How is switching a good idea when .... ?

ecuyetx

I have just switched from Scottish Power to First Utility.
I have been paying about £100 (£97) per month for a while now with Scot Power. I have now switched to First Utility (supposedly lots cheaper) and their monthly estimate is £99.
I have now had the first collection of £99 on 12th March from First Utility, and I now also got a bill for £200 from Scot Power payable on 15th April for my outstanding balance. First Utility will then collect £99 again on 12th April.
So the way I see it, I am paying effectively £400 for 2 months of Gas and Electric, where if I had carried on with Scot Power I would have paid £200.
Now I know you will all say I have been paying too little, but last year I was slightly in credit at the end of the year, and the payments increased to take account of increased prices.
So it just seems to me that you pay the first charge up front (in advance) and then always make the last payment effectively in arrears, so every switch seems to cost me a months gas and electric ... yes I'm sure it's not the case, but it certainly feels like it, when my gas and electric costs me £300 in the month of the switch!

Nada666

There are hiccoughs with installments here and there. What matters is what you pay for xy000 kWhs over the year. If the tariff is cheaper the tariff is cheaper.

molerat

The £97 pm you were paying SG was not enough to cover your use, it would have caught up with you eventually. When I last switched I got a cheque but switching mid winter is probably not ideal. The advantage of switching is that you should pay less over the whole year. I know my DD is not covering my use but the extra is put into a savings account earning interest each month, best of both worlds.