Help - is there an easy formula for calculating my gas bill ?

debbycatz

Hi

Sorry if this is already on the board somewhere - I'm new here

After having very high bills this last quarter, I am trying to keep an eye on how much my bills on a weekly basis so I don't get such a shock again. I'm fairly ok with the electric reading, although I seem to be charged at two different rates and not sure why?
However, I have no clue how to work out my gas bills I read the back of the bill and got lost completely :eek:

Is there a simple formula for working out gas. I'm with NPower if that helps

Any help would be very much appreciated.

masonic

The first thing you would need to do is convert your meter reading into the number of kWh used - you should have a calculation of this on your last bill that you can use as a guide. For simplicity, you can just take your number kWh and divide it by the number of units and use this as a multiplier for you own calculation.

It looks like NPower do not use separate standing charges, but absorb those charges into the cost of the first units you use. Therefore, you would then need to work out how many kWh will be billed at the more expensive rate. From their website, I got the following figures for NPower's standard tariff:-

The first 4572 kWh per year are billed at 4.17p per kWh
The remaining kWh are billed at 2.17p per kWh

So, per week, the first 88 kWh will be billed at that more expensive rate. To do your calculation, you would therefore use the formula:-

Cost = 4.17 x 88 + 2.17 * (kWh - 88)

(or just Cost = 4.17 x kWh if you have used less than 88 kWh <- if you do not use up all of your more expensive units, for an accuracy you would need to roll-over the unused ones to the next week)

This should give you a fairly good guide to your weekly cost. You will, of course, need to replace the figures I used with those of your own tariff if they are not the same.

debbycatz

Thanks very much Masonic - I really appreciate your help.

Between your calculations and reading my bill I have managed to create a spreadsheet to now automatically keep an approximate running total of my gas and electric.

Thank you so much

f107btx

If your meter is imperial present units minus previous *1.02264*2.83*calorific value(39.4 in my case)/3.6=KWh if meter is metric dont *by 2.83.

Ken68

If your meter is measured in cubic feet multiply the units by 31.61 to bring it to kwh.
No doubt some similiar figure if your meter is metric.
EBICO has no standing charge, no... so much for the first 100 or whatever and the rest at something else.
Simple, and the cheapest, which is why I moved from Powercon.

masonic

Ken68 wrote:

...so much for the first 100 or whatever...

^^^ That's where the standing charges are hidden.

espresso

This online calculator may be useful.

Gal

The first 4572 kWh per year are billed at 4.17p per kWh
The remaining kWh are billed at 2.17p per kWh

Wow I never knew Npower were that expensive.

Powergens are

First 4572 - 3.006p
Remaining 2.390p

Guess it depends on usage over the year. But there Primary rate is well expensive.

Gal

Ken68 wrote:

If your meter is measured in cubic feet multiply the units by 31.61 to bring it to kwh.
No doubt some similiar figure if your meter is metric.
EBICO has no standing charge, no... so much for the first 100 or whatever and the rest at something else.
Simple, and the cheapest, which is why I moved from Powercon.

How much are Ebico charging at the moment then?

espresso

Gal wrote:

How much are Ebico charging at the moment then?

see post #7

Ken68

Jesus..Gal...you made me think now.....can't get anything on your post Espresso....just a placeholder and blank.
Why are Energy Helpline telling me that EBICO are the cheapest when by your Powergen figures obviously make it not so. Must be to do with as mentioned the standing charge and how little you use.

EBICO prices...no standing charge including vat...8.68p
E 7 ...2.89p

Without E7......7.40pence.

and I use less than 1500 kwh per annum. There must be a point at which it pays not to be with EBICO.Only for light users it seems.