Comparing Prices

alittlebean

Hi everyone, newbie here!
I'm trying to compare prices between different electricity and gas suppliers and am getting quite confused with it all.
I'm on dd for gas and prepayment meter for elec and have only just moved into my new place so don't have old bills to go on to put into the comparison calculators. (I live alone in a small 2 bed flat).

I'm finding huge variations in the standing charges and the price per kilowatt/unit.
Some companies have a much higher unit price but low standing charge, and then vice versa wondering how do you work out which is best to go for?
Thanks in advance for your tips, alittlebean

dogshome

Hi alittlebean - Welcome to the best adult education centre there is.
I suggest that you take a guess at what your gas consumption will be in small 2 bed flat, how well it's insulated, the efficiency of your boiler and how much heat your flat picks up from those below you, will all have a bearing, but using the figures of a friend living alone in a small 2 bed bungalow, (3 outside walls),who's pretty canny on saving Elec & Gas, I suggest you use a figure of 12700 Kw a year.
You will have a problem with the switch sites because many of them don't offer the option of Gas only price comparisions, however if you visit "switchwithwhich" and enter both your Elec & Gas numbers as though you wanted a Dual Fuel account - enter who you like as present supplier and tariff - they will list the best deals for you with a further window showing the exact tariff of those suppliers for both Electric & Gas. Pick the cheapest gas supplier and visit their site to get thier exact Gas only prices
PS - Don't go anywhere near n'power
Best of Luck

KimYeovil

dogshome wrote: »

PS - Don't go anywhere near n'power

Feel free to shop with nPower if they offer a tariff in your region that suits your probable consumption. Don't cut off your nose for another's spite.

Premier_2

alittlebean wrote: »

...I'm finding huge variations in the standing charges and the price per kilowatt/unit.
Some companies have a much higher unit price but low standing charge, and then vice versa wondering how do you work out which is best to go for?
Thanks in advance for your tips, alittlebean

Use the comparison sites in the Resource Bar above

ik1

Your not the only one confused...I have been trying to figure these out for last couple of weeks.

What I find interesting is that if I work out a bill manually from my consumption for the last 3 months I find one tariff cheaper but if I use online comparison I am told another tariff is cheaper but working it out manually makes it more expensive.

As an example I have chosen to change to EON FixOnline 3 tariff but this is more expensive than the Npower go fix tariff although Npower have standing charge if I work out the consumption manually on a quaterly basis the EON one comes out to be 5 quid more expensive! But the comparison sites seem to think the EON is cheaper based on my yearly consumption!! HOW when the kwh prices is more expensive!!

Really confusing!!!:mad:

Plushchris

ik1 wrote: »

Your not the only one confused...I have been trying to figure these out for last couple of weeks.

What I find interesting is that if I work out a bill manually from my consumption for the last 3 months I find one tariff cheaper but if I use online comparison I am told another tariff is cheaper but working it out manually makes it more expensive.

As an example I have chosen to change to EON FixOnline 3 tariff but this is more expensive than the Npower go fix tariff although Npower have standing charge if I work out the consumption manually on a quaterly basis the EON one comes out to be 5 quid more expensive! But the comparison sites seem to think the EON is cheaper based on my yearly consumption!! HOW when the kwh prices is more expensive!!

Really confusing!!!:mad:

Thats because you are working it out based on a quarters bill and the site will be working out out based over the year.

ik1

Well if I add the quarterly consumptions up for 12 months...i will still get the lowe price on the npower tariff. I wish there was a more detailed breakdown as to how they calculate it online.

Cardew

ik1 wrote: »

Well if I add the quarterly consumptions up for 12 months...i will still get the lowe price on the npower tariff. I wish there was a more detailed breakdown as to how they calculate it online.

Their is a detailed breakdown on-line.

The various discounts make a big difference to the annual figure, especially when some companies give a £100 discount or x% after 12 months.

