AIBU to be feeling bleak about bills?

[PocketRocket12]

Quarterly electricity bill arrived… am actually in tears. Could people possibly share what they’re paying at the moment, just for some sort of anxiety relief that we are all in this together?

AIBU to let it get me down so much? I can’t sleep through worry.

It is a downer but getting depressed about it won’t make any difference so try not to. My energy provider just put our bills up 25% for the fourth time in a year (they are a green energy provider so not subject to the price cap). My last bill was £170 for the month and there’s only 2 of us in a 3 bed terrace. Winter is going to be a blast!

It’s bloody horrible isn’t it @whirlyhead …

You’re right. I feel like I need a day of moping and worrying then will get my shit together and work out how we can tighten our belts.

Is that eatimate or actual use? Makes quite a difference

I honestly have not found the increase anywhere near as bad I as anticipated. I would normally pay around £110 a month and this time it was £124. I have tried to be economical with usage but not to any great extent. There is always 2 television on for most of the day, we have 2 freezers and 2 fridges constantly running of course, 2 hair dryers and 2 computers never off.

We are a 4 bedroom house for comparison and someone is home all day every day.

It's all very bleak, I agree. No helpful advice as it will get worse before it improves. I am sorry OP that it is affecting you so much. Have you applied to the hardship funds utility companies have, if it is unmanageable?

Please remember this it will help a little bit.
households will see a discount of £66 applied to their energy bills in October and November, rising to £67 each month from December through to March 2023

You haven't said if was an estimate.
I do a monthly direct debit and read the meters monthly and submit them online.
We've gone from £89 a month to £160. As it's summer we have a credit, but I can see it dissapearing quickly once the heating goes on.
Seriously debating getting the chimney swept and buying a fireguard and having an open fire in the front room.

I’ve found the best thing for me is understanding my bill inside and out. I give metre readings monthly and know what I owe / am owed every month, the quarterly bill is irrelevant.
I’ve checked my use vs last year and somehow I’ve managed to reduce use by 40% (was hardly a high user before but have become VERY mean with energy!) so have built up a decent credit.
I’m keeping a spreadsheet of the unit and daily charges for both electric and gas currently and what it is expected in October. I’ll spread my credit and the £400 government money over 12 months from October so the increase won’t be astronomical. I’ve calculated that my average gas usage over the 7 months or so that the heating is on would still be covered by my current gas direct debit (electric is another story) post October which makes me feel a bit better. I’m not touching the heating until November.

Our electricity is £250 a month. We don’t have electric showers or heat the house with electricity or have electric underfloor heating or use an immersion.

House is oil heated and the cost of oil is crazy.

I pay £366 per month, family of 5.

I just upped ours to £400 per month to cope with anticipated rises. It is utterly grim isn't it. The octopus crystal ball facility was estimating £800 in either Jan or Dec ( can't recall). We have a decent credit now and just got a smart meter so I can keep a better idea. I never wanted one but needs must.

Four bed, four people btw, not a bloody mansion I promise!

Last three months were £280 however our DD is fixed at £160 at the moment. Two adults and one toddler, with both adults mainly WFH.

I expect winter to be about £250-£300 a month at the way rates are going up.

We're currently paying £100 a month for a 4 bedroom house. Not wanting to be goady, but I'm amazed at the range of the prices that people are paying in comparison. Are you stuck on particularly expensive tariffs or something?

We could fix but fix is £602 per month! Stick on flexible octopus.

How is this possible? Is this on meter readings?

4 bed maisonette, paying £300pm at the moment but they want to up it to £600. Makes me want to cry too, I’ve warned DC they’ll need jumpers and blankets this winter

Our last 3 bills( gas and electricity together)have been £98 per month.
Pay £175 dd

Ours has doubled to just under £400 per month ( dual fuel).

Large house with currently four adults - 3 of which are at home most of the day.

We haven’t had any heating on since April so the gas is just to heat hot water. Everything else is electric

Some people on other similar threads have been saying they use very very low amounts of electricity. Some people were saying less than 5kwh a day. My smart meter shows that I’ve used over 1.5 kWh before I even get up. I don’t understand how people use so little. We are on an ok variable capped tariff of 27p a unit so it’s not like we’re on a crazily high fix.

I use 4 day. A friend qaa using loads and it turned out her electric boiler was on nonstop setting. I would look into buying one of the gizmos you can put in aockets to see what is eating it

Yesterday 4. Sometimes 5

Just paid £50 for gas and electric for 33 days. Meter read same day each month. 2 adults in a mid terrace 2 bed.

April, May, June, July have all been between £120 and £130. I pay £160 per month on DD to bank a little for winter. 4 bedroom house, 2 adults, 2 children. Gas CH/hot water, electric for everything else. I suspect the winter bills will be about £300 to £350 per month. So depressing.