Energy savings after switching-true or false?

[mart]

I went on that Uswitch site, and the projected savings that they came up with is a nonsense in my experience.

Their claim is a saving of over £200 per year. I compared the energy costs (Kwhrs) of my current supplier and the saving is approximately £29 year.

The standing charge difference is only £3 per year so not bothered about that.

I like to receive a paper bill and pay when it arrives quarterly.

To gain the massive saving of £32 you have to jump through hoops. Pay by a monthly standing order in advance and sign up up to a 12 month contract.

I hear stories of people saying their bills are less by switching. But, are they really paying less or just using less. Is the Kwhr rate really that much less?

I'm sure many will disagree with my opinion, but this is what I experienced.

I phoned Uswitch to share my findings with them, but the woman on the phone had just come over from the Jeremy Kyle set so no progress was gained there.

 

[WorkshopChris]

What annoys me is its getting harder to find the basic info (standing charge and unit rate) to make a comparison.
All the sites want to know your area and existing supplier and consumption.
As a heavy user the standing charge is less of a issue but the lowest unit rate is the most important.
So many tariffs are hidden deep on the supplier sites.

 

[optima21]

yeah I've heard the £200 a year claim, somehow I dont think thats likely to happen for me as my monthly bill is £35 a month for both gas and electricity combined.

 

[RonA]

I agree with you Mart.
In the days when you were sent a quarterly bill, effectively you were banking with the Energy company(effectively you were getting getting interest on them) With direct debit part of the year the Energy company is banking with you & they are getting interest on the money they hold less so called DD discount. I personally would like to go back to the old way of doing things.
RonA

 

[DaveB]

Read the title of the thread and thought " What !!! "

You mean money savings

The way to save energy is to use less and has nothing to do with supplier.

 

[cumbriasteve]

British Gas was £83/month with no credit building up, switched to E-on at the savings rate of £74/month, after 12 months they have refunded me £7 and told me they are dropping the payments to £67/month for my estimated next years usage.

I also got £100 worth of vouchers when I switched that are valid in most big shops and something else that resulted in £50 worth of vouchers after 6 months.

Happy so far.

 

[TechnicAl]

I change regularly, usually when the deal ends or when they increase their prices. I look for lower unit costs for Gas, as I use more gas. Sometimes this results in a higher cost for Electricity but the difference compensates. My usual bill is about £150 per month but the heating is on all the time and its a biggish house. I know how much I use (roughly) so I do my own calculations and often as not they correspond to the quotes on MoneySupermarket.com. I tried Uswitch and their offeres werent as good.

 

[julianf]

I would imaging that the switching sites get commission.

Commision and absolute truthfulness are not always found together.

 

[brightspark]

best laugh is we were with British gas for our leccy and gas and they installed smart meters fine. then wifey swapped providers and the smart meters don't work with other providers how goods that

 

[mart]

I don't have a problem with the electric as I only use around £50 per quarter. But the gas bill I just received is 5 X the electric bill.

I heat one room only, and like to sit by the gas fire which I use a lot. Occasionally I put the CH heating on for half an hour if it is very cold . I wear 2 pair of socks all the time. The latest gas bill is £251.88

I'm starting to wonder if It would be better to start using the electric fire in my room instead . Apparently when using a gas fire, a lot of the heat goes up the back of it and out the chimney.

Gas is 3.9 pence per Kwh

Electric is 15.5 pence per Kwh

So if I put two 500w bars on for one hour, I am assuming that I will use one Kwhr and it will cost me 15.5pence. That cannot be right surely? Anyone know for sure ?

 

[brightspark]

I don't have a problem with the electric as I only use around £50 per quarter. But the gas bill I just received is 5 X the electric bill.

I heat one room only, and like to sit by the gas fire which I use a lot. Occasionally I put the CH heating on for half an hour if it is very cold . I wear 2 pair of socks all the time. The latest gas bill is £251.88

I'm starting to wonder if It would be better to start using the electric fire in my room instead . Apparently when using a gas fire, a lot of the heat goes up the back of it and out the chimney.