If you post your annual consumption figures here(and area) we will give you a detailed breakdown of the cheapest tariff.

ik1

Cardew,

These are the figures for the last 12 months.

Elec Gas

20/06/09 - 20/09/09 575 2333

19/03/09 - 19/06/09 621 2791

04/01/09 - 18/03/09 673 9041

14/10/08 - 03/01/09 651 5875

I believe these are in Kwh as taken from online account from scottishpower. I am in the West Midlands.

Thanks

Cardew

ik1 wrote: »

Cardew,

These are the figures for the last 12 months.

Elec Gas

20/06/09 - 20/09/09 575 2333

19/03/09 - 19/06/09 621 2791

04/01/09 - 18/03/09 673 9041

14/10/08 - 03/01/09 651 5875

I believe these are in Kwh as taken from online account from scottishpower. I am in the West Midlands.

Thanks

As that period is just under 12 months I have given your consumption as

Elect = 2,700kWh and Gas = 21,000kWh

The cheapest is shown as First Utility at £915. paying by DD

Name first:utility - Smart Dual fuel online saver V1 Region Midlands Payment method Monthly Direct Debit Features • Smart meter technology
• 2 year contract
• Cancellation fees apply
• Paperless billing
• Property Owners only
Pricing Details Gas Electricity Standing charge 33.60p per day (£122.64 per year) 25.20p per day (£91.98 per year) Unit charge (pence per kWh) 2.868p 8.489p Discounts Dual fuel customers will receive a discount of 12.5% off their total annual bill. All prices shown are inclusive of VAT at 5%.

Additional Information Tariff Information There is a cancellation fee of £100 if your contract with first:utility is terminated within the initial contract period of 24 months. The savings quoted include any discounts associated with this tariff. The discounts will be paid to you annually after 12 consecutive direct debit payments. To qualify, you must take your supply from first:utility and pay by the same payment method for a full 12 month period – this period does not have to be a Jan-Dec calendar year. Customers signing up to this tariff will receive paperless billing. You must own the property you are switching in order to qualify for this tariff. Special offers associated with tariff n/a Other services available from supplier n/a

You will note that this prices depends on you staying for 12 months to qualify for the 12.5% discount which was the point I made above.

The next cheapest is EON Fix on Line Dec 2010 at £918

Tariff Details Name E.ON - FixOnline NSC v3 (until Dec 2010) Region Midlands Payment method Monthly Direct Debit Features • High service ratings
• Prices fixed until 1st December 2010
• Cancellation fees apply
Pricing Details Gas Electricity Standing charge 0.00p per day (£0.00 per year) 0.00p per day (£0.00 per year) Unit charge (pence per kWh) 6.525p for the first 670 kWh per quarter, and 3.407p thereafter 21.294p for the first 225 kWh per quarter, and 10.112p thereafter Discounts Dual fuel direct debit customers receive a discount of 8% off their total annual bill. FixOnline NSC v3 customers receive an additional discount of 13.7% off their total annual bill for managing their account online. The total discount is 21.7% off the total annual bill. All prices shown are inclusive of VAT at 5%.

Additional Information Tariff Information FixOnline NSC v3 prices are fixed until 1st December 2010. There is a £30 cancellation fee for this tariff if customers switch away before the end of the fixed price period. Special offers associated with tariff Customers signing up to this tariff will receive 1 Tesco Clubcard point for every £2 spent. Other services available from supplier n/a

ik1

Cardew wrote: »

As that period is just under 12 months I have given your consumption as

Elect = 2,700kWh and Gas = 21,000kWh

The cheapest is shown as First Utility at £915. paying by DD



You will note that this prices depends on you staying for 12 months to qualify for the 12.5% discount which was the point I made above.

The next cheapest is EON Fix on Line Dec 2010 at £918

Thats great Cardew,

Would you have details for npower gofix tariff...that was also one of the cheaper ones but wanted to see the details on that. I can also get quidco cashback with EON and Npower.

Thanks

IK1