October Energy Bills, how did you do?

[WahineToa]

Well I ran around doing all sorts to try and reduce our consumption but only saved 40kwh over the whole month! However, I see looking back over this year we have slowly reduced it by closer to maybe 100-120kwh a month. I got a clothes heated airer and cut the dishwasher use by 2 cycles a week, 4 min showers etc We rent and I think the fridge is using more than usual because it’s got a taped up seal and iced up a bit in summer… Can’t get to the plug to attach our gadget to check the energy usage. There’s only 3 of us in the house.

Our bill with Eon after govt help is £115, it’s been around £130-140 a month for awhile. So I feel that because we saved that 40kwh we have reduced our bill from the £200 expected and now make a profit from what the govt gave us? I would normally donate it but if we don’t get help next year, I should probably save it.

How did everyone else do?

I have no idea why ours is so high :( Actual readings as smart meter not so smart and won't communicate with current supplier. Can't get an appointment for a new meter (I have registered prob 20 times on the waiting list in the last year).

October usage:
355 kWh electricity
382 kWh gas

Bill was around £220 (incl. last few days in Sept) which took me to £31 debit. They have now increased my DD to £345 and want an upfront payment of £1300 if I want to reduce it to £250! Struggling to see the rationale behind that but can't get through to customer services 😡

This was without the heating on, gas boiler. Using air fryer / instant pot / gas hob only (old oven was broken). Baths / cold showers only (combi boiler) as electric shower also broken. Everything possible switched off at night. I WFH 2 days a week / house empty 8-5.30 the other 3 days. Not used the tumble drier at all! DW on once a day on eco mode. New washing machine - also use eco programme for most washes.

Integrated fridge is not working very well and will be replaced soon but surely that can't be eating that much energy?

No idea re amount, but money wise, £40 ish elec and £20ish gas. I have those prepay meters.
It is quite alarming to see how quickly the gas goes down without even turning anything on. I have to get a ladder for the electric so ignorance is bliss there!

My sept bill was £78 but my Oct bill was £171 minus the £66 government discount so £105. It was a lot as the heating etc wasnt on.

I had the lowest bill I've ever had, it was less than I was given by the government so cost me nothing.

We'd worked really really hard to get our usage down.

It will be slightly higher this month as we were home more during half term week but it's on track to be not much more than the £66.

I have some credit in my account ready for winter as I refuse to be cold in my own home but hopefully by reducing the rest of our usage things shouldn't be too bad.

£48 and that's before the £66 so it's all adding to the credit along with the monthly DD.

Bit higher than usual as we used the tumble dryer a couple of times.

We are still on a fixed rate from 2021 until February and I'm dreading it ending. We have been so lucky so far.

£136 in electricity alone, we have a fix better than the cap so I don't understand why it's so high. Hoping half term is the reason. We don't have a gas smart meter but hoping it's £70 or under or we are not paying enough (I'm much better at being frugal with the gas)

Two adults and 2 teens in a 3 bed flat (old) £90 so minus the £66 total of £24. We were away four a few days over the half term, mid week so that probably helped things.

No central heating on, yet have been having a log fire recently some evenings.

@WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa do you mind me asking, how many people and what size home? It’s so low. I don’t know what else I can do to get ours down.

I am surprised by how many are going to make a profit so to speak, from the govt grants. I know it’s more expensive to target it but it seems a lot of people in smaller homes really don’t need anything? No offence to anyone!

I don't think we are particularly profiting from it any more than anyone else.

We are continuing to pay the same level of DD even though eon reduced it and the £66 is going straight on to credit and not into our bank account.

The only difference is that we are putting that support aside for when our rates increase in March (and I'm expecting it to triple from what it is now based on what I've seen from others) so we will have the advantage of the government grants when we really need it.

Credit is the same thing, it’s more than is needed right now. I’ve made a £20 profit because we reduced what it would have been, and was previously. So not blaming anyone I just think this was a bad way of doing it but there’s probably no alternative. If we do have huge increases in March or April and there’s no appropriate cap, then yes everyone will need the extras we may get now. Also with heating on I think it’ll be different.

With us, we have about £450 saved credit from the last few months in the ovo account, we did also get the income related grants of £650, this will be used for the colder months when we might need the heating more

I don't think there is anything wrong with budgeting like this, it is just common sense.

I would normally donate it but if we don’t get help next year, I should probably save it.

No probably about it.

I am surprised by how many are going to make a profit so to speak, from the govt grants. I know it’s more expensive to target it but it seems a lot of people in smaller homes really don’t need anything? No offence to anyone!

We won't make a profit as November through February will certainly be higher than £66. March will only be lower if we use no heating at all like in October. I doubt anyone will make a profit unless they use no heating all winter.

We do need help as our energy bills will have still doubled from last winter, with the cost of everything else up as well.

£88 in gas,heating on for half an hour in the morning,September was £25 for gas,electric £60 that is the same as the previous months.

4 bed detached - Octopus SVR - 01-31 Oct

Elec £102
Gas £99

Octopus paid £66 into our DD account

Heating has been on all month but rarely clicked on as thermostat mostly set at 14 degrees. However, gas fire in sitting room on low most days from lunchtime until around 10.00pm.
Elec on E7 so dishwasher and washing machine used overnight on economy programmes. Hardly used the range cooker as 90% of cooking now done on air fryers and/or microwave.

Bill pretty much as expected. We have hugely reduced our usage against same month last year but bill still £70 more.☹️

Oh and only using tumble dryer to finish off for about 20 mins each time.

Lady year I never thought twice about turning on the heating or using the dryer.
It's like living in the 60's again! 🤬

Last year 🙄

£79 for both, already in credit before the government help so I've had a second payment holiday. Put my normal DD amount into savings.

£180 here.
All electric with storage heaters that were turned on very low half way through the month.

£164, which is almost our dd on the nose. So, this is the point from which we'll start using our credit which is at £500.

The solar power generated 300kwh - none of which were exported. So our bill would have been about £100 more without it. We have an ev car - which is part of why our consumption is so high.

@FourTeaFallOut oh that’s interesting about solar as we are planning to have solar when we buy ( if that happens now! ). Do you have battery storage with your system? Would you recommend solar?

£80 electricity and £45 gas Octopus. Now £500 in credit. We've only had the heating on for two hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening. Going into November though I've been putting the heating on at 6-9.30pm. Keeping the thermostat to max 22 degrees and 18 overnight.

£143.00, so £77 with the discount.

3 people, 4 large double bed detached. 2 working from home and 2 of us have cold induced asthma, so we keep the house warm and we heat our water twice a day.

The only dedicated changes we’ve made is to use the airier instead of the drier a few times a week and I’ve started wearing thermals when I’m working from home. Im taking some medication that effects my ability to eat we have reduced the use of the oven too.