It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

newlywed

Still waiting council tax bill and there’s nothing at all on their website yet. They often leave it later than this as the put it up by the maximum allowed without them having to do extra red tape

luvchocolate

Ours gone up just short of 3% which is less of an increase than last year. 
Nothing online about the £150 rebate 

YorksLass

The only bill we've had so far is for the rent that is going up an extra £5.51 pw from April and I've recently renewed our phone & broadband contract for another 24 months at £1 pm extra.

We're still waiting for the council tax and water rates bills and so far there's nothing on their websites to indicate what they will be.  Council tax will definitely be going up (maybe about 3%) and I read on MSE that our water rates should be £6 pa less.

For energy bills we're on a fixed price plan until the end of August but I've calculated what we could be paying after that (based on current consumption levels and the new April price cap rates for units and daily standing charges) and it looks as if our current DD of £80.36 pm will rise to £154 pm.  That's almost double, so I'll definitely be asking the utility company why if they ask for more than that.  I dread to think what it could be after the October review.

We know the TV licence has been frozen so for that one we know what we'll be paying.

Like joedenise, we both have our state pensions and I have a small final salary pension.  We know what the state pension increase is but I'm still waiting on the works pension notification.  I doubt there will be any spare cash this year so it's back to head scratching to see where we can cut back more than we already have.

Florenceem

Deleted_User - I did Ebay years ago but stopped when postage was charged according to size of parcel rather than weight.
I may have a go at selling again as I have some nice bits that need to leave the house.

MovingForwards

I deliberately purchased a small car, cheap to service and replace parts, with zero car tax. While I took it out on finance over 3 years, I've been overpaying it to have it gone in 9 months.

While I'd hoped the contractual payment money would go into extra savings each payday, at least half of it will be going into increased utilities.

I'll still be able to save all the money I was paying in overpayments.

Last year I spent £523 on gas and electric for a 2 bed flat in Scotland, they think it will cost me £1085 for this year, or £2271 if I fix my tariff!

CT is going up by 3%, not sure about the water as it's included in the CT bill.

I pay the home / car insurance annually, less than £450 for for all three aspects and could get my B&C insurance cheaper.

My mortgage is still fixed for just over 3 years.

I try to grow a lot of the veg I eat and this year have planned to cut back on variety to increase quantity, while also having more for winter storage.

Aside from that Netflix and mobile costs will be pennies extra a month.

Toonie

My local council haven't decided their rises yet, but are petitioning for the max allowed which will add around £90 a year to the bill for us. We're definitely feeling the pinch as it's still the single income and I'm not as yet receiving any benefits as I had to wait for my P45 to arrive (which occurred on Friday) so I may get something by the end of next week. This week my plan whilst indoors is to start sorting seeds for starting out in our propagators and to work out what will go where in the garden. I've got some lettuce which should give us a few leaves with the next month/six weeks and some basil started too.

thriftwizard

Don't know what our council tax increase will be yet, but was dismayed to be told our duel-fuel bill was going from £160 per month (5-6 adults living here, 2 WFH in office-type jobs with all that that implies for the fuel bill) to a jaw-dropping £350, which is scary. I've switched off our older chest freezer (making 15 pots of jam and 17 of apple butter with as much of the contents as I could save) and am about to call in an electrician to track down the source of the constant hum in our living room. Not a bee or wasps nest... definitely electrical, and the only time it stops is if we turn the whole house off. We're not profligate energy consumers; lights are all LED, we do turn them&  most devices off at the wall at night, the heating's set to 17℃ and is only on morning & evening unless it's bitter. We do have, and use, a wood stove, which tends to convince the thermostat it doesn't need to run the heating. We will be able to cover the increase but it does mean slashing other expenditure. Which can't be good for the economy, if people across the country are also having to do this?

ETA: have jut submitted the latest meter readings and it's been lowered to £313. Slightly better...

euronorris

I think those who are seeing the biggest hikes for energy are those who were still on a low, fixed, rate which is just coming to an end. Going from that to the April price cap is a much larger jump than the 54% we all see in the press.

Just paid 148.9p per litre for petrol to fill the car back up. It was 144.9p per litre just 2.5 weeks ago.

[Deleted User]

@euronorris - we are really rural, and a friend told me she paid 161.9p per litre for petrol today - she nearly cried at the pumps. I really don't blame her. 

I am trying to keep positive and upbeat about everything, I truly am, but there is no magic money tree and if we are hit with a large rise in CT and electricity, we will really struggle. 

EssexHebridean

Deleted_User said:

We get our electricity bill monthly; I give weekly readings via the app to ensure the bill is accurate and I pay on receipt of bill (I only have one direct debit for the internet). I am awaiting February’s bill with bated breath, I suspect it will be uploaded tomorrow. 

I have been using an awful lot of eggs from my girls to keep food costs down, so much so that I’m down to my last egg (unheard of in this house!) I’ll send the children out to check for eggs shortly.

I have been having quite a bit of success with eBay recently for sale outgrown kids clothes, toys etc. I haven’t sold on eBay for many years, but it’s so much simpler than it used to be and the money goes into your bank the next day. I also find the app very user friendly. I’ve made £39 in the past week, which is a huge huge help for us. I just wanted to mention it in case some were interested but reluctant - it’s been a life saver xx

You have an easy way of reducing your electricity bill - even if just a little - then. By switching to a variable monthly direct debit you’ll still be able to pay each bill in full as it comes in, but will pay a slightly reduced price per kWh and a lower standing charge. 😊

joedenise said:

Greenqueen_2 said:

Do check your fuel figures.  Like you, we have been paying £88 per month for gas and electric. I was expecting the rise to reach around £100-£120.  It came as £302 !!!!!!!!

I will do but I just wish they could tell me what they think I'm going to need to pay!  I really hope it isn't anywhere like as much as £302!  We only have state pensions plus my small works pension so something like that amount will be taking an awfully big chunk from our incomings!

I wouldn’t worry about waiting for them to tell you - work out the actual years costs yourself, then if your supplier tells you they want to increase your DD a silly amount, you can get hold of them and explain why they don’t need to!  Plus - if it’s worrying you, it makes far more sense to just find out - it might even put your mind at rest!