Tessa the Duchess Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Time to emigrate to a warmer country methinks In London electricity prices are set to rise by 27%!!!! this is scary. I worry about the elderly people living on a pension Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Gosh that's a huge rise, how can they justify that Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I saw this on the news this morning. Martin Lewis says don't try and switch suppliers to avoid it, not for a couple of months anyway, as they will all be putting their prices up. I just clawed my way out of bordering on fuel poverty, looks like I'm on the way back down again and it's not exactly warm in my house. Next it'll be the council tax rises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I worry about the elderly people living on a pension I do worry about elderly people (dont get me wrong - I have a 94 year old active gran) but they shouldnt have many worries when it comes to bills/heating etc. My nan gets a very generous heating allowance, free rent in her council bungalow, she doesnt pay council tax either and goes to the bingo nearly every night!! Its the working class (the likes of us lot) I feel sorry for, mortgages going up, fuel prices crazy , they reckon our council tax is going up approx £150 a year and now these energy prices .... I dont know where these people think we will find the money from enough is enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Its the working class (the likes of us lot) I feel sorry for, mortgages going up, fuel prices crazy , they reckon our council tax is going up approx £150 a year and now these energy prices .... I dont know where these people think we will find the money from enough is enough. Too true Chelsea, energy is one of my bills that comes to more than a months salary (it was over 9% of my income but I had the direct debits adjusted as I was in credit), and council tax is close to that. My pay isn't going anywhere for three years but it's OK for MP's to consider a £6000 pay rise for themselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 My Mum found out today that our Energy bills are set to go up by £60! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 hmmmmmm We aren't on the gas main so its oil heating and everything else is electric. That is it's oil heating in my part of the house, Mum has electric storage heaters! I switch tariffs in the winter so we are on a cheaper Economy 7 package as our main use is the storage heaters at night, the washing machine and dishwasher are also used only at night. I've been on a electricity hunt lately with my new electricity meter finding out what does and what doesn't leech power and its resulted in the following money saving measures. I've moved the telly extention round to the side of the extremely heavy cabinet so I can unplug the telly at night. I've unplugged compltely the DVD, DVDR, Video, Stereo, Sub wooffer The computer socket goes off at night powering down the PC, Printer, Speakers, Sub woofer and router (I'm looking to move the router so I can leave that on and have the others turned off more often - I don't use the PC much I have a laptop) The dishwasher is now off at the plug - was always off at the front but turns out was still leeching Shredder was also leeching so is unplugged Hairdryer still plugged in, doesn't leech I already was turning off the microwave at the socket BUT there was an old built in microwave in my kitchen, I've taken it out and unwired it and bunged it on freecycle now. A year I've powered that thing and never used it! I am now looking at buying some remote control sockets so I can power down the following Electric recliners & laptop charger, all plugged in behind the sofa Washing machine and tumble dryer both plugs behind in Mums kitchen Mums TV combo in living room Mums TV in bedroom Mums TV in Dining room All have inacessible sockets. I would recommend we all do the same. I have already replaced nearly all the bulbs in the house with energy savers, BUT there are some that came with new lights which were regular ones, when they go energy savers will go in their place. Oh if anyone knows where I can get regular screw in spotlights in an energy saving format I'd be grateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlover Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 i changed from N Power a few months ago to British Gas, they have a payment scheme where i pay £16 a week at the local paypoint and if it turns out i have paid too much they refund me or add it on to the next time, and if i havent payed enough they just put the weekly payments up by a pound or two, but i have found that they dont tell people about this payment scheme, people have very rarely heard about it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I'm with Powergen, and don't mind the monthly direct debit as I am paid monthly. Funnily enough I was paying just over £16 a week, which was crippling me financially and have now got it down by almost £4 a week, which is a saving of almost £200 a year!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Acutally what really hacks me off about the energy companies is the "dual fuel discount" I think its anti competitive Also it disadvantages the thousands of people who, like myself, are NOT ON THE GAS MAIN. I CAN'T have dual fuel therefore I CAN'T have a discount. The electricity companies do not supply heating oil which I buy. I have to ring round half a dozen suppliers every time and barter on prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I'm with Powergen, and don't mind the monthly direct debit as I am paid monthly. Funnily enough I was paying just over £16 a week, which was crippling me financially and have now got it down by almost £4 a week, which is a saving of almost £200 a year!!! oooh £16 per week. We pay £150 per month. Eeek I've just worked out the annual payment!