Gas is 3.9 pence per Kwh

Electric is 15.5 pence per Kwh

So if I put two 500w bars on for one hour, I am assuming that I will use one Kwhr and it will cost me 15.5pence. That cannot be right surely? Anyone know for sure ?

 

[brightspark]

2 at 500w =1kw 15,5p for an hour and a bit for standing charge

 

[mart]

2 at 500w =1kw 15,5p for an hour and a bit for standing charge

Hmmm. May bring the electric fire down and leave the gas fire off.

I have to pay the standing charge regardless of using jack ****

 

[julianf]

I don't have a problem with the electric as I only use around £50 per quarter. But the gas bill I just received is 5 X the electric bill.

I heat one room only, and like to sit by the gas fire which I use a lot. Occasionally I put the CH heating on for half an hour if it is very cold . I wear 2 pair of socks all the time. The latest gas bill is £251.88

I'm starting to wonder if It would be better to start using the electric fire in my room instead . Apparently when using a gas fire, a lot of the heat goes up the back of it and out the chimney.

Gas is 3.9 pence per Kwh

Electric is 15.5 pence per Kwh

So if I put two 500w bars on for one hour, I am assuming that I will use one Kwhr and it will cost me 15.5pence. That cannot be right surely? Anyone know for sure ?

Mains gas is one of the cheapest ways to get heat. I think its only beaten by coal.

Electricity (unless you are doing something fancy like heat recovery) is right at the other end of the scale.

 

[steve_s]

We saved a rough average of £35-40 a month by switching gas and electric.

Not a special rate deal (the company don't do them), no minimum term, no exit fees if we switch again.

There's monthly readings to supply, and the monthly payment is based on actual usage (not averaged) - but it fits much better with our 'system' than quarterly billing with random DD changes all over the place.

pdg Who did you go with ?

 

[optima21]

I don't have a problem with the electric as I only use around £50 per quarter. But the gas bill I just received is 5 X the electric bill.

I heat one room only, and like to sit by the gas fire which I use a lot.

I'm starting to wonder if It would be better to start using the electric fire in my room instead . Apparently when using a gas fire, a lot of the heat goes up the back of it and out the chimney.

this scenario reminds me of a couple of weeks ago when I was wondering if it was cheaper to boil a pan of water to cook some pasta in, or to boil a kettle of water (with the correct amount in) and then tip that into the pan to cook the pasta in......one day I'll get round to working it out. I only used the kettle it would have taken too long for the water to boil in the pan first as I was in a hurry.

 

[the snooper]

I've gone with utilita, top up via phone app or card. I was with gritish bas but hate them I have no standing charge and was with utilita at a previous address cost per unit might be a bit more due to no standing charge but as I'm out all day 5 or 6 days a week I don't use much , the smart meter estimates how long you have left at your current balance it's saying 54 days electric with a balance of 36.50 and 65days gas with a balance of 35.00, I only have gas c/h and come summer won't be using heating so very little gas used and no standing charge

 

[mart]

I change regularly, usually when the deal ends or when they increase their prices. I look for lower unit costs for Gas, as I use more gas. Sometimes this results in a higher cost for Electricity but the difference compensates. My usual bill is about £150 per month but the heating is on all the time and its a biggish house. I know how much I use (roughly) so I do my own calculations and often as not they correspond to the quotes on MoneySupermarket.com. I tried Uswitch and their offeres werent as good.

AL-I am guessing you prefer to retain the dual fuel discount from one supplier? I was thinking you could use separate supplier for each.

Who are you currently using for your gas?

 

[mart]

Bulb...

I'll send you a pm.

I'm interested too pdg.

 

[rtbcomp]

...
Gas is 3.9 pence per Kwh

Electric is 15.5 pence per Kwh

So if I put two 500w bars on for one hour, I am assuming that I will use one Kwhr and it will cost me 15.5pence. That cannot be right surely? Anyone know for sure ?

Is the figure for gas the calorific value of the fuel or the actual heat you get into the room?

Your calc. for electricity consumption is correct. I've heard the radiant infra-red heaters are better, they heat you and not the room.