating on, no extras. Really cutting down and still £8 😣

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:28

@IcedOatLatte the utility company wanted to charge me £241 a month DD yet I don't use anywhere near that (not even in winter). Therefore, they are taking money that they don't really need on account. That's over £120 a month extra compared to what I actually use.

Hesma · 02/05/2022 17:29

Mine was £84, same month last year £51

IcedOatLatte · 02/05/2022 17:29

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:20

I would suggest cancelling your direct debits. They wanted to charge me £241 a month but I actually use £129 a month

I'm guessing you have oil heating or don't use heating at all/have it on all year regardless as I'd say it's impossible to use the same amount every month

Most people's bills will be higher in the months when they have their heating on

HappyGoDucky · 02/05/2022 17:29

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:20

I would suggest cancelling your direct debits. They wanted to charge me £241 a month but I actually use £129 a month

This isn't great advice... DD deals are generally cheaper than paying quarterly. I know you are only paying firewater you use but that I'm the end is what you do by paying DD- build up a credit in the summer to help cover the winter. Its not a rip off as any overpayment is held in credit, and you should then be able to change DD to a realistic amount.

I'd much prefer to pay DD buy for what I've used, but that's never going to happen.

Cubangal · 02/05/2022 17:31

My direct debit was put up to 1/3rd of my salary. We are barely managing as I'm the sole earner.

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:32

@IcedOatLatte I agree that it's not going to be the same each month but mine has gone down this month compared to last. I use a washer, dryer, heating (rarely have it on though as temp in house has been 18/19). We have 3 TVs on most of the time as well as a light on all night and games consoles etc.

Hallyup89 · 02/05/2022 17:33

Electricity is the killer for us. Just submitted meter readings for April. £193 for electricity, £18 for gas (almost half being standing charge). 5 bed detached, thermostat set to 15 and bedroom radiators turned off when kids aren't there (although Easter holidays have meant they've been set to come on for two weeks). Ours/landing/bathrooms off constantly. Only come on at 6:30am and off by 9pm. Gas hob used fairly regularly. I was expecting a lot worse tbh.

BlueRaincoat1 · 02/05/2022 17:33

Up from £170 to £220 gas and elec for a 3 bed semi, 2 adults two small children. With utility Warehouse. It was £120 last year. We have new windows and doors, got the loft reinsulated last year and have an induction hob, not gas.

wonkygorgeous · 02/05/2022 17:33

I have really cut back, turning things off, cooking when solar panels are producing. We got an app that mimics a smart meter but tells us exactly how much solar we are producing.

I only put the washing machine and dish washer on when the solar panels are producing. I pile washing into order to wait for sunny days then do washing back to back as the electricity is free.

I turned off the central heating and bought a big bag of coal that lasts a month each with additional logs.

My husband was pleased when he came to settle the first bill since the price rise. It was the same as before but it's taken a lot of effort.

It could not have been done without solar panels producing upwards of 10KW a day.

We are in a privileged position.

IcedOatLatte · 02/05/2022 17:34

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:28

@IcedOatLatte the utility company wanted to charge me £241 a month DD yet I don't use anywhere near that (not even in winter). Therefore, they are taking money that they don't really need on account. That's over £120 a month extra compared to what I actually use.

So presumably you contacted them in some way to reduce it. It's a negotiation, you don't have to accept their opening figure

As I said, nothing wrong with paying monthly but also nothing wrong with agreeing a DD you feel is reflective of your usage.

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:34

@HappyGoDucky definitely not cheaper for me. I'd rather just pay for what I use rather than holding money on an account that could be put to use elsewhere.

MrsH1983 · 02/05/2022 17:35

@IcedOatLatte they wouldn't reduce my DD as they were going on an estimate usage despite having a smart meter. I wasn't getting anywhere so I cancelled DD and will just leave as is.

daffodilandtulip · 02/05/2022 17:36

I was really pleased when I entered the readings for April, having used a third of what we had used in March...

We paid £43 compared to March's £55!!!

itispersonal · 02/05/2022 17:36

I'm still waiting for octopus to take my electricity amount. I gave reading online on app on 28th April - gas and electricity. Gas debited went out the same day under £19 but still waiting for the electricity to be debited.

Readings for both are showing on meter history so definitely did both!!! I'm anxious to see how much our electricity is, as we are very high electricity users!

filo443 · 02/05/2022 17:53

I pay monthly, i cancelled my DD and spent my credit with Bulb, now I send them a reading every month and they send me an accurate bill, I pay online.

I much prefer it, and if all goes tits up I'm not waiting for a refund.

Summersdreaming · 02/05/2022 18:03

Octopus have set our dd at over £300 per month. We are using average £200 pm.