To ask what you’re doing about energy prices?

[Nc4post99]

Our supplier went belly up so we’re on the variable tariff and the cost of fixing makes me balk, it’s so hideously expensive right now will have gone from £80 to £220 per month.

If you’re on a variable rate, what are you doing? Fixing now or waiting it out ? Martin Lewis’s advice isn’t particularly helpful atm, I think he’s in the wait and see camp, but surely it’s likely when the price cap lifts all the energy companies are going to raise their fixes even more, because they can?

I don’t know what to do

We are considering solar panels. We are planning some extensive work on the house later this year and have asked for a quote for solar panels, it will take a big chunk away of the budget but is starting to feel like a priority now.
Also the work on the house involves sealing and insulating part of the house which currently let's in a lot of cold air, so hoping that will help too.

@berksandbeyond seeing as you worked in energy you don't seem to be understanding the current situation and that many fixed rates have finished .

The trouble with not using heating is its a fine line between it then getting damp in older properties which then causes other issues

I just got an email from SSE with my new rates. Electric standing charge increased from 25.09p to 48.13! Estimated projection £232.81 more
Then gas from 4.05per kwh to 7.37 estimated £342.23 more!
But apparently I'm still on the cheapest rate available and wouldn't benefit from a fixed rate. But my DD amount is going to double.
Went round and turned off all the plugs in the house this morning!
Meanwhile these companies are reporting record profits!

Been increasing dd's slowly to cover the increases and ease us in to the higher costs. Usage remains the same as we've always been very good on that front.
We're not fixing atm, deals are not great, will see how the next hikes are looking.

Wholesale gas suppliers have record profits, not the energy suppliers who are going bust trying to fill the gap between the current cap and the real world prices.

Mines going up by £60 a month, I spend £100 at the moment so I can't grumble. I don't have standard daily charges either which really helps.

You’re missing my point @dementedpixie, the time to fix was months ago but Martin Lewis was telling everyone not to

[quote worriedatthemoment]@berksandbeyond seeing as you worked in energy you don't seem to be understanding the current situation and that many fixed rates have finished .
[/quote]
I said that months ago, Martin Lewis screwed people over by telling them not to fix. He was wrong. That was the time to fix. The fixed tariffs available now are £120 a month more than I am paying.

@berksandbeyond

You’re missing my point *@dementedpixie*, the time to fix was months ago but Martin Lewis was telling everyone not to

I wish I'd taken the hit on the exit fees and fixed in September.

That’s exactly my point @FourTeaFallOut, people might have had to pay £60 per fuel (so £120 total) exit fee for example but they would have been much better off. It was bad advice to ride it out on SVT but now it’s the only option for many!

Trying to cut usage by using the slow cooker,Remoska from Lakeland which is really cheap to run.Very quick daily showers,washing clothes only when a full load.No tumble dryer.No standby,switches off at night.Heating only when really cold.Electric blanket and throw.Thermal underwear,warm layers.What more can we do?fixed rate finishes in April so getting ready for this.

I was already on a fix. Did he not say to take a fix if the prices offered were around 50% higher than the current price cap to take into account the rise in April? The prices I was offered after my fix ended were much higher than 50% (think one was about 75% higher) so I moved to the SVR

Out of interest @berksandbeyond, what are the unit rates you have fixed at?

We've known since before Christmas that the April 2022 price cap will increase hugely and fixes, particularly long term fixes, reflect that, so it's likely that, if you've fixed for two years, you're already paying a similar price to what the April 2022 price cap will be.

I've stopped using hot water except when absolutely necessary (still use it for showers and baths obviously). I hate to think how much was being wasted by turning the hot tap every time I washed my hands. By the time the water was coming through hot I'd have usually finished washing my hands anyway - so all I'd done was activate the boiler and fill the pipes with hot water.

Unit rates
We have fixed at 24.5p elec and 5.49p gas.
Price cap for the south east (where we are) from April will be 29.4p elec and 7.31p gas.

Daily standing charge
We have fixed at 24.11p elec and 26.12p gas.
Price cap for the south east from April 2022 will be 41.66p elec and 27.22p gas.

Sorry that was to @BarbaraofSeville

Not replying to boast but am one off the lucky ones. My Fixed deal ended in Sept 2021 and I was confused what to do. Luckily Sainsbury energy were offering me a fixed 2yr deal at the same price Octopus were offering for varied rate. Or I would have followed Martin Lewis advice not to fix.

So I moved/fixed thinking I can leave if rates go down. My bills still went up from £60 to £100 a month for both and am using less energy. Can just about afford that so no idea what I would have done when price cap went up.

Seeing on this thread what the price caps are I'm relieved I fixed. I know this doesn't help others and I am relived my fixed deal came to end when it did, just before it all went crazy.

I fixed at
Electric
19.45p/kWh23.77p/day

Gas
3.78p/kWh26.12p/day

Still worried Sainsbury energy may go under (but it's tied with eon so hopefully not)

I fixed my tarrif at the time when Martin Lewis said don't and I will be exempt from price increases until Dec this year.

It was swings and roundabouts when I looked last year. The capped variable rate was sIgnificantly cheaper than any fixed deal being offered and it spanned the colder months where our energy use is several times what it is in the warmer months (we use no gas) when the new higher capped rate will apply.

@Irridescantshimmmer

I fixed my tarrif at the time when Martin Lewis said don't and I will be exempt from price increases until Dec this year.

Unless you managed to get a loyalty-based cheap deal then you're presumably already paying roughly what you'd be paying from April then? When I was looking in November there were no 12m fixes cheaper than the capped rate that's coming in April.

Im on prepayment and can't fixed but on a saver rate thing so when i go over a usage its less and I don't have any daily standing charges but us on prepayment get screwed over all the time , I pay for my gas / electric before I even use it yet still we pay a higher rate

We fixed for 2 years in October, leaving Bulb. Was nervous about it as the current thinking was to go on to SVR. I'm not massively savvy on it but am trying to get more so!

Fixed at electric 19.82 and 24.11 sc, and gas 3.96 and 26.12 with eon.

We still seem to be spending a bloody fortune though, not quite sure why our usage seems so high.

I've turned the temp down, but kept the heating on, based on the advice of our boiler man. Ours kicks in when it drops below a certain temp. This way, the bricks stay warm, and it's more efficient as opposed to letting everything get stone cold.

I've not fixed either, just waiting to see how it goes. Getting rid of sky etc though to compensate

Washing clothes on a cold wash if they just need freshening up. Not 40 degrees, not 30, "Cold". With my machine this means it doesn't heat the water at all. The cost per wash is a fraction of what it costs on a hot wash. Clothes come out fine.