Stick to D.D or change to prepayment advice needed

hotmama

I am so frustrated at mo, just entered my meter reads for Scottish power gas/elec and my D.D is going up from 142 to 159 from May. i am now 218pounds in debit.

I moved in new home 2 yrs ago started paying 68 for both then 89 as acrrued debt then 101, then 125 then 142 now 159. :mad:

This is getting too much!! i have an online saver account and work full time so not in house much!

I am now thinking baout whether or not to install a prepayment becuase at least then i will know where i am but reading threads it seems they should be avoided,

Can anyone give me some advice pls!

Magentasue

Generally, the cheapest tariffs are those managed online and paid by DD. The best way to keep your DD in line, is to read your meters and cut down to what you can afford and want to pay. For me, it's average 14kwh electricity a day and 26kwh gas summer and 100kwh a day in the winter. Am looking to cut the gas but we're a large family and I have to be realistic!

Joyful

Before you do that check how many KWH you are using each day and then reduce it. Much better as you will still have to pay the same amount for a PP meter plus any debt. If you can afford to pay in the short term cut down your usage then ask for a reassessment of the DD amount.

hotmama

Thank you for your replies, it looks like i got some work to do.

i'm going to do an online comparison but i'm on a fixed tariff until Aug and then i think i will cry as if is costing me this much on old prices i dread to think how much is it going to cost me on the new prices!!!

Is it worth investing in a monitor to measure usage, if yes which one is the best.

Joyful

I would definitely say yes to a monitor. I was going to bed last night and wondered why I was using over 900 watts instead of the 200 watts I expected. It reminded me I had 2 outside lights on that I had put on and forgot to switch off again. I can only speak for2 Monitors. The first was the Owl and the second I put on a thread last night which was the Real time Elec monitor. I have found both of these very useful. Like you I come to the end of a fixed Tariff next year so want to make sure my consumption is low. The only problem I have is when Students come to stay with me which I have had a lot of this last year and my consumption has increased for both fuels by a third. My Monitor will help to train them. LOL.

1carminestocky

IMO energy monitors like the Owl, the one Joyful is using and others like the Efergy etc (all have simillar specs) are just about essential if you have kids! The amount of times we have discovered their bedroom TVs still on whilst they are fast asleep is astonishing (and annoying!). I'm classing students as 'kids' here as both my 'kids' are students, lol...