Gas and Electric

[AugustMum]

Ok, Im a dunce when it comes to gas and electric but I do know Im paying more than I need to because its a standard rate thats just pay as I recieve the bill kind of thing. Most expensive tariff basically.

So! Im using uswitch to change over suppliers and it's asked me what my last bill was which was £130 for the last 3 months. BUT! This was the summer months so it's obviously going to be more during winter months. So if I have a monthly direct debit come out, can I over pay to compensate for any extra which might/will occur?

 

[ERIN84]

Yeah, you can just ring them and say you want to pay more!

We are also on a standard rate and need to switch!!!!

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

we have a key meter which is expensive but at least we can see what we are doing and cant get into debt!

 

[AugustMum]

I might switch tonight then. Npower have a fixed rate until March 2013 and £70 cash back for customers switching to dual fuel.

I wouldn't want to be on a pay meter because if we have snow like last winter (and the one before!) it would be really hard for me to get into town :/ Im surprised by how cheap my bills are tbh seeing as the bill Im on is so expensive. Dread winter though. But at night the heating is going off, Paige will be in thermals and Im going to sit in my room under the duvet! The during the day we're heading to paces like soft play and the library so we can use their heating instead of mine lol. Im such a cheap skate.

 

[Amyrose]

Girls I haven't had a bill in 2 years I have tried to get I sorted no end of times but they keep telling me my house doesn't exist!

 

[DaisyPurple]

Oh Christ hun I hope they don't land you with a scorcher of a bill once sorted xx the idiots x

 

[Amyrose]

There isn't even a meter that I can find poll it's crazy.

 

[DaisyPurple]

Oh god that's really wierd x

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

they cant just charge you shit loads all at once... its clearly their fault and if you have proof you have tried to get charged... well then i would just accept that your lucky!

 

[Amyrose]

I have kept proof of everything I am not going to worry about it to much x

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

good plan! There is no way a court would allow them to bankrupt you with charges if you have made every effort to keep on top of it! If someone elses property is in your posession (money included) for 3 or more months without a verbal contract to say otherwise, then it becomes yours (according to law, morally that might be a bit different hey) so i think you are well within your rights to not have to pay back all of it x

 

[Amyrose]

I have been a good girl and put 50 pound a week away for it as I would hate to be in debt. at least it's there if I do need to pay it if not a shopping spree will do nicely haha x

 

[littlemiss83]

I find monthly direct debits alot easier to handle, my elec which is the most expensive, I dont pay more than i should, but the gas I pay slightly more. When I set it up, they said it would compensate for winter, as we literally use no gas during summer & have it on all winter!!

Remember you can phone up or check online & see if your in credit/debit.

 

[AugustMum]

Yeah I always use the online billing. I think if I pay £50 a month it should cover the extra winter bill as well.

I dont know why but it seems like a massive commitment lol.

 

[littlemiss83]

My elec is £85 a month & my gas is £40 but we use alot of elec thats why its so high!

I would defo shop about!

 

[ERIN84]

I pay £90 for both. I want it cheaper!!!

 

[AugustMum]

Do you cook with electric though? Mines a gas hob so use it quite alot. For the 3 months (got the bill today) it was £65 for electric, so about £22 a month and £58 for gas, so about £19 a month. I really want to bring those costs down though so Im making sure all the plugs are switched off everywhere now and once I get my ipod back the laptop will rarely be switched on as atm the battery has gone in the laptop so it has to be plugged in all the time I can literally see the electric being wasted!!

I just went onto uswitch because I can get cashback for doing it with them. So Ill get about a months gas and electric bill free

 

[littlemiss83]

We use alot more electrical things than a normal household - OH Is a computer engineer & very often has 4/5 PC's running at the same time, along with his own, my laptop and wee girls PC & all the other things in various rooms, so my amount is nothing to compare to.

I think you probs could get yours cheaper augustmum - I oven is elec & find it doesn't really effect my bill that much compared to other electrical things.

 

[AugustMum]

Well now the dark nights are here, I only have one lamp on and thats an energy saving one and the tv will be on. Im going to spend more time out the house as well so we wont be using much during the day at all. Im going to use the slow cooker alot this winter as well. Get the stews on the go.

If I had to have as much stuff on at the same time as you do Id feel myself having a bit of a panic attack haha. Im a bit of an electric nazi tbh I get it from my mother.

 

[littlemiss83]

Yeah ano it freaks me out, not that anyone ever listens to my concerns (I live with Mr Know-it-all) who knows everything about everything!! Theres no talking to him about whats safe & whats not.