Is £160 a month normal for gas and electric?

ceebeeby

£80 in a 4 bed det for g&e combined (and I run a tumble-dry 6 times a week). Yours is way expensive and def needs looked at.

mjoyeux

We have a water tank which heats the hot water constantly, the central heating is turned off at the moment (think the thermostat is turned right down).

We'll not be turning the heating on until as late a possible this year, try to keep the bills down. Grrr...

As for the electric, my PC is left on most of the time as it's used as a remote server. I don't think there is anything else which is on all the time. Any ideas for things which might be hidden sappers of leccy?

Barneysmom

Can you turn the water off, only have it on for an hour a day?
Fridge. if it's old it'll use loads, and if you tumble dry lots of clothes.

sabretoothtigger

We have a water tank which heats the hot water constantly

:eek:

Any ideas for things which might be hidden sappers of leccy

Not sure if your water is gas or electric from what you say. Another thing is check you arent on economy 7. The pc wont use much electric, turn off the monitor

Try cutting the water down to 3 hours in the morning, starting an hour before you wake & 3 hours in the evening starting around tea time is usually best.
Even that is luxury imo, personally I would just keep it off and turn it on 1 hour before Im going to use the shower, washing machine or whatever


You guys sound like students tbh, much to learn

summermummy

My bills are around £200 per month and I also wondered if that was normal.

I rang the gas supplier (British Gas) and they said it was unusually high and asked if I had a swimming pool! I said no, just two small children. Can anyone offer any money saving tips please

[Deleted User]

There are hundreds of tips on the site, summermummy.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=247646

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=147067

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=531601

I would read these armed with a notebook

mjoyeux

Nope, not a student any more...

A mechanical engineer and a teacher... but trying to get these bills down...

I turn the monitor off most of the time.

The water is gas, the cooker is electric and the hob is gas. We don't have a tumble drier and the fridge and freezer are only a few years old.

I've heard so many different points of view about when to turn the water on and off, rather than just heating it up once, it's cheaper to just run it all the time. Any thoughts, I read in another post about the topic and it all got rather technical... hahaha

sheilavw

I had a use elec bill between end nov and jan this year £320. We found out it was the oil filled rads in conservatory, left on low to keep it aired overnight. Been really careful this last quarter and bill £105, been paying £80 to get a bit straighter

pandora205

I live in a four bedroomed house with 4-5 adults in (or at least older teens) and they are very extravagant with appliances and water but ours is less than yours (currently gone up to £130 per month). I managed to transfer to a capped tariff just before the window for this closed, so hopefully it won't get worse.

We have a powershower and a tumbler dryer plus masses of washing and ironing. I also have lots of extra lighting (spots, wall lights) plus 3 laptops and a PC, 3 tvs, fishtank and I cook a lot. The kids are apt to leave outside light on overnight (I'm in bed), windows open when heating is on and lots of other things that drive me to distraction.

Our hot water is gas heated and set on a time to heat for three hours in the morning and two in the evenings.

We do have Economy 7 though and I put the tumbler on overnight. I have a couple of low energy bulbs but they don't give such good lighting, so I'm not very keen on them.

Yours is much too high. You can't possibly be using more than my brood! I'd suggest getting it checked.

stardoman

"I've heard so many different points of view about when to turn the water on and off, rather than just heating it up once, it's cheaper to just run it all the time."


Nope, this is just an urban myth. And it sounds like you are the proof that it is not true.

We are a family of 5 living in a 4 bed detached house and pay £55 a month for gas and electricity. Our hot water is on for 20mins in the morning and 20 mins at teatime. There is always hot water in the tap and I like lovely hot showers. Originally, I used to have the water on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. I decided to cut it down and was surprised that only 20 minutes was enough. I might put it on for an extra 20 mins if the children have a bath, but this depends on how much hot water I've used for other things.

Try switching your water down to more sensible levels - you've nothing to lose.

Mandy.