Cost of fuel in the UK

[Poppy]

I have been a littke worried that maybe we were using too much gas as we are heating a 4 bed house( and in the last 6 weeks have had some degree of central heating most days) and have constant hot water so thought I ought to sort out just how much we were using so would not get a nasty surprise when our first bill arrives.Well I have worked it out and we are basically using £21 per week for gas and electric so one thing that is cheaper than Cyprus and we are lovely and cosy warm all the time ( until we go down to the beach as we did today!!)- bitter wind!

[Anne_paphos]

We also have a 4 bed house in the UK, we pay £70 to SSE for gas and £40 a month to them for electricity, we had a debit of £280 this month for gas but £28 credit for the electricity so we've spent over £1000 just on gas this last year. Mind I have Reynauds so need to keep warm in the winter, roll on next year when OH retires so we will be spending more time in Paphos.

[Poppy]

I don't know if you already have a property in Cyprus Anne,if you do you will probably know that although the winter is short it can be pretty cold and houses difficult to heat properly due to the lack of insulation. In our last house we did not have ch and used to dread going to the toilet!! Gas central heating is expensive in Cyprus as are logs although the new style air con units were quite economical to run on heat. Our favourite item in Cyprus was our electric blanket but we have not even needed to put it on the bed here. I would say that last year we must have spent €1500 on heating ,cooling,cooking etc and were still not entirely comfortable.

[PhotoLady]

We're about to look at whether we switch fuel suppliers after being back for a year now. We're currently with OVO as we carried on with the same supplier as the previous owner of our property.

I can't say we find it cheaper or dearer than living in Cyprus yet. But what I can say is that it is far more comfortable to walk from room to room and the temperature to be the same. The nicest bit though is coming indoors in the winter after walking the dog along the seafront and feeling that toasty warm feeling of central heating.

Gone are the days of feeling pleasantly warm in February and March outside in Cyprus then coming indoors to a chill box. Being able to sleep at night in winter without a mountain of bedding and under a summer duvet is far better too.
The cost for that whatever it may be is priceless.

In Cyprus, there wasn't really a happy medium - it was either too cold or too hot and no amount of money we spent could make it "just right" in every room. Except perhaps in May and September.

[PhotoLady]

I don't know how the weather is where you are Poppy, but we're experiencing some gorgeous skies at the moment here on the Fylde.... it's a bit breezy though!

Yesterday taken from Blackpool North Pier following lunch in town and an ice-cream along the Prom:

[PhotoLady]

To be truthful, I find all this having to shop around for suppliers of everything in UK a bit of a mystery - be it phone providers or fuel. We weren't in that situation when we left UK to live in Cyprus and of course, in Cyprus the electric came from the Electricity authority and that was it!

I find it a real pain in the backside - but if you don't research each year then I'm under the impression it just goes up by acceptance....

[Anne_paphos]

I don't know if you already have a property in Cyprus Anne,if you do you will probably know that although the winter is short it can be pretty cold and houses difficult to heat properly due to the lack of insulation. In our last house we did not have ch and used to dread going to the toilet!! Gas central heating is expensive in Cyprus as are logs although the new style air con units were quite economical to run on heat. Our favourite item in Cyprus was our electric blanket but we have not even needed to put it on the bed here. I would say that last year we must have spent €1500 on heating ,cooling,cooking etc and were still not entirely comfortable.

Yes we do have a property in the area; although we only come over at Christmas for 4 weeks so maybe haven't felt the brunt of a bad winter like this year yet. We had a gas fire installed a couple of years ago and with the oil filled radiators we use we can get the house warmish but not in the bathrooms. As you say due to insulation the heat goes straight up and through the walls and roof, we are hoping to get double glazing fitted this year so perhaps that will help.

[Poppy]

I'm sure double glazing will help to some extent Anne although it still goes through the walls. However I have met quite a few people( and I know there are some on here) who divide their time between the two countries and that is probably the ideal if you can afford to do it ( and you don't have animals!!)
Jules we have a beautiful day over here today and much warmer than yesterday which was bitterly cold on the coast albeit blue skys and sunny!!
Re Compare the Market I used them to find a good contents insurance and am very pleased with the result and much cheaper than Cyprus! For all our contents including thousands of pounds worth of photographic equipment which had to be itemised separately and is insured for home and away and would normally push the cost way up, it cost us just 100 pounds.

[PhotoLady]

Yes, we had to search around for house contents insurance as we have thousands of pounds worth of postage stamps which needed to be covered separately. But similarly, it only added a reasonable extra sum on top of the quote which we were very happy to pay.

I have no quibble with researching for car insurance etc each year as that's the "norm" and always has been but I really don't expect to have to keep looking whether I should switch my gas and electricity suppliers year on year, that's just crazy in my mind....

I hate it, because it's me who always has to do it. Hubby just hands me the debit card out of his wallet

We've been out on our bicycles today and went a different way through the local bluebell woods, ending up having to carry our bikes and climb over 4 different stiles along the way which made it hard work - a route not to be repeated as it left us rather hot and bothered. A warmer day than yesterday but still breezy so we avoided the seafront on the way home, stopping off for a swift half at the Working Men's Club sitting outside watching the practice matches on the club bowling green in the sunshine.

[Firefly]

We too use OVO, they are easy to contact, very helpful, and good value for money. This is the second property in the UK where we have used OVO as our energy supplier, twice changing from other companies. They also replaced meters in both properties with smart meters, no more need for readings. Would recommend you have a look and compare prices.

Jackie

[smudger]

"Hubby just hands me the debit card out of his wallet "

Awww, come on Jules, there have to be other things you can do with it other than sort the gas and electric???

[merchant_banker]

We use First utility in the UK, fixed the price for 3 years.

They installed smart meters.

Very happy

[PhotoLady]

"Hubby just hands me the debit card out of his wallet "

Awww, come on Jules, there have to be other things you can do with it other than sort the gas and electric???

Oh, I can spend it alright..... it's just that I have to do all the legwork when it comes to all things "technical" or internet related

[PhotoLady]

The good weather is still continuing here in our neck of the woods..... it's been better weather "oop north" than "darn sarf" where my sister-in-law and hubby are living in the land of Selsey for the last few days. But, they will soon be joining us here at Knott End later this year once the purchase of their seafront apartment goes through.

Our bike ride at lunchtime today. Just look at that sky!:
The Black Bull pub at Preesall


Love this row of cottages - opposite the pub "Shade Lane"


From my Kindle seat this afternoon that wispy cloud photobombed my shot!


I've got strap marks from sitting out on the front porch

[Annamaria]

The Martin Lewis moneysavingexpert.com is worth having a look at , good advice for everything including fuel costs

[Emilly1]

Thanks for sharing such a valuable information.

[trevnhil]

I get the email from them every week

Trev..