View Full Version : Could bills be better
Kevin Milkins
20-Sep-08, 22:04
Is it just I, or are the energy companies trying to make our lives more difficult than it needs to be?:mad:
I admit that on a scale of 1 to 10 I would score about 4 in the clever stakes, but surly electric bills, gas bills ,phone bills etc could be laid out in a more easy to follow way than they are now? Or is it just a way for these suppliers to stitch us up and we can’t be bothered to question most of our utility bills because it’s too much trouble?
I always used to just trust what ever came through the door as correct because they must know what they are doing but lately I am beginning to wonder.:confused
Does anyone else have a problem with utility companies?
I don't mind them breaking all the costs down, although it does take a bit of time to work out what goes where, but a simplified overall cost would help.
Our electricity hs gone sky high for some reason, i am using nothing more, i am dreading when i have to put the heating on, as i am with the sme company for both gas and electricity.
We've managed to cut our electricity bills by nearly 80% by simply running a wire out to the street light.
We've managed to cut our electricity bills by nearly 80% by simply running a wire out to the street light.
hey theres a thought we have a street light just outside our house.[lol]
hey theres a thought we have a street light just outside our house.[lol]
If you can't find any cable simply get the kids to hold hands. Cable lasts longer but kids are a renewable resource.
If you can't find any cable simply get the kids to hold hands. Cable lasts longer but kids are a renewable resource.
might get in trouble from the social work if i use my kids as human conductors, think i will find some cable
might get in trouble from the social work if i use my kids as human conductors, think i will find some cable
They'd be in for a shock boom boom
They'd be in for a shock boom boom
where on earth do you get them from, keep it up.
jock196640
20-Sep-08, 22:30
I hate bills. The duckbillplatypus is a particulary ugly creature.
where on earth do you get them from, keep it up.
People like that should be charged!!!!!
People like that should be charged!!!!!
sorry you have lost me:confused:confused
Kevin Milkins
20-Sep-08, 22:34
It occurred to me that with all the technology available to us today that nobody has come up with a more progressive type of meter.
Most new electric and gas meters today are digital.
I would have thought that if they incorporated some of today’s computer technology into the meter we could benefit greatly.
It would be nice to plug in a memory stick to the meter and download this weeks’ energy requirements in a more specific manner than just units. If we could see at a glance with the appropriate software on our computer that leaving plugins on standby (IE TV, DVD SKY, VIDIO, ETC) we would be more able and willing to make the nessacery adjustments.
We could have graphs of our daily use to see when we use the most energy and make informed decisions on how to make changes.
Wish I were born a boffin.:confused
sorry you have lost me:confused:confused
"Charged". Electricity. Oh dear. Look what I've started boom boom again
"Charged". Electricity. Oh dear. Look what I've started boom boom again
ah your are to witty for me, i think, quick of the draw.
ah your are to witty for me, i think, quick of the draw.
Just a bright spark. Got to remain positive.
Bad Manners
21-Sep-08, 08:54
Just a bright spark. Got to remain positive.
not being negative is it not time you were brought to earth
Kevin Milkins
21-Sep-08, 11:08
Our electricity hs gone sky high for some reason, i am using nothing more, i am dreading when i have to put the heating on, as i am with the sme company for both gas and electricity.
That is the point that I am trying to get at balto.
You know that your bills have gone up but can not understand why.
If you could download your daily useage on to a pen and upload it onto some software on your PC it would be more apparent that one of the kids is coming home from school and turning on a convector heater in the bedroom.( For instance ):confused
That is the point that I am trying to get at balto.
You know that your bills have gone up but can not understand why.
If you could download your daily useage on to a pen and upload it onto some software on your PC it would be more apparent that one of the kids is coming home from school and turning on a convector heater in the bedroom.( For instance ):confused
i know that nothing is getting used any more often than it was, just think it is now the price of electricity, i have herd from a few people who re witht he sme electricity/gas supplier are in the same boat, dread when the heating goes on.
not being negative is it not time you were brought to earth
oh it was just a laugh, no need for that.
Bad Manners
21-Sep-08, 14:18
oh it was just a laugh, no need for that.
only having a laugh no negative comments only positive fun
It occurred to me that with all the technology available to us today that nobody has come up with a more progressive type of meter.
Most new electric and gas meters today are digital.
