Energy Bills...that time again

We took a different tack and bundle our 'utilities' the only exception is water.

We changed to Utility Warehouse where we buy Gas & Electricity and get the phone line and broadband included. The tariffs for G&E are competetive but the real saving is in not paying for telephone line and broadband, so if you look at the total 'utility' costs it cannot be beaten.

We then put solar PV on the roof where we get a Feed In Tariff that actually gives us payments, a 4kWsystem.

In order to make the solar beneficial you change the way you run the house. So only use high electrical appliances whilst daylight and you are generating. Example get up have breakfast put dishes in dishwasher with last nights dinner dishes. A quick 30 minute cycle, job done. Then you put the clothes washing machine on (the largest single user of electricity in a house). Hoover after that using the electicity you are generating. Cut the lawn using solar generated electricity.

As your appliances need renewing go for AAA rated where you use less power. Change lights for LED, if pensioners the utility companies issue free low energy bulbs.

There is also a pre paid debit card that you can tie to your account that gives you % of spend off your utility bills. From 2-10% of spend. Example sainsbury fuel in car, spend £50 per fortnight on shopping get 2% off utility bill. M&S can be up to 10%. So if you use cash you earn.

We don't actually pay for electricity now. The solar panels have been paid for in 4 years, another 21 to earn with. Probably better than a pension.

I've had mine four years as well. It'll be another year before I've recouped the capital outlay. I suppose if I factor in the savings on the electricity to date, it's probably getting on for break even.

Ian - along similar lines I am always annoyed by the 'Daily Meter cost'  why cannot the energy companies include it in their cost per KWH? 

After all one does not buy petrol by the Litre with an additional charge for using the pumps!

Similarly the purchase of, say, Rhubarb at a supermarket does not include an extra charge for delivery and storage. perhaps the energy regulator ought to get to grips with this aspect of fuel costs or resign his post.

We've had our solar panels for 6 years now so have had our initial investment back. With us being away for so many months a year now, our electricity consumption is about a third of what it used to be.  We don't have mains gas we have LPG, so no dual fuel accounts for us. We don't pay a standing charge for the electric but we do pay a rent for the gas tank. We do use the dishwasher, washing machine etc. during the day when its light, a lot easier now we are at home during the day.

Had solar panels for two years now and on course to break even at the five years plus mark. Nice to read positive comments on them on the forum. Best investment I have made in a long time.

Had a call (on home phone) purporting to come from our Energy Company telling me my current deal was about to end and I needed to do something about it Asap.  I fob them off as I was busy at the time.  Checking my account confirmed 2 things, my account runs until June 2017 and the Energy company don't have my home phone number.  I immediately e-mailed the company and below is the reponse:

Thanks for getting in touch.

It seems like you were right not to give out any information. We don't call when your renewal is pending, we send an email, and you can renew through your online account. Thanks for letting us know about the call, I'll pass it on that this has happened!

Kind regards,

The callers number was 01616945845 apparently from an outfit called Mail chimp.

Those of you who are "breaking even" in such a short time.....

are you factoring in the loss of interest on the capital that is no longer in the bank?

The money we used to pay for our panels was originally earning 4%, then that dropped to 3%, which is the highest rate we would now be earning (meantime!), so I have made a spreadsheet to take the loss of interest into account.

We will on those rates, break even on that basis after 8 +years.

As we are always meantime away when the most power is generated, thus unable to use it, we have ignored savings on our bills, so ours is the worst scenario

We will certainly be in profit by 8 years, and this is as predicted by most official sites.

Take your point Kj about loss of interest, I think we have come in under the predicted time frame due to our having retired and away more. Couple that with when at home taking advantage of 'free' electricity when its sunny for the white goods etc. Unless we had, had the money in a 5 year account I doubt we would be getting great interest rates now.

We bought the panels using some of my pot on retiring so never touched savings 

Those of you who are "breaking even" in such a short time.....

are you factoring in the loss of interest on the capital that is no longer in the bank?

The money we used to pay for our panels was originally earning 4%, then that dropped to 3%, which is the highest rate we would now be earning (meantime!), so I have made a spreadsheet to take the loss of interest into account.

We will on those rates, break even on that basis after 8 +years.

As we are always meantime away when the most power is generated, thus unable to use it, we have ignored savings on our bills, so ours is the worst scenario

We will certainly be in profit by 8 years, and this is as predicted by most official sites.

Does your spreadsheet take into account the FIT tax free payment and the tax payable on your savings before the advent of £1000 tax free interest?

Does your spreadsheet take into account the FIT tax free payment and the tax payable on your savings before the advent of £1000 tax free interest?

Don't know about Kj, but all our savings are in my name as I don't pay tax, OH does so we moved everything into my name, OH only has ISA's now and they are just about reaching the end of the good rate he had.