Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Direct debit going up to £600pm?

255 replies

nogella · 02/09/2022 15:16

It's just me, DS and DD.

I don't even own a telly. They just get broken. Lights rarely on. I mostly just use the microwave for food, and oven a max of 15 mins a time. During the day none of that is in use really

What on earth am I spending £600 a month on exactly?! Charging phones and the shower? ConfusedSad

I don't know what to do. What will I do! I don't really use my energy anyway. So I can't cut back either and I can't afford £600 a month. I don't have that. It doesn't exist even if I stopped eating

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Friars23 · 02/09/2022 18:57

@QforCucumber, forgot to add tv is not too expensive according to this list if that helps. Approx 6p per hr at the new high 52p/kWh.

Direct debit going up to £600pm?
EtnaVesuvius · 02/09/2022 19:05

nogella · 02/09/2022 15:19

My current bill is £360

That's both has and electric

If you live as you say you do and your bill is £360 - in summer - then something is wrong.

Original poster
nogella · 02/09/2022 19:07

felulageller · 02/09/2022 17:40

The things that cost money are heating, showers and tumble dryers. Not fridges TVs and microwaves.

How many hours a day do you have central heating on in winter? At what temp? Turn it down to 4 hours a day at 18c. Off the rest of the time. Cut showers to 5 mins every 3 days. No more tumble drying! They can use £1 per day!

Yeah, I'm not showering for 5 minutes once every 3 days. Wtf!

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cost of living
EtnaVesuvius · 02/09/2022 19:07

(For reference, four of us in a 4-bed house. Combined bill is c.£85 a month at the moment.)

Original poster
nogella · 02/09/2022 19:08

Unfortunately I have to use my tumble dryer a lot. I just have to. And my son showers about 3/4 times a day on average due to special needs

OP posts:
blankittyblank · 02/09/2022 19:10

@cakeorwine I don't know for sure how much we use. But at the moment it's summer, so it's only electricity or gas for hot water. In the winter we use way more gas obviously. These are our latest readings which shed some light on our usage

Direct debit going up to £600pm?
Direct debit going up to £600pm?
cakeorwine · 02/09/2022 19:10

nogella · 02/09/2022 19:08

Unfortunately I have to use my tumble dryer a lot. I just have to. And my son showers about 3/4 times a day on average due to special needs

I think that will add to the cost - and high electric usage.

I don't know if there are any Government schemes to help in such situations.

Comedycook · 02/09/2022 19:11

nogella · 02/09/2022 19:08

Unfortunately I have to use my tumble dryer a lot. I just have to. And my son showers about 3/4 times a day on average due to special needs

Tumble dryers are expensive to run aren't they? Do you have an outside washing line? Have you tried a heated airer?

As for the showers, would your ds respond well to a timer in the shower to keep his showers short?

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:12

Is that £360 for one month? If that's the case then yes you will be £600+ a month come October's rise. But if you haven't been giving meter readings then it's just a guess at the moment. You need to give regular readings.

Your bill should have your usage in KhW in it. Maybe join the Energy Support and Advice group on FB and post a redacted version of your bill there to see what's going on.

Original poster
nogella · 02/09/2022 19:14

As for the showers, would your ds respond well to a timer in the shower to keep his showers short?

No he's profoundly disabled. He needs them. He really does. Head to toe smearing is just one example Envy

OP posts:
Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:15

A tumble dryer cycle could be as much as £1.50-2 come October, so if you do a lot of drying that's where your money will be going. Ditto electric shower. Things like TV, lights, don't use much in comparison.

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:16

I'd really recommend that FB group though. Loads of advice on your bill, how to cut down, grants that are available, etc.

cakeorwine · 02/09/2022 19:34

nogella · 02/09/2022 19:14

As for the showers, would your ds respond well to a timer in the shower to keep his showers short?

No he's profoundly disabled. He needs them. He really does. Head to toe smearing is just one example Envy

Do you have a bill with monthly electric use?

I think that will show you where the cost is.

