I live in a 3 bedroom house.

[micmak]

There is only me and Mrs MM. Today we got our gas and electic bill. I realise it has been a cold winter. At this point I will not say the cost of the bills. Are your bills a surprise or a shock?

[karenmac60]

I have card meters for both so I don't get bills - they cost an absolute fortune though...

[craft1948]

Mine are disappointing (I'm ever the optimist)

[Mamyalynne]

I pay weekly, a ridiculous amount therefore get statements showing the balance and am usually disgusted.
However they recently sent me a survey to fill in and have knocked £100 off for doing it, hurray.

[micmak]

Karen, excuse my ignorance. what ia a card meter?

[karenmac60]

Well for electricity it's actually a key meter, but a card for gas. You have a key or card and you take it to the shop and get, say £10 of gas. You then put the card into the meter and you have £10 of credit in your meter. When that runs out your gas cuts off and you have to get more. It's pay as you go, it costs a little more, but as someone on a fixed and limited budget it means I only use what I can afford and don't get huge bills in every few months.

[Andyvon]

I got our gas and electricity bills yesterday and they were a pleasant surprise.

We had a Vaillant condensing boiler and new radiators fitted last year in place of the hot water tank and tanks in the loft. My wife and I have made no effort to cut down our water and heating use but we only used almost a quarter of the gas we used this same period last year. Our gas bill for the three months from November to February is £151. We cook with gas and we've had the heating on for the last few weeks. The electricity bill was £82 for the same period.

The last bills showed we used just one fifth as much gas from August to November as the same period last year.

[Jan1957]

It was a real shock a couple of years ago. We were renting privately and it was such a cold house we had to have the heating on nearly all the time. Got a quarterly bill in February for £773. I was so shocked and we had to negotiate with them to pay it. Now in sheltered housing and my heating gas) is included in the rent so only have electricity to pay which isn't too bad.

[Andyvon]

I should also say we had a full shower unit fitted last year which we use instead of the bath. That makes a difference.

[starone]

I pay by direct debit every month so my bills are already at least partially paid when I get them. However I think I have used a lot this year because I have felt really cold and so have used the gas fire as well as the central heating, so I am prepared to find that I owe some when I get the next bill. Also I think the charges have gone up, although I can never really understand how they have been calculated.especially the gas. Electricity is easier.

[douglas9401]

Shock - severe shock, but whatcha gonna do? Fiddle the meters? That's illegal!!

[slinkycat]

Have had HUGE monthly bills for the last two months:-( mind you, have had heating on tickover since before Christmas because its been so cold

[micmak]

Thanks for the info Karen.
We have a combi boiler fitted about 10 years ago. Cooker electic, Gas hob. The bills that came today Electric £95 something, Gas £168 something. I expected the gas to be over £200. No bill is welcome but it was a pleasant suprise.

[micmak]

Having said that I hope it wasn't an estimate.

[starone]

How often do you get a bill mic?♥

[micmak]

Quarterly star. EDF my supplier tell me I can reduce my bills by paying by direct debit. I don't like DD they can take what they want when they want.

[Andyvon]

I'm with EDF Mic.

We get a discount for having both gas and electricity from them and another for direct debit. We also get a reduction for the on-line Read, Reward, Save scheme. They send an email asking for your meter readings and you just put the readings in the boxes. That saves them sending out a meter reader.

[slinkycat]

Our last two monthly bills have been nearly as much as your quarterly one mikmak, yikes!
Mind you thats for five adults, although it still seems excessive,maybe time to switch supplier

[starone]

They don't reduce it very much mic, only about £5 or something like that. I don't think they can take what they want only what you tell them they can have and if they want to increase the amount they have to write and tell you. Last time they put my amount up I rang them up and told them it was too much and what I wanted to pay and they did what I said. I'm on Atlantic Gas and Electric but I think they all have the same process.

[Caran]

I have monthly budget plan paying £101 per month on a fixed deal with scottish power. Its due to finish this month so I have some sorting to do. Twice before when the deal was up I went on searchengines and sorted out a cheaper deal, so switched. Weeks later each time a rep from Scottish power came calling and offered even cheaper deal than I had negotiated. So I am going to search for something cheaper than what they are suggesting I move to and phone them amd see what they suggest this time

[micmak]

Getting away from EDF. I have SKY TV on direct debit, they won't accept anything else. When they put their price up I get no info just more money taken fron the bank. That is why I don't like DD.