HUGE electricity bill

HappyMJ

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I have just been on to SP and my last four bills show KWh as follows:

2135, 1428,1952,2250. So that makes a total for the year of 7765.

I am startled by how much an idling computer uses, and my fridge freezers (I have two small ones) are both 10 years old. WM is only 12 months old as is dishwasher. I must admit that TV's are left on standby, although that will change from tonight. Oven is an electric fan oven and is used at least once, if not twice a day, as I don't have a microwave - it broke a few weeks ago and I haven't replaced it. Hob is gas.

Shows how ignorant I am - I thought that when it was on standby it was almost the same as being off in terms of usage! Do you need to unplug the appliances or is it enough just to switch them off?

In the hall I have a five light (each 40w) chandelier and my kids tend to leave it on all night, particularly if they go to bed after me (they're teenagers). Bathroom has a three (each 30w) light fixture, and kitchen has two three light spots, but I use halogen bulbs in that one. Kids also leave everything like Wii, phone chargers etc plugged in and turned on even when not in use - I have told and told them but they don't listen, however I realise now I am going to have to be tougher with them.

I currently don't have draft excluders but am going to make/get some before the winter sets in, but I honestly don't think that my problem is with my heating - I think it's all the electric appliances.

Thank you all once again for the advice - I really appreciate you taking the time to answer and for your comments.

Ouch 7765kWh is more than double the national average. I'd be giving the bill to the kids. They can go to work and earn money themselves and pay it off if they want to be so reckless with it.

That's what my mother did when my sister and I were at home. She'd give us the child benefit (it would be £16.85 per week each if it was based on todays rates) then she'd divvy out each utility bill between the 3 of us. She was on pension benefits and we had student loans/grants/allowances as well as some casual income.

7,765kWh should cost around £1066 per year or about £20.50 a week with scottish power divided between 4 people then you can charge the kids £5 a week each for the excess electricity if there are 4 of you. I use the site http://www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/smart_meter_calculator to figure out how much a weekly bill would be.

At least we knew what it would cost when we left home and set up a house we knew what every bill was. We had to pay our own phone calls as well. She said she never used the phone so why should she pay for it....lol....she still has it connected today and still never uses it.

sheffield_lad

Check if the immersion has been left on accidently, do you ever use an electrical heating applaince? Say an oil filled rad in a bedroom/conservatory?

Cardew

jull wrote: »

Where's your ballpark? Wish mine was that price.

I will use about 4200 kWh of electricity in a year and Eon will charge me £633 for it. on saveonline 10.

That works out at 15p per kWh, it is the cheapest electricity in my area, well it was when fixonline 8 ended.




That will add a bit to the price.

You can only use the Tier 2 price when comparing costs as the tier 1 allocation is small and used up first.

i.e. if Tier 2 electricity costs 10p a kWh and you reduce your consumption by, say 100kWh you save £10.

In the Midlands the Tier 2 price for electricity on Eon save on line 10 is 12.18p/kWh.

However there are tariffs where electricity costs under 10p/kWh

rogerblack

jull wrote: »

Where's your ballpark? Wish mine was that price.

I will use about 4200 kWh of electricity in a year and Eon will charge me £633 for it. on saveonline 10.

That works out at 15p per kWh, it is the cheapest electricity in my area, well it was when fixonline 8 ended.

I will use around 2200kWh this year, for which npower (sign online 21) will charge me around 123 (first units) + 147 (second units), minus 100 pound direct debit discount. (I have dual fuel, though am not at the moment using the gas, as it's broken).
For a total of 7.7p/unit.

HappyMJ

rogerblack wrote: »

I will use around 2200kWh this year, for which npower (sign online 21) will charge me around 123 (first units) + 147 (second units), minus 100 pound direct debit discount. (I have dual fuel, though am not at the moment using the gas, as it's broken).
For a total of 7.7p/unit.

I was just thinking about that too. Last quarter and deducting (105/12) £8.75 per month for the annual discount electricity only cost me 1 penny per kWh. I wish it was that in winter.

bendipa

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

I have my gas and electric supplied by Scottish power on their online saver fixed price until 2014 tariff, which includes boiler cover. I paid £105 per year this time last year (on old online tariff) and then in June it went up to £145 a month and last month it went up again to £194 a month.

That doesn't make sense for starters. What is the £105 per year for and how can it then go up to £145 pm? Did you mean £105 pm?

Cardew

jull wrote: »

Well where I am the prices are

tier 1

0.210945p

tier 2

0.151200p

for Eon save on line 10

Quite a big difference

Where do you live? Area - not address

Cardew

jull wrote: »

Freezing cold Scotland, There was snow on the hills when I looked out my window a couple of days ago.

Hydro electric area. PH1

Well where I am the prices are

tier 1

0.210945p

tier 2

0.151200p

for Eon save on line 10

Quite a big difference

Something seems wrong here. This below is what Energyhelpline shows for Scots Hydro on your tariff.

E.ON - SaveOnline 10 (Dual Fuel) Region ScottishHydro Payment method Monthly Direct Debit Features

• High service ratings
• Manage your account online
• Cancellation fees apply

Pricing DetailsBreakdownGas Electricity Standing charge 0.00 p per day (£0.00 per year) 0.00 p per day (£0.00 per year) Unit charge (pence per kWh) 7.973 p for the first 670 kWh per quarter, and 3.312 p thereafter 25.168 p for the first 225 kWh per quarter, and 11.340 p thereafter Discounts Dual fuel direct debit customers receive a discount of 8% off their total annual bill.
All prices shown are inclusive of VAT at 5%.

For electricity only on Eon save on-line 10 it shows as

25.168 p for the first 225 kWh per quarter, and 11.340 p thereafter

Are you sure of your figures? Also strange that it would be expressed as 0.151200p when it should be 15.12p

Cardew

But we still pay more in Scotland than you lot in the Midlands.

Sorry but according to Energyhelpline the present price of Tier 2 electricity for someone on Eon save on-line 10 in Scots Hydro area is 11.34p/kWh. In the Midlands for that tariff it is 12.18p/kWh. so it is 7.4% more expensive in the Midlands!!

Having relatives in Fort William, I do accept that generally electricity prices are higher in Scotland, but not all tariffs!

Cardew

jull wrote: »

Tier 1 is 25.1685 pence

that times 900 is £226.51

3300 time 11.34 is £374.22

Total in one year for 4200 kWh is £600/4200 is 14.30 pence per kWh less the miserly discount of 8% gives something like 14.13 pence per kWh or is all you electricity supplied at tier 2 rates?

Well if you wish to be facetious, perhaps it is time to be pedantic!

You stated:

Well where I am the prices are

tier 1

0.210945p

tier 2

0.151200p

for Eon save on line 10

Quite a big difference

It was your tier 2 price I queried! It is not 0.151200p but 11.34p

Also to put things in context, rogerblack in post #6 was discussing costs of various appliances, for the OP. It was you who 'challenged' his post quoting your incorrect prices. Why your consumption/tariff/area were relevant to the OP's post is not clear.

Given that the extra price for the Tier 1 allocation of 900(assuming the OP had such a tariff!) is in effect a standing charge that cannot be avoided, then whilst discussing savings it is only the tier 2 price that is relevant.

e.g. if your computer is using, say, 500kWh pa and you replace it with a computer that uses 200kWh pa, then your savings are 300kWh @ the Tier 2 price NOT 300kWh at the combined Tier1/Tier2 price.

P.S.
and your tariff is still cheaper in Scotland than the Midlands;)