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Original poster

Gas and electricity bills to soar

783 replies

Cosmos123 · 18/09/2021 17:33

This is worrying as it will push many into fuel poverty.
Rising food prices and empty shelves.
Is anyone worried?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
NoWordForFluffy · 23/09/2021 18:45

@RedToothBrush

Going back to a shared weekly bath is the future.
Good job I work from home and don't have to see anybody these days!
Againstmachine · 23/09/2021 19:24

Whilst bills are going up some people's usage is crazily high, and they need to look into what they are using.

speakout · 23/09/2021 19:32

Whilst bills are going up some people's usage is crazily high, and they need to look into what they are using.

I think I do. I do keep the house very warm in winter, but perhaps I could think about individual room heaters. I have a fairly new gas boiler which is efficient, but heating on almost 24/7 in the winter months. I don't have a tumble drier and do most of my laundry on a short cool wash.
I need to think about ways of cutting back.

tiddlysquat · 23/09/2021 19:36

I'm very low on electric (but have solar !), gas is medium (but it's only a tiny house), so looks like I could be cutting back - although my app tells me I'm comparatively low to other similar properties. Heating has always been one of the things I won't really compromise on but looks like this winter there won't be much choice for lots of us .

tiddlysquat · 23/09/2021 19:40

And I have electric oven and hob and use on the evening so not using solar , so I don't think it can use that much ? I use 2000 electric . 11500 gas. Have tumble dryer dishwasher and washing machine, latter two on most days

BarbaraofSeville · 23/09/2021 19:56

@speakout

Whilst bills are going up some people's usage is crazily high, and they need to look into what they are using.

I think I do. I do keep the house very warm in winter, but perhaps I could think about individual room heaters. I have a fairly new gas boiler which is efficient, but heating on almost 24/7 in the winter months. I don't have a tumble drier and do most of my laundry on a short cool wash.
I need to think about ways of cutting back.

I'm not sure that individual room heaters save much money, especially if you're moving from gas to electricity although you can do things with radiator thermostats and keep doors to unused rooms closed and the heating on very low in those rooms to reduce the space that you're heating.

We've twice lived in houses for a year or two before we've installed central heating with solutions like calor gas heaters, oil filled radiators and a single gas fire and despite only heating single rooms and not doing it very well, it's often cost the same or more as when we moved to a good efficiency GCH boiler system.

tiddlysquat · 23/09/2021 20:01

Also inadequately heated houses can cause other problems , I get a lot of condensation in the bedrooms so have always kept the heating at 15 overnight as that seemed to be the number that, while I still get it , reduces it a bit. I'd forgotten that , going to whack the thermostat backup Confused

speakout · 23/09/2021 20:01

BarbaraofSeville
Thanks. I had a new gas central heaing system and boiler installed 3 years ago. Hasn't made a great impact on my usage.
I will have a think about other ways to cut consumption.

StarCat2020 · 23/09/2021 20:17

I get a lot of condensation in the bedrooms so have always kept the heating at 15 overnight as that seemed to be the number that, while I still get it , reduces it a bit
I sometimes get this too.

I am thinking of giving up breathing as I believe it might help too.

Actually might solve many issues

Horst · 23/09/2021 20:35

Thing is my usage is high but the things I can’t change are the ones that put me in the red. I can’t make the landlord replace the oven although it was new last year, I can’t make him put in a more effective cheaper usage shower.

I’ve already been using my dryer only for towels, and no I can’t give up my showers as genuinely feel dirty in a bath and I then don’t sleep.

MidnightMeltdown · 23/09/2021 20:39

@tiddlysquat

Also inadequately heated houses can cause other problems , I get a lot of condensation in the bedrooms so have always kept the heating at 15 overnight as that seemed to be the number that, while I still get it , reduces it a bit. I'd forgotten that , going to whack the thermostat backup Confused

My heating is always switched off at night and the house never drops below 15 degrees if the heating has been on in the evening. You might need to look at insulation.

