Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

andan

unixgirluk wrote: »

Andan do you have a link for this? and does this really make a big difference?

Here is the link unixgirl

http://www.biggreenswitch.co.uk/around_the_home/radiator-foil

British gas claim it can save you £14 a year off your heating bill, so for me, its definitely worth it!

sarahs999

mardatha wrote: »

Is anybody else finding this a really bad winter so far ? We still had snow lying (bits here and there) up to yesterday, and overnight it has poured more snow down and is still falling. It's been below freezing for ages as well.

I'm down in London and actually it's been oK here. I haven't had the heating on nearly as much as I did this time last year, but then I'm much more money aware than I was. My three year old just doesn't notice the cold, and as long as he's fine I don't put it on. Husband freeszes though!

buxtonrabbitgreen

Too cold here too. The heating is on, I pit it on at 4.15 but not warmed up yet but the thermostat is only at 17. I bought a 4 way usb hub in poindland today so I could wear both my heated fingerless mitts at once. So excuse the typing.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

It's icy here tonight.Almost broke my neck getting out of the car it was like an ice rink.It's been cold all day but I have'nt had the heating on till around 9.30 tonight as I've been busy all day and then went out for an hour this evening.I do think this is going to be a realy bad winter temperature wise.

turfy6

Not too bad here yet, although a few mornings have been crisp and frosty. My heating is still on timer so during the day its not on at all Im just lighting the woodburner if Im here or doing plenty of cooking, warms up the kitchen a treat and saves us money.

Yategirl

we have just had our gas bill for the last 3 months.... despite using less gas than the same period last time (and we were not extravagant then), not having the heating on till dec 1st, only having it on 1-3 times a day (depends on weather.. this week has been in the minus figures and cold! plus have had ill people at home all day) and for not more than 30 mins at a time plus showers/cooking as normal.... they have put our dd up by £11 a month.....

argh!!! gonna have to sit down and do the figures tonight.....

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Yategirl wrote: »

we have just had our gas bill for the last 3 months.... despite using less gas than the same period last time (and we were not extravagant then), not having the heating on till dec 1st, only having it on 1-3 times a day (depends on weather.. this week has been in the minus figures and cold! plus have had ill people at home all day) and for not more than 30 mins at a time plus showers/cooking as normal.... they have put our dd up by £11 a month.....

argh!!! gonna have to sit down and do the figures tonight.....

They tried to put my DD up,almost to double.I e-mailed them and said I would monitor my energy myself and if I thought I would be needing to pay more I would but would not be increasing my DD.They replied that they would ALLOW on this occasion to do this but would be watching my account carefully.That was months ago and the last I have heard from them.I submit a meter reading for a bill on the 21st of each month.I'm still £200 in credit.If they had upped my DD I would be over £440 in credit.If they do this with everyone they'll be making a tidy profit.
If you think you'll be using the extra amount they'll be charging you then fair enough but otherwise don't let them force you into paying extra if it's not convenient.

Pipkin

We've just had our first proper quaterly electricity bill (after having moved back from abroad), and I knew we weren't paying enough (£55 a month) but I was shocked to find we were only owing them £18.. they HAVE put our DD up, but only by £6.50 a month, but after hearing how some people (even with credit, which we have none of) have had their DD's almost doubled I can't understand WHY they've only asked for this small amount?

Don't get me wrong, Iam relieved, big time! but I don't understand it, do you?

I've checked our gas too and we are paying £55 a month for that too, but seem to have only used between £120 -£150's worth (so we will have £100 credit), but I have been trying really hardf not to use the heating a lot and get used to being colder (it is REALLY freezing here) having just moved back from a place where we had the heating on all the time and never thought about it as energy costs came off our wages at source and were only billed every 2 years, so I had no idea how much we would need to pay to live reasonably back here.

sarahs999

Was told my DD was going up by £19 a month for combined gas and electric, but I argued the case (I'm in credit and also using less than their estimate) and they backed down straight away.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

sarahs999 wrote: »

Was told my DD was going up by £19 a month for combined gas and electric, but I argued the case (I'm in credit and also using less than their estimate) and they backed down straight away.

I thnk it's well worth taking the time to tell them you are'nt going to increase your DD,(well if you know for sure that your'e not going to end up in debt anyway).The power companies seem to be playing a game with us where unless we stand up to them the tactics are nothing more than bullying.They must be coining in a fortune in interest.I'm always in credit every year and they have to send me a cheque for usually a couple of hundred pounds every summer,but they still repeat the process every year by setting my DD too high.Afterall the money is better off in our accounts than theirs.