huge utility bills...any advice

sitcom321

I will fully own up to not having a clue about gas and electric prices, but I feel I need to get clued up and quickly. today i received my online bills from british gas who provide both gas & electric. I sent my meter reading on sunday and logged on to my account today to see if they had been updated.

I nearly fell off my chair. Gas is £375 for the quarter and Electric £240. :eek::eek:my monthly direct debits have now gone up to £87 & £80 per month respectively. some advice please on what I should be looking for in terms of gas/electric suppliers

we are a family of 3 in a large old terrace, me and hubby both working full time although he works 6-2 2-10 shifts, daughter in full time education. we have gas central heating worcester boiler about 3 years old. gas hob electric oven, use my washer approx 3 times per week and tumble dryer about same in winter. electric power shower.

oldskoo1

I hate to break it to you but this sort of range for gas is ok to good for a winter bill.

Your electricity on the other hand perhaps could be improved. Simply by turning off anything that isn't being used, that includes things on standby. Get used to turning off lights when you leave a room. We don't cook with electric hobs and all our heating is gas. 4 people in our house, I'm home all day and we use about £25 a month.

Most things are low energy devices, nothing is left on. If we had older boys I think games consoles and tvs and music left on would be a fair drain.

Tumble driers might add about £5 a month for frequent use, like several times a week. Your usage would be your general habits really.

Easiest way is to go round turning all plugs off apart from phone, fridge, freezer and broadband. Then turn on what you need when you need it and turn it off after.

You might also be falling into a direct debit evaluation where you don't have much credit, you monthly payments won't cover your winter use but British gas hike now and adjust them back down after summer.

I also recommend you put your yearly usage into a comparison site to see if there is a better deal.

Expect your gas to fall to around £25 a month in the spring summer if you only heat hot water cylinder and cook on it. Possibly even less but your electric apart from lighting use won't change an awful lot.