Balancing not just the budget

Buffythedebtslayer

RosaBernicia said:

Thanks MT.  As it happens, I will be going away overnight in the van in a couple of weeks time, and am really looking forward to it - meeting friends I haven't seen in ages, in a lovely part of the world.  I also think I've found a solution for extra space in the longer term that would enable me to allow for wet gear, the dog and also fit in a portable loo - I'm going to treat myself to a driveaway awning for Christmas   .  That will mean things are more comfortable, and I can be 'self contained' (which was a requirement for sites here for part of lockdown) much, much more cheaply than buying a bigger van. 

A Christmas trip is a lovely idea, though I'd be more inclined to go looking for the Northern lights than town ones.  That's a definite option from here, though it would depend on the weather situation... I shall think about it, thank you for the inspiration! 

this sounds so lovely. It really does XXXX 

RosaBernicia

Sunday not really shuffle... 

Not much to add!  Still massively over budget and it won't be fixed this month as have the plastering to pay for, plus possibly some other work on the house.  Plus will need diesel for going away next weekend. 

Grumpy and disappointed this weekend, for reasons we won't go into too much - but one of them is a friend no longer able to visit at the end of the month.  I was really looking forward to that, but now need to decide whether to schedule other things or do a very long van journey to meet them elsewhere.  Will think about it next week. 

Only other thing moneywise is the energy situation.  My fix ends next month, and my supplier has offered me a 'loyalty' tariff for a 12 month fix, which is apparently not on the switching market and only available to existing customers.  As it's only £70 above the existing average cap, and would protect me from the April rise, I'm wondering if I should take it despite the general guidance to stick with variable. 

Hideous exams this week so wish me luck please! 

RB xx

kerri_gt

Good luck with the exams Rosa.

We're being switched to Shell atm after Green went bust.

Re the friend, do the journey only if it suits you. They have had to cancel so don't feel obliged to put yourself out. Could you arrange for friend to come and stay another time soon?

doingitanyway

I hope the exams go well.

EssexHebridean

Hmmm…I feel your energy quandary! If it were me, for that amount extra, and allowing for what Martin is saying about the potential for the cap skyrocketing, I’d be inclined to go for it I think. Ultimately it *is* only 12 months, 10.5 really if you count the time period door being able to leave without penalty I think? so if for some reason it did turn out to be the wrong decision you’d not be tied in for too long. 

Good luck with the exams! 

RosaBernicia

EssexHebridean said:

Hmmm…I feel your energy quandary! If it were me, for that amount extra, and allowing for what Martin is saying about the potential for the cap skyrocketing, I’d be inclined to go for it I think. Ultimately it *is* only 12 months, 10.5 really if you count the time period door being able to leave without penalty I think? so if for some reason it did turn out to be the wrong decision you’d not be tied in for too long. 

Good luck with the exams! 

Thanks EH, there isn't even an exit penalty so I could go straight onto variable if it turned out better.  Just rather suspicious as it sounds too good to be true! 

EssexHebridean

In that case, I'd take their hands off for the deal, and keep an eye on the comparisons to see if anything else tempting pops up! 

RosaBernicia

EssexHebridean said:

In that case, I'd take their hands off for the deal, and keep an eye on the comparisons to see if anything else tempting pops up! 

Thanks EH.  I think I will probably end up taking it.  It's certainly much cheaper than the other fix, though still a big jump from current. 

I've just emailed my supplier to try and get some sensible comparative info on the price cap.  You might think Ofgem would present it in some kind of useful form on their website, but no... all I found was a load of complicated contractual stuff and advice to ask my current supplier!  Why is it that people who blather about believing in markets don't appear to have read page 2 of any economics textbook and entirely miss the point about all parties needing clear and equal information!  I think I'm going to have to make a spreadsheet to try and keep track of my energy estimates! 

RosaBernicia

Ah.  Well that was worth an hour swearing at a spreadsheet.  I have eventually found the price cap equivalent via a search of the forum (bless all MSE'ers) - it's hidden in the press release notes . 

And using my supplier's estimates of my annual usage from last month's bill for amount comparison (plus assuming I've set up the spreadsheet right), and assuming the statement about the standing charges being included in the kWh price cap figures is correct... my price cap estimate comes out at about £740/ year.  The loyalty fix comes out at £1,120.  My supplier's fix offered for new customers comes out to £1,630. 

I think I'll do as Martin says and stick with the cap. 

RosaBernicia

Update: somebody much cleverer than me has made a price cap calculator on that thread ... and using their figures, my estimate comes out to about £700. 

Still sticking with Martin!