Lahhdjdknwbjshdhb · 23/09/2021 21:04

For those really needing to cut their energy use this winter, I’ve started this thread.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4357100-Energy-costs-are-rising-How-can-we-cut-usage

I’m already fastidious about turning off lights and I leave it until mid winter to turn on the heating, but need some more tips.

justasking111 · 23/09/2021 22:22

A good breakdown of energy costs don't know how up to date it is but my fridge freezer was costing around £7 per week that's around £350 per Annum.

www.cse.org.uk/advice/advice-and-support/how-much-electricity-am-i-using

Wotwhywhen · 23/09/2021 22:35

[quote justasking111]A good breakdown of energy costs don't know how up to date it is but my fridge freezer was costing around £7 per week that's around £350 per Annum.

www.cse.org.uk/advice/advice-and-support/how-much-electricity-am-i-using[/quote]
At the bottom of the table it reads:

All calculations are based on an assumed unit rate of £0.15p per kWh

So I think it's pretty.inaccurate, bit of.maths should be able to calculate the difference... But I'm. Not good at maths, so don't ask me too.. 😂

earsup · 23/09/2021 23:30

Poundland had the LED bulbs...i bought 20 and changed all mine...shelves now cleared out...!!

20 min queue tonight for petrol at Asda and gone up 10p a litre also since last month....
people with high useage need to read up on appliances....fridges and lights use very very little unless something wrong with them...its the electric oven, tumble dryers etc which consume huge amounts...i dont have either of those...

Caplin · 23/09/2021 23:40

For anyone whose fix is ending, Don’t. Do. Anything. Do not switch you may end up paying more than if you stay on the variable tariff which is currently capped at below the wholesale costs.

Right now ONLY switch when the price cap shifts upwards of you might be tied into something horribly expensive.

Neveranynamesleft · 23/09/2021 23:53

@caplin

A lot of people also have the problem of being with one of the small companies that may/may not be about to fold, so there's lots to think about.

Caplin · 24/09/2021 00:03

[quote Neveranynamesleft]@caplin

A lot of people also have the problem of being with one of the small companies that may/may not be about to fold, so there's lots to think about.[/quote]
Maybe, but I used to work for one of the small companies that folded, and also spent 10 years working for a big energy company.

Wherever you are moved to, you will be on the price cap. If you fix, you will probably pay more. Martin Lewis said the exact same tonight. Do nothing!

Take a screen shot of your credit, and sit tight.

Caplin · 24/09/2021 00:05

That was for @Neveranynamesleft…..too tired to quote the right post!

Pokhora · 24/09/2021 06:25

Does anyone know the price per kwh for the current price cap? I can only find the annual bill which is not very helpful.

Indoctro · 24/09/2021 07:13

Our company People's Energy has just gone busy and I had £197 in credit with them I hope I don't lose it

I hate this direct debit nonsense I'm always way in credit and they don't let you adjust I'd rather just get billed quarterly for what ive used

User45829057 · 24/09/2021 07:34

Is it just certain companies that don't let you change your DD, we are with British Gas and can adjust it as we want to match the amount predicted to use so we pay the right amount, I change ours quite often.

RagzReturnsRebooted · 24/09/2021 07:41

Our usage is high for electricity at 5,500 but low for gas at 8,200 (heating not on much, I didn't grow up with CH and don't like being hot). No electric shower, but we probably use the oven a lot (will have to work out if air fryer is cheaper) and 3 teens using multiple devices including PC and xbox for hours a day, probably uses quite a bit. DH works from home and the workshop has power tools etc. Not that he's working much this year, so that may go down!

User45829057 · 24/09/2021 07:50

We try to fill the oven as much as possible when we use it and make sure that any baking we do goes in at the same time as food for a meal. I bake a lot of rye bread and always time it to put it in the oven with a meal, likewise crumbles and cakes.

Coogee · 24/09/2021 09:05

WFH has whacked our energy bills up. Pre covid we were out of the house for 12-13 hours a day during the week. Now we have to heat the house during the day, not just evenings and weekends. Electricity use is the same. It used to be minimal weekdays, now its powering two home offices and a canteen.