Cutting down on energy also makes you save!

annahstar

It's not just swapping energy suppliers that means you can save money (ok and the 12 bottles of wine I got through thsis site for swapping suppliers) - every one should be doing their part by cutting down on the energy they are using. You can try cutting down by 10% - see the 10:10 initiaive and you could monitor your energy use to spot potential ways on which you can save, by using a monitoring site. I like this one as it is from a university's research dept - they have one for home -imeasure and one for businesses smeasure (just type in google) don't forget the gov want to bring in energy certificates for businesses too.
We should all do our bit to cut out energy use as well as find the right supplier!
saving money and the planet:T

A_fiend_for_life

I agree reducing consumption is a big money saver. There's a long running thread here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=980757

www.imeasure.org.uk (for households ebico also provide it too https://www.ebico.imeasure.org.uk)

www.smeasure.org.uk (for businesses)

moonrakerz

A very laudable idea - but not one the energy suppliers want us to adopt ! They need to sell MORE energy, or get more in cash term, every year to keep their profits rising. If they can't do that then they adopt ever more devious ways of making sure that we we pay more for less !

The way energy is priced in the UK means we pay a high price for the first **** kWh then a lower rate for the rest (same result is achieve by a "standing charge").
This means that over a period, the more energy you use, the less you pay per kWh - OR, the LESS you use the MORE you pay. There is very little incentive to cut your energy consumption - if you cut your consumption by 10% your bill will not reduce by 10%. Price increases were heavily biased this way purely to keep the return to the suppliers at a high level - just in case the higher prices made people use less energy ! If I remember correctly, my gas went up by 22% for the first units, then only 9% for the rest. Very devious.

Cardew

moonrakerz wrote: »

This means that over a period, the more energy you use, the less you pay per kWh - OR, the LESS you use the MORE you pay. There is very little incentive to cut your energy consumption - if you cut your consumption by 10% your bill will not reduce by 10%.

Not that I would applaud the USA for energy conservation, but at least they structure their energy bills the other way(or at least they do at my place out there.)

I get monthly bills and the first 1,000kWh a month(electric only property) is at the low rate and then any usage over that is 20% more expensive.

kjsmith7

Cardew wrote: »

Not that I would applaud the USA for energy conservation, but at least they structure their energy bills the other way(or at least they do at my place out there.)

I get monthly bills and the first 1,000kWh a month(electric only property) is at the low rate and then any usage over that is 20% more expensive.

Just out of interest, what is the price per kWh like? Is it more expensive than here? I would presume not, with their prices for petrol being so much less than ours.

Cardew

kjsmith7 wrote: »

Just out of interest, what is the price per kWh like? Is it more expensive than here? I would presume not, with their prices for petrol being so much less than ours.

The charge per kWh is made up of several components and there is a monthly standing charge.

The fluctuating exchange rate of Sterling against the US dollar also distorts the prices.

Using the current rate of £1 = $1.55 I pay:

$5.69(£3.67) monthly standing charge.

Up to 1000kWh per month - 8.476 cents/kWh(5.46p/kWh)(this is the total of all components)

over 1000kWh 10.578 cents/kWh(6.82p/kWh)

In fact over 1,000kWh the price now increases by 25% not 20% as I stated earlier.