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Acutally what really hacks me off about the energy companies is the "dual fuel discount" I think its anti competitive Also it disadvantages the thousands of people who, like myself, are NOT ON THE GAS MAIN. I CAN'T have dual fuel therefore I CAN'T have a discount. The electricity companies do not supply heating oil which I buy. I have to ring round half a dozen suppliers every time and barter on prices. Will you consider a woodburner Pengy? Then the fuel would be free (if you scavenge ) Look here for info on what and where you can burn www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I have one in the living room. Mum has one which burns wood or coal in her living room too and both will heat the room beautifully. Can't then stand to move around the rest of the house! When I have mine on I do turn the heating right down and I do sit with a fleece on and a quilt over my legs. Its only so much because we have the electric heating in Mums part of the house, the cost of that is supposedly cheaper than gas central heating anyway. Mum has 4 rooms but they are HUGE. Her bedroom was a double garage and her lounge is a large square room. Her dining room has a conservatory at the end too and is again a large room, dining table room to walk around, couple of chairs etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I have high ceilings, that's where all my heat goes. I may have to mezzanine all the furniture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 We pay £150 per month. Eeek I've just worked out the annual payment!!! HOW MUCH???? We pay £37 a month and always owe in the winter, but it balances out in the summer. Like you, we don't have gas, only oil, which we ring around for the best price. Next door are fab at this and always order on our behalf. We get a discount for ordering over a thousand litres. Our friend is on an oil top up scheme and paid 18p more PER LITRE than us last time. A thousand litres - you do the maths!!! We always ring around now. It pays to do a quick search on line or pick up the 'ohone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 We pay £150 per month. Eeek I've just worked out the annual payment!!! HOW MUCH???? I think pengys mum has electric heating in her part of the house, if I've understood correctly So they have one big bill, because if you have separate meters does it then become two properties for council tax and anything else they can get you for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I just looked and we are currentl 235 in credit, but the next bill is due at the end of the month so lets see. Hopefully we will have mostly used the super cheap economy 7 stuff this time round. Good point is I do get Tesco Clubcard points on this - I spent them last year on my Queen Mary trip - should have enough to cover the 2009 cruise at this rate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Penguinmad wrote: Oh if anyone knows where I can get regular screw in spotlights in an energy saving format I'd be grateful. You could try Megaman, don't know the full url but google should find them. They sell energy saving spotlights that are dimmable which is what I was looking for. Pricey but they last for ever. Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I think pengys mum has electric heating in her part of the house, if I've understood correctly So they have one big bill, because if you have separate meters does it then become two properties for council tax and anything else they can get you for? Yep thats right. We currently pay as one property for everything, we are the highest rate of council tax BUT if we were seperate I would probably still be the highest rate. Sharing the bills does work out less than we used to pay at 2 seperate 3 bedroomed houses. Mind you they have changed too - never had to pay £120 to get a lawnmower serviced before!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Mind you they have changed too - never had to pay £120 to get a lawnmower serviced before!!! Hmm, is a flock of sheep on this years shopping list then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Mum said NO! Mind you she thought we could mow the lawn with an electric mower..... No I love my Sprinto, so much that when I was driving past the garden centre today I called out hello to it (actually I wanted to go in and see how it was doing) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Mum said NO! Overrule her!! You could recycle your lawn into lamb chops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 No if we get them she will want to knit them jumpers out of the wool we shear in the summer in case they get cold in the winter. She will also want to cook them porridge etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Acutally what really hacks me off about the energy companies is the "dual fuel discount" I think its anti competitive Also it disadvantages the thousands of people who, like myself, are NOT ON THE GAS MAIN. I CAN'T have dual fuel therefore I CAN'T have a discount. I think it is a case of swings & roundabouts Penguinmad. We CANT get broadband here, so pay way over the odds for seperate dial up,phone & sky connection, but we do have dual fuel. There must be some people who get everything & benefit from it, but I reckon its the price I pay for living in a small,quiet,gorgeous village Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 We have an open fire and it's lovely. I do wish that we had invested in a back boiler system which would heat the radiators and hot water from the fire. That would have saved a fortune. When I was little the emersion heater used to make funny noises when we lit a fire because the water was so hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