I am sorry - it does sound like tumble driers and the shower is using a lot of energy

EtnaVesuvius · 02/09/2022 19:35

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:15

A tumble dryer cycle could be as much as £1.50-2 come October, so if you do a lot of drying that's where your money will be going. Ditto electric shower. Things like TV, lights, don't use much in comparison.

It’s still not £360 a month though.

That’s over £10 worth of energy a day.

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:38

But OP hasn't clarified if that is the price for one month or not. And also the energy company are using estimates so it may bear no resemblance to her usage anyway.

Essentially, OP needs to send meter readings asap so her usage can be updated and then she has an accurate picture of her monthly usage.

Until then it's all speculation!

BakersYeast · 02/09/2022 19:38

Dadnotamum72 · 02/09/2022 18:06

I do not understand why so many people do direct debit, yes it averages out summer and winter but causes all these other issues and confusion.

Pay as use via quartely bill and you know what you are using, do regular readings and in the current climate definately do not go on a high fixed rate.

It is cheaper and easier.

Hotandbothereds · 02/09/2022 19:40

nogella · 02/09/2022 15:47

Read my last post

Show quote history

Until you clarify how long a period the previous £360 payment was for it’s impossible really to work out what’s going on here.

If you weren’t paying on direct debit before, was that a month or a quarterly bill they sent? They don’t normally send monthly bills so what period was that covering?

Sally99 · 02/09/2022 19:41

QuikQ · 02/09/2022 15:25

@AmandaHoldensLips you're incorrect about the microwave - it is in fact one of the cheapest ways to cook

That's good to hear. I was really worried by that

Midpmcoffee · 02/09/2022 19:44

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:38

But OP hasn't clarified if that is the price for one month or not. And also the energy company are using estimates so it may bear no resemblance to her usage anyway.

Essentially, OP needs to send meter readings asap so her usage can be updated and then she has an accurate picture of her monthly usage.

Until then it's all speculation!

To be fair

estimates are based on usage

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:47

But she's not sent any readings since she moved in so the estimates are not based on her usage. They'll be based on the previous occupant or a generic formula for the size of property until she sends her own readings.

FlimFlam2 · 02/09/2022 20:07

JOFFCV · 02/09/2022 15:24

How peoples bills are so different amazes me.

Yours is £77.44 for both gas & electricty?

That is crazy cheap.

Show quote history

Ours is £30 a month for gas and electric combined, but we don't use near the amount we are billed for and are almost £300 in credit. In the last seven months we have used less than 100kW of electricity.

Cornishclio · 02/09/2022 20:08

If that is per month it does not sound right. We are on SVR with British Gas and our monthly direct debit was £165 this month for a 4 bed detached. Not being particularly economical yet and certainly have laptops, TVs and DH has a 3d printer which always seems to be on. I have just been able to reduce it to £141 for October but expect it to rise again as weather gets colder. I am guessing £600 is not a monthly amount. Speak to your energy company

Midpmcoffee · 02/09/2022 20:17

Hugasauras · 02/09/2022 19:47

But she's not sent any readings since she moved in so the estimates are not based on her usage. They'll be based on the previous occupant or a generic formula for the size of property until she sends her own readings.

Yes
but given her usage as outlined in this thread, it is unlikely to be substantially less than the previous occupants

cakeorwine · 02/09/2022 20:22

FlimFlam2 · 02/09/2022 20:07

Ours is £30 a month for gas and electric combined, but we don't use near the amount we are billed for and are almost £300 in credit. In the last seven months we have used less than 100kW of electricity.

Show quote history

How?

The average is 2900 KWH per year.

100 KWH in 7 months is incredibly low

Purrfecto · 02/09/2022 20:28

I’m currently paying 259 a month in 4 bed detached. They have emailed me asking me to increase to 550 and I am £700 in credit. Bill last month was 153 Madness!
We’re trying very hard to turn things off, nothing left on standby etc
Have requested a smart meter so I can keep a close eye on what we’re using.

Swipe left for the next trending thread