Octopus Agile

t0rt0ise

Newbie_John said:

I can see 0 on the app Just fine - octopus app and octopusCompare.

It's the graph in the app where it doesn't show.

Telegraph_Sam

I don't  have an EV nor a battery but I do have solars based in the North East.  Would you agree that if I am not prepared to monitor the rates movements avidly, and to adapt my lifestyle more than marginally, that I would be best to steer clear of Agile ?  [And the reverse of course]

wrf12345

Depends how your lifestyle matches up to the peak times but, yes, it does take a bit of effort to shift cooking times, etc and also whether you live alone or have six kids. It is mildly liberating to switch from Agile after a year to a std tariff and hard to go back, especially as it has higher s/c's for me.

Slinky

I had Agile alongside solar and batteries for over a year, but switched to Economy 7, so 97% of my current usage is at night time rates.  It was an interesting challenge to juggle to download at the cheapest slots but I'm happier not having the 4-7pm 'stress' of much higher rates when the oven, microwave, kettle use might all overlap. Of course I'm paying more than standard rate at the moment in the daytime, but current stats are showing it's only 3% of our usage, so not worth worrying about. Our average buy in rate is 13p.

I don't discount going back to Agile at some point in the future.

This of course doesn't help Sam who doesn't have batteries, but does perhaps give some guidance on the 'stress factor' that having ever changing rates can bring.

QrizB

Telegraph_Sam said:

Would you agree that if I am not prepared to monitor the rates movements avidly, and to adapt my lifestyle more than marginally, that I would be best to steer clear of Agile ?

Sam you've been umm'ing and aah'ing about Agile on this forum since February 2021 🤣

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78066070/#Comment_78066070

Maybe just give it a try for a few months? You can leave at any time.

Telegraph_Sam

I'm on a Loyalty fix at present = the opposite from Agile in stress factor terms (which I feel should not be ignored). I like to keep things under review however which is where the Forum comes in

JKenH

I have been on Agile for 10 months, having moved from Flux. I have been prepared to put the time in micromanaging but it was a chore to my wife. I acquired a Powerwall on 9th December and although there having been a few teething problems while it learns it is so much more relaxing just to be able to use an appliance whenever I want to. Agile has saved me money though compared to Flux and a standard tariff. Unless you are prepared to make the effort or have a battery or your lifestyle naturally avoids heavy 4-7pm usage I wouldn’t bother.

My last 3 months:

LessImpecunious

Might be worth looking at EDF Freephase Dynamic as a simpler variant of the Agile model...

Telegraph_Sam

I'm not sure I didn't read somewhere that EDF was one of the Big Six (?) to avoid. 

tlcgrantham

Telegraph_Sam said:

I'm on a Loyalty fix at present = the opposite from Agile in stress factor terms (which I feel should not be ignored). I like to keep things under review however which is where the Forum comes in

    You might want to take a look at 2 versions of reduced stress Agile type Tariffs. 

    1. EDF FreePhase Dynamic ( a slightly simpler version of Agile )
     

           Like Tracker prices change daily (not every 30mins) according to Wholesale Prices.

           It has 3 different rates of averaged Wholesale Prices:-
 

                  Green 11pm-6am.    Red 4pm-7pm.   Amber 6am-4pm & 7pm-11pm

      The following days rates are published at 12pm the previous day

      Prices are capped at 75p per kWh.    Negative Wholesale Prices are nor paid but Free.

    The Red Peak rates are usually about 20% cheaper than Agile in the Northeast region.

     Green and Amber are about the same on average.

   2. EDF FreePhase Static ( a much simpler alternative to Agile)

         Prices fixed per kWh for 12 months. ( Northeast region)

          Green 11pm-6am 16.3p.      Red 4pm-7pm 34.1p.       Amber 6am-4.pm & 7pm-11pm. 21p

        When Wholesale prices are zero or Negative at any time Electricity is free.


 I’ve been on the Dynamic version for 6 weeks now and found it not only slightly cheaper but less stressful than Agile without too much load shifting.