Well we have all heard the news about this and that going up in price, got some stuff first hand over the last couple of days. Petrol, I keep a sheet of motoring costs for HMRC, I did the same mileage in October as I did in June, cost £50.00 more in fuel in October over the same mileage in June. Gas and Leccy, we pay £95.00 a month for Gas and Leccy, got an Email today saying we are square with our energy supplier, no one owes the other nowt, but, the supplier wants us to be £250.00 in credit at this time of year, so, to get to this point £95.00 is to become £184.00 per month, never heard the like, got to start a new Spreadsheet and see what is going on, and extra £140.00 per month at the drop of a hat, what’s that all about?
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Gee whizz Spitty, an extra £140 pm? That’s an awful lot of money.
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Can’t be alone
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Thank goodness I don’t use the car much these days and a tank of petrol lasts me months.
I had to renew my electricity agreement in July and decided to go for a 2 year fixed agreement which was lucky.
My mothly payment (I don’t have gas) is £138 but I can ask for a refund as long as I have two months payments in credit .
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Dead right.
It’s scary stuff.
I daren’t weigh up how much my ‘life’ will go up, but I know I will always live within my means. If I have to cut back I will have to.
I know others will really struggle.
Yet you can bet your bottom dollar the poi polloi beloved leaders that govern us won’t be affected.
Nor will the rich and famous,
And, not forgetting The Royals.
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The cheek of it though, doubling the direct debit to create a credit on their account.
I had never heard of pre paying electricity bills regularly so I had a look at my supplier to see if they do it here, apparently they do. I am not going to sign up because my electric bill is only about $230 a quarter (£115) but for a family I would imagine it is a good idea.
Fuel prices have gone mad here too, I think I paid $1.56 a litre (78p) for diesel a week ago, less than a year ago it was about $1. E10 petrol was up to $1.70/L at the height of its weekly cycle.
Inflation has suddenly leapt into the Reserve Bank’s preferred range so I suspect interest rate rises are on the cards sooner rather than later. That should sort out the housing market.
It was just a matter of time Bruce, we will all suffer for the unavoidable hypocrisy.
For fuel it is just supply and demand, OPEC is keeping supply tight in case demand drops off with another series of lockdowns.
I don’t have gas connected at all because I don’t like the idea of paying two service charges especially when I don’t need it.
Just for clarification, I am thinking of hitting the gas cut off handle for twenty four hours and seeing how accurate the Smart Meter is.
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That’s their perks for conning you into direct debits. They can do what they want with your money…
People like me don’t do D.D., so stay in control of their own money.
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Once the Spreadsheet has run a full month, I will be propositioning the supplier with a new payment method Pesta.
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Hate to admit the need for data before gobbing off, the question is, is it possible to negotiate with a person, this so called “Virus” has made many things legitimately impossible. 
What? Why not? My bills are paid by direct debit each quarter, the thing I like is that they always deduct it on the very last allowed payment day so they actually have the money later than when I used to pay manually. With the latter I had to allow time for the bank to transfer the money but when they claim it it is always on the payment cut off date.
The bill is always paid on time whereas in the past the quarterly bill has come in when I have been overseas or travelling so it has been a scramble to pay on time.
It took me a while to warm to direct debits but now I use them for both my water and electric bills. I still get the bill a month before telling me how much it is but i never have to worry about it.
Bruce, should a company be allowed to grab your cash in advance?
Seems a flamin’ cheek to me, Spitty, but I’ve heard they’re all going to be doing this to us soon. Such a lot of extra money to find isn’t it.
I always keep about 2 months in credit anyway.
Its principal Mups, this Smart Meter has allowed me to transfer live costs to the Spreadsheet, and that value, once the direct debit has been cancelled, is what I will pay, cheeky Bastards.
Yes its concerning isnt it . I love a snug warm house but I will wear a wrap in the chilly times now . I’ve always been cautious and switch lights off and turn down radiators but sitting reading or watching TV I can feel chilly.
Vests and thick socks from now on
A £250.00 buffer, Cheeky Bastards.
If you are talking about a pay as you go scheme, they aren’t are they? you are paying for the electricity at the same time as you use it so it is hardly in advance, at certain times of the year you are paying for less electricity than you use.
I don’t use this scheme but i would imagine for a family it would be a great help.
Change provider, come off the scheme and receive normal bills. lots of solutions I would have thought.
My quarterly bill is for electricity used BUT the service charge is for the next quarter so they do charge in advance no matter what scheme you are with. That’s life.