Is it really that expensive?

givememoney

I await the onslaught.

Firstly let me say I want cheaper fuel as much as the next person, however if the average yearly bill is £1,500 this equates to £4 roughly per day.

Think what you are getting for your £4 per day.

• Heating
• Clothes washing
• Dish washing
• Showering
• Lighting
• TVs
• Computers
• Cooking
• Ironing
• Vacuuming
• Appliance charging
• Hair drying

In case you think I work for the fuel companies I don't, my husband and I are retired.

I just thought I'd point out the money spent on fuel is better value than other things you might pay for.

frank777

My average yearly bill is £677.54 for a 3 bed semi, this equates to £1.86 roughly per day. I don't like wasting energy, keep it cool and kill the bugs. Just changed my provider to EDF with £30.00 cashback, fixed until March 2015 no exit fees. I won't be having a smart meter fitted, got a free battery smartpower from npower 2 years ago, shows me how much electric I use!


Think what you are getting for your £1.86 per day.
Heating
Clothes washing
Dish washing - by hand!
Showering
Lighting
TV
Computers
Cooking
Ironing
Vacuuming
Appliance charging
Hair drying

Andy_WSM

givememoney wrote: »

I await the onslaught.

Firstly let me say I want cheaper fuel as much as the next person, however if the average yearly bill is £1,500 this equates to £4 roughly per day.

It really does depend upon an individuals circumstances. £1500 a year is more than 10% of many millions of working people's income. It's now the single biggest household expense after mortgage / rent.

For me personally it's a necessary evil and whilst I like to complain about the inflation busting rises, against the lack of pay rises for the last 5 years, I also like to complain about the weather. Neither of which I can do very much about.

DragonQ

With good tariffs, a modern, well insulated house, and sparing use of heating (a few hours a day), you can really reduce bills. Throughout last year's cold winter three of us living in a house spent £350 on gas and £450 on electricity (so £270 each). The year before that (mild winter) two of us spent £175 on gas and £380 on electricity (so £280 each).

That doesn't help those stuck in older properties without insulation though, like I am now. I've estimated my gas to be £260 for the year and electricity about £340 but the gas might go up.

PollySouthend

UK has higher fuel poverty problems than most of Europe

Only one European country has a higher proportion of people in fuel poverty than the UK, and that's Estonia.

http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/uk-has-higher-fuel-poverty-problems-than-most-of-europe-8905159.html

spiro

But in the UK the fuel prices are not the highest, see here http://www.energy.eu. Given the high level of fuel poverty that means one of a number of things, lower income, poorly insulated houses, wasting energy.

PollySouthend

spiro wrote: »

But in the UK the fuel prices are not the highest, see here http://www.energy.eu. Given the high level of fuel poverty that means one of a number of things, lower income, poorly insulated houses, wasting energy.

You forgot to mentionthe vital fact that the UK is much colder than much of europe!

darrensurrey

Well, I just phoned Scottish Power and they said they aren't going to send someone round to do my housework.

SailorSam

My electric bill has come down dramatically since i plugged that cable into the lampost outside.

thommy

It's all relative isn't it?

If, eg, you can afford to regularly go to the pub and buy a few pints or a light meal, or you enjoy meeting a friend for a coffee, then, no it isn't relatively much, is it?

If, however, eg, you have a pension of £100+ per week...you have to watch every penny you spend. You have to choose to keep warm or go cold. It's stating the obvious really but the knock on effects are profound. Personal health is at risk. The fabric of your house is at risk - damp, black mould....Personal health further at risk...I don't think people who take for granted energy really appreciate what it means for those who do.....

Pincher

An article in the Sunday Times today says some long term thinkers fear that if a cheap source of energy was actually found, so that our dependency on oil disappears, it will turn the Middle East into a pit of hell. One half will try to kill us by Jihad, the other half will be turning up seeking asylum.

So if some scientist did come up with cheap fusion, we might have to arrest him and put him somewhere safe. Maybe this has already happened?