The cost of electricity

[Diabolical Artificer]

In October 2021 I signed up with Octopuss for a 2 year fixed tariff, so we haven't been hit too badly by rising lekky prices. In early 2021 I was on a variable tariff and got fed up with my then provider raising my direct debit. For years I'd paid about £50 a month, it rose to over £100. When I signed up for the fixed tariff I did it on the spur of the moment and thought I might regret it, I think I did the right thing in retrospect. Years of living in boats, trailers & lorries without electricity helps, I only have heating in the living room, an open fire and a heater in Molly's room but just bung on more blankets in my bedroom in the winter. I get cheap wood offcuts for the open fire which further reduces costs, so we are lucky.

The best way to save money on electricity is to not use it, which isn't easy as a lot of folk have become used to loads of gadgets and a plethora of labour saving devices. If you think back a ways to the 70's though, folk used to live without central heating, indoor baths and toilets etc, but then folk used to drink more beer and go to the pub more, maybe because home was so cold. In the future if the dire predictions come true, we may be all driving horse and carts again. As they say, we live in interesting times.

I've started putting my scope on only when I need it though, same with other gear. Andy.

[ppppenguin]

As treasurer of the BECG I signed up with a fixed price 2 year contract with Octopus for our newly acquired premises. 21p per unit. (+5% VAT but we're registered so we get that back). Looks like a bargain at the moment. Standing charge is just under £1/day but we have a 3phase 100A feed so that's fair enough. I dare not look at what we'd have to pay if we were starting now. Quite likely twice that, as there's no cap on commercial tariffs.

I wrote this in March, at the time of the first price hike. It's now looking like the bargain of the century. I looked at what a new contract would cost at the moment. 96p/kWh. Commercial prices aren't capped.

We also now have a 30kWp PV system, though due to admin hiccups we aren't yet getting the SEG payments (7.5p/kWh) for what we export to the grid.

[Paul_RK]

If you think back a ways to the 70's though, folk used to live without central heating, indoor baths and toilets etc, but then folk used to drink more beer and go to the pub more, maybe because home was so cold.

I've read lately of pubs starting to launch initiatives to capitalise on the continuing high levels of working from home: in one example £10 secures a quiet table with mains supply and wi-fi, unlimited hot drinks or soft drinks, and a lunchtime sandwich or two. Could become very popular if it pays for itself by saving on  home heating costs, and it might help a few pubs ride out their fierce heating bills too.

Paul

[Sinewave]

Unfortunately, not everything on farcebook is true or verified. 
R

It's not unfortunate, it's a group with every day people in it having a chat. We don't need to be supervised on general groups, no one is acting on behalf of anyone official.