£75 of electricity this month!

[NoodleDoodleDo]

Just got our energy bill for this month, which is based on readings so is accurate. We have used £75 of electricity this month, on top of the standing charges.

That is bonkers! It's the middle of Summer with long days so lights not needed so much, been drying clothes outside. We haven't used the tumble dryer.
We do have an electric oven and hob but haven't been cooking any banquets lately!
The dishwasher does go on daily.

We're extremely fortunate that we can manage the increased costs but its left me shocked to think of what the price is going to be in Winter, even though I have kept aware of price cap etc so knew what increases were coming.

I think seeing £75 of electricity in August when we have been conscious of making sure lights are switched off etc, the reality of the situation is really stark.

I grew up with my parents being really skint when we were kids, despite working long hours, which is partly why I have stayed living in a cheap house (the terrace me and DH bought when first moving in together) and only had one child. The thought of not been able to afford the bills like my parents has always terrified me so have stayed in a situation where we are more comfortable financially.

Thankfully we can manage the increased costa but I worry somewhat about my Mum and sister. And I could cry for some of my son's classmates whose families are already struggling.

I can only imagine how worried some people are right now.

I'm currently on a really good fix, fixed last oct for 18 months. But I've got to move house as I rent and my landlord is selling... so I'll be moving end sept/beg Oct and will be looking for a new energy tariff as I can't take mine. I'm actually so upset over it, I tried so hard to minimise the uplift and tracking and gaining credit with my energy company, now its all wasted.

You need to look at how much your usage costs per month, averaged over the whole year both currently and from January and if you're currently paying enough or building up debt. Also if you have any debt on your account and the impact of the financial help.

But once all the price rises have worked through, the total rise is a factor of around four to five times in as a maximum in 2 years, not counting the financial help that's been given, so a rise of £60 to £400 suggests that either you're currently not paying enough or that £400 pm is an overestimate, possibly both, but without actual usage figures, it's impossible to say.

It's not wasted at all. You've had a year on a really good fix, so should have saved compared with being on the April 22 tariff and have a credit, along with the £400, possibly more as they're talking about increasing it, to help you over the coming winter.

Ours is about £70 a month at the moment, and we're on a decent fixed tariff from last year that will run out in December. I'm dreading the increase in price when we go onto the variable rate.

I don't know what to do to make it cheaper. Dishwasher goes on once a day, washing machine is also every day or slightly less if I can't be bothered. I can't get away with much less, we have a baby so we get through laundry quickly. I'm not at all a precious type about having to wash things after wearing once, either.

Then there's cooking - but we batch cook, so most days it's just heating something through after being defrosted. The kettle goes on five times a day. Can't do much about this as four of these times are for my baby's bottles (now I'm regretting letting my baby decide to wean off bf at 7 months 🤣).

The only other thing is a few hours a day playing the radio, and charging my phone once a day. TV very rarely goes on in our house. I have an electric piano which I play once a day.

I know there's little things I can do to save money, of course. But it's all just mad that we even have to worry about this level of electricity use. It's not like I'm wasteful!

We are on a fix of dual fuel £188 a month until Feb 23. I though this was horrendous as it’s double what it was previously just below the current price cap, but now I think we are very lucky.
We are in credit - the tumble dryer hasn’t been used all summer, evening I’d rather read than watch TV, and when we do wash clothes it’s normally at 30 degrees.
I do worry about my parents though.

We're not in debt to our energy company, so I imagine it's an overestimate by the company. Closer to the time we'll be able to try and shop around - Scottish Power have only offered this figure as we are currently with them.

@Lunabun - if you have a decent flask, water will stay above 70 degrees for 6-12 hours in most. I know many people do this for baby bottles out and about as can take water boiled at 8am and make bottles all day whilst away from kettle

@Caspianberg I bought a flask early on when we started combi feeding, but I tested the water and unfortunately 4 hours later it was teetering just below 70.

I'm guessing then that I must have bought a crap flask? Maybe I ought to look into it again. I've just been reluctant to shell out for one only to have it not work well again!

I use RTF out and about now which certainly isn't cheap. I just have to factor it into the cost of the day out when deciding if we can afford it 😬

Mines about £100 a month, has been foe a long time though. I don't use the dryer any more which is probably why I'm not seeing an increase yet. Gas usage has been £18 this month . I'm on a pre payment meter and can't afford for things to go up much more. Don't know how that's going to work in the winter with heating and getting clothes dry

Yes electric showers really eat electricity. They are only more economical power wise than baths if you have short showers. If you have someone who likes 15 minute showers they will be a disaster to your budget this winter.

Also about £15 of that £75 on electricity is just standing charge. That charge will be the same regardless of whether your home is a bedsit, a mansion or even if you don't use anything at all but still remain connected to the grid.

