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just given my meter readings

elantan
elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
i have had my monthly amount ammended ... it has been put up to £180 a month ... i cant afford that ... i am on the best tarrif for my area ... we dont leave the t.v or anything on ... we do have an old heating system which means we have to heat the water if we are having a shower etc which is generally an hour at a time ...

can anyone offer me any advise on how i can cut this down... we cant afford this bill so things need to change
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Comments

  • CH27
    CH27 Posts: 5,531 Forumite
    Had you been getting estimated bills?

    How much are you in arrears?
    Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
  • elantan
    elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    no no estimated bills at all ... i gave my online readings today ... i give them every month ... there seems to be an amount of £195 in debit for gas and £52.78 in debit for my electricity .... up until now i paid £150 a month ... i asked to be put up to this as previously i was £140 and thought i may use more over this winter
  • ColinFishwick
    ColinFishwick Posts: 1,391 Forumite
    How much energy do you use? you either pay a lot for energy or you use a lot £150 per month is hell of a lot. Considering you say you dont get estimated bills which would be normal basis of a huge amount you pay ie lot of debt but your debt isnt that high
  • elantan
    elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    i just phoned scottish power ... we have an annual usage of 23990 kwh for gas per year and 4145 kwh electricity usage per year .... we apprently use 8.9 units of gas perday with the national average being between 5 and 15 perday ...indicating that we are average users of gas ... we use 14.7 units electricity per day with the national average being between 15 and 20 perday so we are effectively below national average ....

    if this is the case then why are we as much as £150 ( now going up to £180) a month ... as far as i am led to believe that is not the average gas and electricity payments
  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,125 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    edited 30 May 2011 at 6:26PM
    I did pay around £97 per month for both with BG, I use to pay £97 but got in credit for electric and slightly in debt for gas still so think its now £90

    I currently use around 14Kwh of electric and last month gas 25/04 to 25/5 was 26Kwh per day (2.2 units)

    This is my usage below copied from excel

    capture1q.jpg
  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,125 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    My readings last month 25th April to 25th May were

    Gas 30 units = conversion (=SUM(E55*40.1186*1.02264/3.6))
    electric 345

    Over 31 days
  • Be_Nice
    Be_Nice Posts: 192 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The prices of gas/electric are predicited to rise considerably this year, could it be they are factoring in the price rise? Is the £150 for both gas/electric?

    When my meter's were read in January we were in debt and they wanted to hike my bills considerably not taking into account my usage would be less and pay it off over the summer, I told them that there was no way I could pay what they were requesting and argued the point that the bills would average out and re-negotiated the monthly amount. I would try this and also now you have all the figures of your usage check you are still on the best tariff using some of the comparions sites.

    I recently submitted new meter readings just to check my theory was correct and we are now in credit even with the lower payments.
  • elantan
    elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    yes that is both gas and electricity in the £150 a month ... ( now £180) ...save money we seem to be similar for electricity usage ( thanks for putting up your info) but we are considerably more than you for gas consumption .... that in itself is interesting ... i think that may be due to us needing to put the water on for an hour for a shower etc ... can i ask what you pay per month?
  • elantan
    elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    would it be better if i started heating my water with my immerser heater ? or maybe using my downstairs shower?
  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,125 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    edited 30 May 2011 at 6:28PM
    I use a combi boiler not the new type. Dont have an immersion. Electrical shower or bath. We do have a multi stove £150 per year for logs but dont use it everyday when its cold (not used since March). I do try and cut back on heating even though I have a disabled daughter and Oh who both have circulation problems

    Gas we pay £46 per month and electric is £51 (its just gone down to £45 I think this month

    electric we paid last month £29.22 for 302 metric units
    Gas £30.82 for 71 units
    805.15 Kwh

    I also got £30 credit of BG for dual fuel energysmart paid on 13th month and £50 bonus for social tarrif. Plus now get nectar points 740 since March
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