I would have thought that if they incorporated some of today’s computer technology into the meter we could benefit greatly.
It would be nice to plug in a memory stick to the meter and download this weeks’ energy requirements in a more specific manner than just units. If we could see at a glance with the appropriate software on our computer that leaving plugins on standby (IE TV, DVD SKY, VIDIO, ETC) we would be more able and willing to make the nessacery adjustments.
We could have graphs of our daily use to see when we use the most energy and make informed decisions on how to make changes.
Wish I were born a boffin.:confused
This device (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000W0434M/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) may do what you're wanting. I have the older model and I am pleased with that but I wish I'd held out for this. Since using it and being pro-active about electricity useage I've halved my consumption. For instance, you get a good idea with using the meter what you've left on at a glance and a phone charger left in the socket will use ~8W of electricity, over a year that will cost you over £10 just for nothing. This thing pays for itself many times over.
This device (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000W0434M/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) may do what you're wanting. I have the older model and I am pleased with that but I wish I'd held out for this. Since using it and being pro-active about electricity useage I've halved my consumption. For instance, you get a good idea with using the meter what you've left on at a glance and a phone charger left in the socket will use ~8W of electricity, over a year that will cost you over £10 just for nothing. This thing pays for itself many times over.
Read through the reviews and they seem to think the accuracy is a bit off. Are you using it to measure consumption or just to get an idea of what is being used and by about how much?
Read through the reviews and they seem to think the accuracy is a bit off. Are you using it to measure consumption or just to get an idea of what is being used and by about how much?
Yes I read the reviews and there is an explanation why the bad reviewer got high readings, bad installation. You can't cater for stupidity. I've had accurate readings from mine as I've cross checked it with another device. This new one has more functions than mine like historical useage etc.
I use mine to see at a glance if anything has been left on around the house. Someone in the house is prone to leaving the garage lights on and at 300W left on overnight it is 50p per time. Again, you can't cater for stupidity.
Kevin Milkins
24-Sep-08, 10:54
The device that you pointed out Rheghead is not what I had in mind ,although it could be usefull in saving money.
What I was thinking of is a new type of meter for new builds or rewire.
I would like to see on a graph in Excel for example of my hour by hour and day by day ,week by week, and year by year.
That way I can make a more informed desicion on how best to use my energy supply.
Seems there are now smart electric meters that are available in some new houses. The meter sends readings to the electricity supplier every 30 min. You can view your usage online to see when you are using the most electricity. It also has smart receiver that shows you how much electricity you are using per hour to help encourage people to turn of lights etc.
Old news it seems when I googled some information about them the BBC was reporting on them in 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4754109.stm
Kevin Milkins
20-Oct-08, 22:29
Seems there are now smart electric meters that are available in some new houses. The meter sends readings to the electricity supplier every 30 min. You can view your usage online to see when you are using the most electricity. It also has smart receiver that shows you how much electricity you are using per hour to help encourage people to turn of lights etc.
Old news it seems when I googled some information about them the BBC was reporting on them in 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4754109.stm
This sounds a bit more like the bit of kit I would like to invent when I started this thread. Thanks Tristan.
I still don't see though why they have to make our bills so differcult to follow.:eek::confused
Saw this device on Dispatches. They were also complaining about the bills. Rather than saying "estimate" there is an "E" to show that it is an estimate bill. Not to mention with all those estimate bills some people build up a serious debt with out knowing it because they don't understand the bills.
As a side note they also questioned why our bills were so high compared to elsewhere.
Kevin,
Depending on who you get your utilities from, if they have the option of creating an account on their website such graphs are available...
I am with British Gas and EON and both provide the ability to 'track' your energy use...
I was advised that the reason of the latest price rise for the Electric was due to the rise in cost of Wholesale Gas Prices.
ERM !! all very well but I am with Hydro Electric, just how many Gas Fired Generators do they have since I thoght that they mainly used Water to power their Generators.
Laff, I got my notice of the price rise at a time when oil prices (and hence gas prices) are at a 13 month low.
Kevin Milkins
21-Oct-08, 23:17
I had a letter from Scottish Hydro Electric on the 16/10/08 that my electric bill is going to increase by 19.2% on average.:eek:
This increase is to take place from the 25 August 2008.:confused
Can they do that?
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