Energy Bills

[Mat-Moo]

Had a shock the other week when my energy bills came through (Both with British Gas) so though it was about time to do another comparison. I used the link on this forum (hint hint! Chit Chat->Money supermarket!) to do a comparison - and oddly enough the best deal was still with British Gas for me, but on a different tariff. I had to phone them anyway as I wasn't happy at the adjustments they had put on my bills direct debits (one of them had doubled!), and asked about this other tariff. The lady said it would save me money is much better?! So I asked why didn't British Gas just put me on it (or their customers) automatically. She fobbed me off with some rubbish saying that British Gas where not advertising this one and you can only apply online. So I did use the MoneySupermarket link and proceeded. The only downside I would say is that it is paperless billing so I'll bet setting up a reminder to get me to login and check every 3 months or so! Savings - around £200 a year, for me not to be ignored with my financial position!

[Guest Guy]

Last year I looked at my statement and it said that it had accrued £750, I phoned them up to see if I could reduce my monthly direct debit and they said that 'NO, YOU OWE US £750 !!!). The blighters

[Mat-Moo]

OUCH! Luckily I'm only £250 in debt! have to say, moving to this new system means I also go to online paperless billing. But the website for it is quite good, and I can see my usage per month etc.

[Longboarder]

Scottish power sent me an overpayment cheque for £300 last september, then doubled my direct debits three months later as the winter bills came in. They have just increased them again as I'm still not keeping up. Prices have rocketed.

 

Nigel

[Guest TerryBarry]

Scottish power sent me an overpayment cheque for £300 last september, then doubled my direct debits three months later as the winter bills came in. They have just increased them again as I'm still not keeping up. Prices have rocketed.

 

Nigel

 

It's probably so expensive 'cause it has to come all that way south

 

Terry

[Andi]

Decided 3 years ago now to plumb in a wood burner that heats up central heating and water.

Still got the gas for when you just need to heat up water quick etc.

But now our winter gas quarterly is just £15. And the logs come from council tree and ground depots

for free.

Mind you the burner costs aroun a grand and £250 for a log splitter.

But still worth it...........

[Guest a8dyc]

I live in the sticks and have oil heating,was costing a fortune so i also bought a log burner just for heating the house.Worked a treat,my other halfs brother has a carpentry business and has scrap wood by the trailer load that we burn on it.Saved us loads of money.We are just thinking of trying the electrical immersion heater instead of the oil to see if its any cheaper.

 

Andy

[Mat-Moo]

I've a friend in Germany who has a Wood Pellet burner which he says is fantastic for this.

[Guest craig030774]

i make smokeless fuel and get 5 ton of ancit delivered over a year cost me a bit for the chimney to be installed and a parkray multi fuel stove but wow the heat and hot water and no gas bills now

 

we also make open fire briquettes and for aga etc

[philshelton]

I dont know how they can keep pushing up our bills saying the cost of energy is going up so much and then post massive profits. I do know how to stop them though.

1 stop paying by direct debit ( this creates a cash flow problem for them)

2 Wait till red reminder comes

3 Leave as late as possable before paying

 

We cant do anything about petrol prices but we can gas and electric.

[Guest shaggy]

Simple solution to all increases in energy prices.

 

We all know the solution, but we are afraid to let those nearest and dearest into the secret.

 

Lighting - reduce amount of energy used by

a) converting to low energy bulbs (7W instead of 100W)

Turn the lights off when not in the room

 

Heating - reduce amount of gas used to heat the house by

a) wearing a jumper

If still cold, then put another jumper on top

c) if still cold with 2 jumpers on, then do as the label on the jumper says - i.e. jump up and down for 5 minutes, then rest, and you'll feel loads warmer.

 

See, I tld you there was a simple answer to reduce your energy bills