4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Popcorn]

We were so lucky on Monday. Darren heard Martin Lewis on the news in the morning saying....'today, not tomorrow or the day after, but today - call up your gas/elec supplier and cap your monthly payments'.

 

We swapped to EDF only a month ago as we really liked their ethics. We were with Scottish Power previously. EDF had put their prices up, unbeknown to us, last week and couldn't cap our bill any longer.

 

We got on the internet and looked around and we were so lucky to be one of the last few to re-register with Scottish Power and cap the price before they removed the product within minutes of us getting confirmation.

 

It's awful isn't it? Why did it all have to go private in the first place?

 

We've been trying to be good in our house to save our pennies. Swapped as many bulbs as we can to energy bulbs, switching everything off at the socket, making sure TV and radio aren't left on standby overnight etc....

 

Where is it all going to end? Why can't the governmemt step in a stop these ridiculous rises? The whole population is going to be on it's knees at this rate.

[Guest]

I am all too aware that the higher the base prices, the more the Government receives in taxes (since they are a percentage). It's not in the Government's interest to help out as it is raking in our money.

It seems to me the Government's answer to every problem is 'tax it'.

[Snowy]

Especially sickening to hear British Gas announce a 35% price increase, swiftly followed by the announcement of I can't remember how many millions of pounds profit

[Rhapsody]

Why has gas gone up anyway? It has no relation to the price of oil....

[Olly]

I am quite worried about the bills this winter ... but I'm in good health, active, out at work all day, and earning enough to pay them. I really feel for those on a fixed income and the elderly and infirm who are going to find this really difficult.

 

I already have an Owl Monitor and go round the house turning off plugs everywhere I can! And I've decided to cash in some savings and have a wood-burning stove installed before winter (thanks Snowy, because it was your thread about these that got me thinking of it!) which I hope will save on gas-bills.

 

Still need to heat water, cook and turn my computer on, though - there's only so much you can cut down on! The increase of 35% is shocking. My direct debit has already just gone up - goodness knows what the new bills will be.

[Christian]

After the shocking oil bill we received earlier this year, I am glad we don't have gas here!

 

Time to order more logs I think

 

We are waiting for the direct debit to go up on the electricity bill now

 

Do you think my neighbours would mind a wind turbine in our garden?

[Hen Watch]

We were so lucky on Monday. Darren heard Martin Lewis on the news in the morning saying....'today, not tomorrow or the day after, but today - call up your gas/elec supplier and cap your monthly payments'.

 

I'm not normally one to plug things.... but everyone really should sign up the the free weekly email from Martin Lewis' website. His money saving tips email arrives once a week. Last weekend we got an "emergency" email dedicated solely to energy rises why we might want to "cap now" before products get withdrawn.

 

I did switch just in the nick of time before the capped product went off the market yesterday.

 

All you need to do is put your email address on this website. Nothing to lose. In fact I've saved £124 this year from printing off his letter to mortgage companies about exit fees. It cost me 1 envelope and 1 stamp.

 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com

Edit for typos

[chrisnrob]

We missed the ScottishPower capped deal by one day but have signed up to the next best one with E-on who we were with anyway. I think even that one may have gone now

 

Rob

[lisa33]

We missed the ScottishPower capped deal by one day but have signed up to the next best one with E-on who we were with anyway. I think even that one may have gone now

 

Rob

 

I managed to jump on the E-on one too.

 

I am lucky in that me & Andy both work (although we are starting to feel the pinch) and don't have any dependents (apart from the dog & chooks), but I really don't know how people with families or older people are going to cope with the winter.

[Snowy]

Should've done it the other day. Can't get through to any of them now - "high volume of calls"

[Trish]

I really feel for people on low incmes this winter is gong to be tough. We fixed our costs a while back and unless they find a loop hole they can't put them up till 2010. even so to make such a steep price rise and then annouce such profits is just plan wrong.

[Tiggy]

I

I already have an Owl Monitor and go round the house turning off plugs everywhere I can!

 

 

whats an Owl Monitor Olly

[Tessa the Duchess]

Especially sickening to hear British Gas announce a 35% price increase, swiftly followed by the announcement of I can't remember how many millions of pounds profit

 

Agree! Centrica who I understand own and supply British Gas announced half term profits of 1 BILLION pounds, that is 1 billion for just 6 months

 

Tessa

[Tessa the Duchess]

I am all too aware that the higher the base prices, the more the Government receives in taxes (since they are a percentage). It's not in the Government's interest to help out as it is raking in our money.

It seems to me the Government's answer to every problem is 'tax it'.

 

One thing the government could do to help people with the increased price is to lower the VAT charge, or maybe even get rid of it until gas prices fall again. VAT is not supposed to be charged on life's necessities, well if heating and lighting aren't a necessity I don't know what is Mind you they charge VAT on tampons etc.,

 

Tessa

[Charlottechicken]

If you are already on a capped rate, please check what it is first before you are lured into changing to another tariff. I was tempted to switch with the same supplier online, until I checked the details of the rates I already pay. I am capped until 2010 anyway (have been for over a year too), and the rates are 2p per unit cheaper than all the tariffs currently being offered.

