I've been checking what various appliances use. My PC uses about 200W - the screen uses 65W and attached sundries about 20W. It's on for about 14 hours/day so uses around 4 units per day. I pay 21p/unit so that's 84p per day
One load of washing uses about 2 units - so 42p My freezers use about 1 unit/day each - 42p/day To boil 1 mug of water - 1.1p The pump for the waterfall in my pond costs about 58p/day
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Despite my requests to review my direct debit, I've been hundreds of pounds in credit with my energy company for quite some time. Happy to do my bit to keep them from going bust
I was the same @Biglad - around £300 of credit when they went bust last September. I was also of the mindset that, because I can afford it, there was no point in anything being changed with the new company [although they actually reduced it by a few quid themselves] and as the weather has been so mild until the last week or so, I'm hoping they base the new debit on my much lower usage over the last year when everything goes bonkers. They'd better!
However, not everyone is in the same position. If I was struggling, that £300 would be a lifeline
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Similar @Fairygirl - we were nearly £600 in credit at the start of the winter. It's down to £300 now but we'll be turning the central heating off long before that gets used up. It might work through 2022 if our direct debit isn't changed (with the imminent price increase) but I bet they up it!
There will definitely be people in credit who can't afford to 'lend' any money to energy companies and I feel for them as the frustration trying to get their money back will be immense.
It's a right royal sh*tshow, for sure, @Biglad The companies have to honour any credit you have though, but as you say - it'll not stop debits going up, and they won't want to physically give money back. They'll just use it for payment credit instead.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@biglad and @fairygirl - I ran up quite a big credit with British Gas a couple of years ago and I just asked them to refund me the amount - which they did - straight back to my bank a/c. I'm surprised if you can't get larger sums like that back fairly easily.
I can also go into my online account and adjust the direct debit amount myself. I've just upped it slightly to cover the higher tariff I opted for on a fixed rate deal. British Gas insist I don't need to and that my payments are (quote) 'bang on target'🙄 but I really don't want to be underpaying. Can you not do that with your supplier Biglad? I'm pretty sure I couldn't get away with a silly adjustment to (say) £10pm but anything reasonable seems to be accepted.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I've just been sucked down that worm hole of calculating how much my iMac costs to run per year (well under £1 a week), how much to make a cup of tea (about the same as you) etc etc. Reassuring but it's an hour of my life I won't get back🤣
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Yes @Topbird It's got me trying to calculate the cost of every appliance! For a month I checked how much leccy I use per day and it's about 15-16 units/day. I can account for about 10 units, but I can't work out where the other 5-6 units are being used. The 4 LED patio lights (which is the only illumination for my lounge at night) cost 2p/day My electric blanket - 2p/day Radio - 8p/day TV - 2p/day
It's becoming an obsession!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Can someone work out if it's better to do a 63 minute wash at 40C or a 97 minute wash at 30C ? in terms of electricity cost, environmental cost and cleanliness of laundry.
@Topbird unfortunately my supplier isn't as flexible as BG. However, it's not a problem major enough for me to pursue any further. After 2 attempts, my DD has been reduced by £13/month (nowhere near enough). I'll leave it at that until the market settles down and I can look to switch supplier.
I don't mind being in credit at the start of the winter but I shouldn't be come spring. It's frustrating that our supplier doesn't acknowledge that but we'll survive
Posts
My PC uses about 200W - the screen uses 65W and attached sundries about 20W.
It's on for about 14 hours/day so uses around 4 units per day.
I pay 21p/unit so that's 84p per day
One load of washing uses about 2 units - so 42p
My freezers use about 1 unit/day each - 42p/day
To boil 1 mug of water - 1.1p
The pump for the waterfall in my pond costs about 58p/day
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
However, not everyone is in the same position. If I was struggling, that £300 would be a lifeline
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
There will definitely be people in credit who can't afford to 'lend' any money to energy companies and I feel for them as the frustration trying to get their money back will be immense.
The companies have to honour any credit you have though, but as you say - it'll not stop debits going up, and they won't want to physically give money back. They'll just use it for payment credit instead.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I can also go into my online account and adjust the direct debit amount myself. I've just upped it slightly to cover the higher tariff I opted for on a fixed rate deal. British Gas insist I don't need to and that my payments are (quote) 'bang on target'🙄 but I really don't want to be underpaying.
Can you not do that with your supplier Biglad? I'm pretty sure I couldn't get away with a silly adjustment to (say) £10pm but anything reasonable seems to be accepted.
I've just been sucked down that worm hole of calculating how much my iMac costs to run per year (well under £1 a week), how much to make a cup of tea (about the same as you) etc etc. Reassuring but it's an hour of my life I won't get back🤣
For a month I checked how much leccy I use per day and it's about 15-16 units/day.
I can account for about 10 units, but I can't work out where the other 5-6 units are being used.
The 4 LED patio lights (which is the only illumination for my lounge at night) cost 2p/day
My electric blanket - 2p/day
Radio - 8p/day
TV - 2p/day
It's becoming an obsession!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I don't mind being in credit at the start of the winter but I shouldn't be come spring. It's frustrating that our supplier doesn't acknowledge that but we'll survive