Interesting. Our electricity bill last month was £48, for actual useage.

No dishwasher.
Washing machine used twice a week.
Daily shower x2
Oven cooking every other day.
Hob uses gas.
Kettle boiled twice a day.

So is it down to the dishwasher mainly? I know posts on here say it's cheaper than hand-washing up, but what's the main difference between my use and OP's?

Mine was a similar amount this last month. So I'm spending more per month now in the summer than I used to spend in winter months. It's ridiculous!
I have had a fan on a lot because of the heat which I'm guessing has used a lot (haven't got a smart metre so not sure).
It worries me that when winter comes and I need to put the heating on it's going to be difficult.
I'm also lucky that I can manage (I hope) without needing to choose heating or eating, though I'll definitely have to cut back elsewhere. I'm desperately sad for those who just cannot manage these bills.

£60 here

Both on eco wash
Dishwasher every other day
Washing mac x3/4 per week

X2 fridge freezers
X2 TVs
Charging phones etc

Airfyer on most days

£40 gas
Water
Hob

X2 adults 1 child

Watch the length of showers

Always use cold water to wash your hands (it's as effective with soap I understand)

I've just had this through, I take it I'm best not fixing?!

@Lunabun www.telegraph.co.uk/recommended/leisure/best-thermos-flasks/

These reviews might help. Show which we’re still hot after 12 hrs.ie Stanley lost only 13 degrees in 12+hrs, so in at 100, would be well over 70.

£70 on electric
£35 on gas

I've turned the boiler to minimum. My fridge freezer on minimum. My kitchen is cold so that helps.
Washing twice weekly. (3 adults)
Longer between clothes washing.
Wash bedding every 2 weeks instead of weekly. Yes Mumsnet sin.
Using the slow cooker more. Handy for when working long days.
Hang my uniform up on the curtain rail with windows open.
Bedding draped over doors.
I do have 2 snails that need heat mats and thermostats and really don't want to have to turn the heat down. But don't know how much electric they use.
I've also turned into my dad and go round the house switching lights off.
Everything is switched off at the plug if not in use.
I'm on a prepayment meters.

August isn't representative for me - I've had 4 or 5 adults in the house when normally it would be just me.

I'm in credit at the moment, but have already started cutting back. Short shower and every other day, not every day. All washing at low temps, and the tumble dryer will be avoided unless no other option. No lights on in the room if there's no-one in it, and the thermostat on the heating will be way down this winter.

Ours was £175🫣we have an electric car. 2 people work from home, so computers on all the time. Refused to use the tumble dryer anymore, but still so high.

Last month:
£57 electric
£27 gas

2 of us, 3 bed semi. I've only found that electric has gone up by £10 a month.

We currently are averaging just under £60 for electric (dishwasher once a day, washing 2-3 loads a week and the odd dryer use depending on weather) and £15 for gas. Obviously the gas is going to go up more in winter this is just standing charge and hot water for showers mainly. We have turned the flow temp down for the water and radiators on the boiler so hope that might help. In the winter both work out of offices (partner went back 4days a week in feb and noticed a big reduction to the bills) so heating will be on for an hour in the morning but might cut that out and then from 4pm for a few hours. Main concern is actually maintaining the fabric of the house and ensuring it doesn’t get too cold/damp!

We dropped into standard because the fixes were ridiculous and yes I know we could of to avoid further increases but I’d have been paying months on a much higher than standard rate before they go up again. We are in comparison to some quite low in usage/cost but it’s still worrying.

We paid £75 last month month bill wise. Very low users. But before the fix ended it the actual bill was only £45. In May/June. So depressing. We can stomach it with the government help, the credit in the account and we are doing ok financially but it’s so depressing that it keeps going up and up so much. I feel for those that are struggling already as well as small business how the hell do they keep afloat? Schools where there budgets are already low and are expected to fund the pay rises too.

Also about £15 of that £75 on electricity is just standing charge. That charge will be the same regardless of whether your home is a bedsit, a mansion or even if you don't use anything at all but still remain connected to the grid.

£75 was useage only, standing charge was an additional £13. So £88 altogether for electric this last month

Luckily my husband put us on a fixed before this all happened. We pay £150 a month for both gas and electric. And our fixed isn’t up till Dec 2023. So I’m really hoping that this is all sorted by then as I cannot pay anymore than that. I just don’t have the money spare.

I quite often see on here people saying they shower twice a day etc. wonder if they are doing that now. As I have already cut back on that as well.

Also. People on here saying they are tumble drying their towels. I have never had a tumble dryer purely because of the cost. Have u ever thought to just air dry them and save the money? Especially if it’s going to cost u a fortune.