 

I turned my heating off on 31st May, and it won't be going back on until at least 30th September (more warm weather, please ) it's the first time I have done this, but I am not slipping into fuel poverty again , and if I am frugal now it means I can afford to heat the house through the winter, when I really need it

 

I agree with Tessa, the VAT should be removed from fuel, it's an offence, IMHO

[Clash City Rocker]

I know that the topic is "Gas & Electric" prices, but I've also noticed that my weekly shopping is also higher than previously, and not by a few pence. Today our usual loaf was 10 pence higher than last week, bags of salad 20 pence higher than last week and some of the wine we drink has gone over the limit that we like to pay.

 

I'm sure someone will be along to say "grow your own salad/make your own bread" etc but that ain't gonna happen...........yet

[Lesley]

....and make your own wine Clash!

[redhotchick]

.........and have a wood-burning stove installed before winter (thanks Snowy, because it was your thread about these that got me thinking of it!) which I hope will save on gas-bills.

 

Is it possible to have a link to this thread? I've searched but can't find. It sounds like it could be a good investment. Thanks.

[Snowy]

It's here Cathy:

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26955&highlight=woodburner

 

Sadly I won't be able to have a woodburner after all Will have to buy a chimnea and sit in the garden in winter instead!

[Popcorn]

Put it in the shed Snowy with an old armchair!!

 

I honestly don't know how we are going to manage with the price increases in both fuel and food. With two in nursery now and me only working part-time we are REALLY feeling the pinch big time. We have NO spending on ourselves at all and have no spare money to save at the end of the month. I've been trying to shop around for the best food deals, but if I'm honest, I find it a bit of a bind having to drag the boys around with me, and when I do have some time to myself, the last thing I want to be doing is driving around from one shop to another.

 

It's a scary, hard time for all.

[MedusA]

I am really worried about the coming winter and beyond. I am retired from the NHS on a small pension, which seemed just about manageable when I retired last year, but now I am eating into my savings all the time just to keep up with the increases and that is before the latest fuel rise hits.

 

I think I will wearing a coat and thermal leggings in the house! I have a lovely Esse range cooker in the kitchen which I bought 2 years ago, having wanted one for years, but now I can't really afford to run it as it should be (i.e. on all the time) it is gas-fired. I now wish I'd waited and got the wood burning one which has recently been developed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

I have an open fireplace in the lounge but it isn't very efficient at heating my draughty Victorian house. I love the idea of a wood burner, but wouldn't it require ripping out my fireplace and having an expensive flue-liner fitting? I have made a few enquiries and have been told that as my house is turn-of-the-century, it is likely I will. Cost would be in the region of £2500 for everything. Is it worth doing?

[Olly]

As I understand it, yes you will probably need the flue lining. You shouldn't have to rip out the fireplace though - firebricks might need removing, but you should be able to put a stove in the existing fireplace, there are some designed specially for this.

 

Worth getting a quote. They are expensive, but the efficiency is about 70-80%, as opposed to an open fire where more than 50% of the heat goes up the chimney. I'm no expert mind you, this is all fairly recent to me! Get someone round to take a look, it costs nothing to get a quote. I've got no fireplace, they've been bricked up, so I need to have it all opened out, made good and a hearth fitted which is putting the cost of mine up.

 

I think it will take a few years to recover the cost of this in terms of reduced gas bills, but of course it's going to enhance my kitchen as well, it's not just like having a new gas boiler fitted and hidden in a cupboard.

 

Snowy, why can't you have one? It was you who got me started - I'm really sorry to hear you're not getting one now!

[Tina C]

Why has gas gone up anyway? It has no relation to the price of oil....

 

 

Oh, but it has

[Tina C]

I am really worried about the coming winter and beyond. I am retired from the NHS on a small pension, which seemed just about manageable when I retired last year, but now I am eating into my savings all the time just to keep up with the increases and that is before the latest fuel rise hits.

 

I think I will wearing a coat and thermal leggings in the house! I have a lovely Esse range cooker in the kitchen which I bought 2 years ago, having wanted one for years, but now I can't really afford to run it as it should be (i.e. on all the time) it is gas-fired. I now wish I'd waited and got the wood burning one which has recently been developed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

I have an open fireplace in the lounge but it isn't very efficient at heating my draughty Victorian house. I love the idea of a wood burner, but wouldn't it require ripping out my fireplace and having an expensive flue-liner fitting? I have made a few enquiries and have been told that as my house is turn-of-the-century, it is likely I will. Cost would be in the region of £2500 for everything. Is it worth doing?

 

 

I have converted fired places to woods burners in 2 houses so far (without flue liners) defintiely worth it.

[Tina C]

As I understand it, yes you will probably need the flue lining. You shouldn't have to rip out the fireplace though - firebricks might need removing, but you should be able to put a stove in the existing fireplace, there are some designed specially for this.

 

Worth getting a quote. They are expensive, but the efficiency is about 70-80%, as opposed to an open fire where more than 50% of the heat goes up the chimney. I'm no expert mind you, this is all fairly recent to me! Get someone round to take a look, it costs nothing to get a quote. I've got no fireplace, they've been bricked up, so I need to have it all opened out, made good and a hearth fitted which is putting the cost of mine up.

 

I think it will take a few years to recover the cost of this in terms of reduced gas bills, but of course it's going to enhance my kitchen as well, it's not just like having a new gas boiler fitted and hidden in a cupboard.

 

Snowy, why can't you have one? It was you who got me started - I'm really sorry to hear you're not getting one now!

 

We removed gas fire and checked what was what behind it (carefully) with a big hammer and then just had to pay for fitting of stove - have you got a big hammeer Olly???? Could save yourself ££££