[Misc] Suggestions to save energy this winter…

[LamieRobertson]

Use a slow cooker.
Charge any phones, DIY accessories at work (if you can).
If I've used my drill or strimmer, I'll charge the batteries at work when on nights.

Erm…they mind you doing this …how long a extension cable do you have, you can charge up my work batteries

 

[carlzeiss]

You see, I take the absolute opposite view but we've long been on Direct Debit where the cycle is always to build up credit over the summer which is then used up during the more expensive winter months. So, I'd rather overpay now, particularly given we know prices are going up on 1st October and, very possibly, 1st January again.

Better to have money in my bank account? With current interest rates, I'd only be pennies better off.

Supplier going bust? This isn't an issue. You'll get the money back via OFGEM as occurred to all those who were in credit when we had the spate of companies going bust a while back.

Each to their own though, obviously.

Fair enough , I was pretty pleased though to receive £414 back from EDF this week and surprised that the customer service rep that I spoke to was actually helpful and able to action this in a couple of days

 

[zefarelly]

Mind me asking who are you with and what you think the monthly payment should be…….1k a month wtf!

What ever SE was Ovo or something?

I've no ida=ea what they should be, I did use a lot of electricity with the workshops etc when I worked from home, but should be considerably less now. Its alread doubled to over £400 a month for G&E . . . And we're very in credit, what theyve just suggested is more akin to mafia protection money., a 3 fold increase

 

[LamieRobertson]

What ever SE was Ovo or something?

I've no ida=ea what they should be, I did use a lot of electricity with the workshops etc when I worked from home, but should be considerably less now. Its alread doubled to over £400 a month for G&E . . . And we're very in credit, what theyve just suggested is more akin to mafia protection money., a 3 fold increase

This was my concern for when my fix ends, hence withdrawing a substantial amount of my credit balance (rightly or wrongly)……I’m assuming by your original post that communication with them isn’t that good (i’m with OVO)

 

[AmexRuislip]

Erm…they mind you doing this …how long a extension cable do you have, you can charge up my work batteries

They don't know, so it won't hurt them.
Can always daisy chain extension cords

 

[zefarelly]

This was my concern for when my fix ends, hence withdrawing a substantial amount of my credit balance (rightly or wrongly)……I’m assuming by your original post that communication with them isn’t that good (i’m with OVO)

Mrs Zef has been dealing with it, comms not good. Was in a queue of nearly 200 this morning . . .

 

[Papak]

What ever SE was Ovo or something?

I've no ida=ea what they should be, I did use a lot of electricity with the workshops etc when I worked from home, but should be considerably less now. Its alread doubled to over £400 a month for G&E . . . And we're very in credit, what theyve just suggested is more akin to mafia protection money., a 3 fold increase

If you supply some actual (not estimated) meter readings we can calculate you current consumption. Ideally meter readings going back 2 or 3 years to smooth out any spikes or anomalies.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I've no idea what we're going to do . . . .our monthly bill has just been trebled to well over £1000 a month, but we've been trying to get in touch with them for over a month as we;re £3k in credit

It's Criminal.

Cancel your direct debit. They will soon be in touch.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Cancel your direct debit. They will soon be in touch.

Exactly what I was going to say. Guarantee you won't be in a queue

 

[zefarelly]

Cancel your direct debit. They will soon be in touch.

Exactly what we've done, after telling them so (Mrs Zef is far more diplomatic with crooks than I)

The meter readings have been taken and logged regularly for years, there's nothing untoward going on this end, just a bunch of theiving ***** taking advantage

Now I've loggid in and looked . . . . .

Aug £180 ( appreciate its probably the lowest month of the year alongside June/July)

Credit £3800

Proposal is to up DD from £450 to £1300 PCM

F**K RIGHT OFF

THat really should be illegal

 

[KZNSeagull]

Exactly what we've done, after telling them so (Mrs Zef is far more diplomatic with crooks than I)

The meter readings have been taken and logged regularly for years, there's nothing untoward going on this end, just a bunch of theiving ***** taking advantage

Now I've loggid in and looked . . . . .

Aug £180 ( appreciate its probably the lowest month of the year alongside June/July)

Credit £3800

Proposal is to up DD from £450 to £1300 PCM

F**K RIGHT OFF

THat really should be illegal

I cancelled mine years ago when the company I was with emptied my bank account twice without prior notice. Bunch of ********

 

[WATFORD zero]

Exactly what we've done, after telling them so (Mrs Zef is far more diplomatic with crooks than I)

The meter readings have been taken and logged regularly for years, there's nothing untoward going on this end, just a bunch of theiving ***** taking advantage

Now I've loggid in and looked . . . . .

Aug £180 ( appreciate its probably the lowest month of the year alongside June/July)

Credit £3800

Proposal is to up DD from £450 to £1300 PCM

F**K RIGHT OFF

THat really should be illegal

I can't imagine how Mrs Z could possibly be more diplomatic than your good self

 

[Rogero]

How much is everyone’s bills , not direct debits ,for these summer months ? There are two of us and we are using £50 electric and £12 gas . Gas will shoot up once the heating starts. The electric will increase with winter lighting .

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

How much is everyone’s bills , not direct debits ,for these summer months ? There are two of us and we are using £50 electric and £12 gas . Gas will shoot up once the heating starts. The electric will increase with winter lighting .

3 of us. Through June,July and August we’re using £55 of electric and £16 gas.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Four of us £100 electric £50 gas.

They want to lower the DD’ as in credit (£400 Electric / £120 gas) but quite happy to budget for these now ahead of the winter months.


On a fix until Nov 23 so will put the credit / gov payment(s) towards 23/24 when the fixed matures

 

[shingle]

Three of us and over summer months been about £100 pm

 

[Bodian]

Two of us - £35 electric, £20 gas

 

[zefarelly]

Right, I'm off down the workshop to fire up the 3HP compressor and spray some scooter panels, that should get the meter whees spinning up nicely.

 

[Bozza]

How much is everyone’s bills , not direct debits ,for these summer months ? There are two of us and we are using £50 electric and £12 gas . Gas will shoot up once the heating starts. The electric will increase with winter lighting .

We're on a hefty DD, but in terms of actual usage...

Gas
Boiler on for 15 mins, twice a day for hot water: c6.5 kWh per day * £0.07 per kWh * 31 days = c£14
Standing charge = £0.27 * 31 = c£8
Total per month for gas = c£22

Electricity
July and August were c150 kWh each month, but we were away from home for two weeks each month. Since we've become more focused on using less, we're averaging around 6.5kWh per day, so using that...
Usage: 6.5kWh * £0.28 * 31 = c£56
Standing charge = £0.45 * 31 = c£14
Total per month for electricity = £70

 

[Bozza]

How much is everyone’s bills , not direct debits ,for these summer months ? There are two of us and we are using £50 electric and £12 gas . Gas will shoot up once the heating starts. The electric will increase with winter lighting .

Without wishing to state the obvious, unless you are on a fixed rate, both are going to shoot up in October anyway due to the price cap hike.