Stay with supplier on a variable or move on to something else?

QrizB

B0bbyEwing said:

Alnat1 said:

Can you work out what you annual cost will be using the actual readings?

You'll have to explain to me how it matters what I use if you don't mind. Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price.

Your actual use is quite important when trying to compare two tariffs.

We're expecting the October cap to come in around 14.5p/kWh for gas and 45p/kWh for electricity.

Imagine that you've been offered a fixed tariff of 12p/kWh for gas and 50p/kWh for electricity. Depending on how much gas and electricity you use, this offer could be cheaper than the cap or more expensive.

A customer that uses a more gas, and less electricity, is likely to save money; one that uses more electricity, and less gas, will lose money.

BUFF

There is also the effect of the standing charge.
Some tariffs will have higher standing charge but lower unit rates  - this usually has more impact on people with low usage.
Then there is the reverse, low standing charges but higher unit rates - tends to be worse for people with high usage.
& anything in between - this is why it can be important to use actual usage figures.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

you said,

"You'll have to explain to me how it matters what I use if you don't mind. Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price. So sure more money would come out of my pocket on a 9200 use than a 2900 use but the unit price would be the same for 9200 as it was for 2900, and that's what I'm here asking about - whether I can do anything to get a better deal than what I'm currently on, because that side of things I don't know"

The unit price will stay the same and the standing charge, (until next cap increase).

Obviously if you use 9200 units instead of 2900 units your costs will be over 3 times more expensive.

macman

Alnat1 said:

What I was really wondering was why your supplier used those "average user" figures when they have your actual ones. Seemed a bit misleading and poor customer service when the correct information was available to them.

Was also just to make sure you were aware (you obviously are) that you could work out your usage as you have the correct figures

Because that is the way that the regulator requires them to present their tariffs.

B0bbyEwing

QrizB said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Alnat1 said:

Can you work out what you annual cost will be using the actual readings?

You'll have to explain to me how it matters what I use if you don't mind. Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price.

Your actual use is quite important when trying to compare two tariffs.

We're expecting the October cap to come in around 14.5p/kWh for gas and 45p/kWh for electricity.

Imagine that you've been offered a fixed tariff of 12p/kWh for gas and 50p/kWh for electricity. Depending on how much gas and electricity you use, this offer could be cheaper than the cap or more expensive.

A customer that uses a more gas, and less electricity, is likely to save money; one that uses more electricity, and less gas, will lose money.

BUFF said:

There is also the effect of the standing charge.
Some tariffs will have higher standing charge but lower unit rates  - this usually has more impact on people with low usage.
Then there is the reverse, low standing charges but higher unit rates - tends to be worse for people with high usage.
& anything in between - this is why it can be important to use actual usage figures.

I see. Thanks. Makes more sense now. I see where you're coming from.

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

you said,

"You'll have to explain to me how it matters what I use if you don't mind. Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price. So sure more money would come out of my pocket on a 9200 use than a 2900 use but the unit price would be the same for 9200 as it was for 2900, and that's what I'm here asking about - whether I can do anything to get a better deal than what I'm currently on, because that side of things I don't know"

The unit price will stay the same and the standing charge, (until next cap increase).

Obviously if you use 9200 units instead of 2900 units your costs will be over 3 times more expensive.

Is that not similar to saying something like:

you said
"today is Sunday"

It is Sunday today.

?

I feel like you just repeated me & then repeated me again. I'm genuinely scratching my head as to whether you said something in that post & I've just missed it.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

you seemed to imply that you didn't understand why using 9200 units will be more expensive than using 2900 units.

Quote

 "Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price".

B0bbyEwing

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

you seemed to imply that you didn't understand why using 9200 units will be more expensive than using 2900 units.

Quote

 "Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price".

Yes that's correct (I didn't understand).

What I meant in my last post is that for example, QrizB and BUFF then went on to explain the why but you just repeated me which explained nothing? Their posts were different to yours. Theirs told me something I didn't realise whereas yours told me what I'd said a few posts previous.

Though it doesn't really matter who says it I suppose. Someone has & so long as we get there in the end that's all that matters

[Deleted User]

Hi,

mmm, thought I had explained it, you use more you pay more, simple.

B0bbyEwing

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

mmm, thought I had explained it, you use more you pay more, simple.

Well, yes, but then as much as I don't know about energy use, the tariffs and the ins and outs of it all

I do know that if you use more you pay more. They're not going to give you anything for free. 

But it's a bit like saying if you drive 100 miles instead of driving 1 mile, you'll use more fuel. 
If you leave the tap running for 30 mins instead of 3 seconds (and being cautious of where this could end up - both being at the same flow rate), more water will have come out of it. 
etc.

MisterMotivated

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

mmm, thought I had explained it, you use more you pay more, simple.

I believe the point B0bbyEwing is trying ot make, is that the price per kWh doesn't change, regardless of how much you use

B0bbyEwing said:

You'll have to explain to me how it matters what I use if you don't mind. Whether I use 2900kWh or 9200kWh, my understanding is that it really doesn't matter as the unit price is the unit price. So sure more money would come out of my pocket on a 9200 use than a 2900 use but the unit price would be the same for 9200 as it was for 2900, and that's what I'm here asking about - whether I can do anything to get a better deal than what I'm currently on, because that side of things I don't know.

For a start, it would help you get a more realistic forecast based on your usage rather than the media headline figures (e.g. everyone telling me my bill could hit £4,200 a year in January is meaningless considering I use much less than the  average user).

More importantly, there are multiple variables involved in calculating the overall cost, including gas standing charge, electricity standing charge, gas unit price and electricity unit price.  Whether you've a very high usage or very low usage will determine how much of an impact the standing charge has.  Whether you use e.g. 10 times more gas than electricity or vice versa, will determine which of the variables are most important to you when considering a deal.