Back in June I was having a huge hassle sorting out my energy bills as my energy company SSE had been taken over by OVO. Read about it HERE. I really was NOT happy!!
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But I'm happy to hold my hands up and say I'm rather impressed (so far) with OVO now that I seem to have a meter reading history and their website lets me play around with my account. For example, the above screenshot shows me my June and July usage and costs (excluding VAT etc) If I submit a meter reading I can see how much energy I've used since the previous bill and how much it's costing me. I love this feature!! In the absence of a Smart meter (still no appointments in my area) I could submit my meter readings at the end of every day or week and see how much I've used. Not sure I'm motivated enough for that but with the coming increases you never know!
I also know my daily standing charges (53.04p for electricity and 30.5p for gas) and the cost per kWh I use (27.92p for electricity and 7.35p for gas.) I didn't know any of this with SSE. I guess I could have asked but it wasn't readily available. If I can easily access all this information then you know this website is idiot proof!!! 😂
I've now sussed that if I send a meter reading every month on the 6th I get an accurate bill on the 7th for the previous month's usage. I've always paid my energy bills quarterly but I'm liking it monthly now I'm in the habit. I check and pay my credit card bill every month so I'll do my energy bill in the same way.
I don't like change especially when it involves money or using technology so I'm pretty relieved to find it's all working out. Like everyone else I still dread to think what my Winter bills will be but I feel I'm back in control of it now. I think I might even become a bit of a nerd watching the numbers but if it saves money it's worth it 🤓 <--- nerd emoji apparently!! 😂
We’re with Bulb and I’ve become used to doing the meters every week and sending it in every month. It takes me back to my early married years in the 70s when we were “all electric” and money was very tight. We were really good at being careful then.-time to return to careful habits. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI'll just need to put reminders up everywhere until it becomes a habit!
DeleteWe are tied in until next spring, then we will get the shock.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I have what they call the Simple Plan ie use it and pay for it. I keep seeing Martin Lewis talking about the looming crisis and it's very worrying
DeleteLike Poppypatchwork I'm on a fix but to spring 2024 in my case but I'n using the "breathing space" to get even tighter with my energy usage. Actually, I'm quite well off because my direct debits for the last year were based on my 2020-2021 usage since when I have had a replacement for my thirty five year old boiler so I have quite a bit of credit built up. But there is no room for complacency!
ReplyDeleteGood to have that cushion of credit but totally agree there's no room for complacency!
DeleteThat is a very good rate I am with ScottishPower my standing charge is gas 25.92 Electric 47.28 unit charge is gas 14.712 elect 44.43. We go away for the winter so the lower standing charge is a bonus for us. We have a smart metre and our daily bill is just over £2 at the moment. During the winter the heating comes on for a couple of hours a day to keep the house from getting damp. I also live in Scotland last week my neighbour had to put their heating on one night as they were cold now this week it is sunny and warm.
DeleteI did a quick compare check with Money Supermarket. OVO and Scottish Power came up as the cheapest tariffs for me. Good plan getting away for the Winter if you can! :-)
DeleteThat is really quite the best thing I have seen in regards to keeping track of power usage. I wish my company did that.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
After the shaky start I'm really impressed with OVO and that I can track everything very easily!
DeleteIt sounds like a perfect plan to check and pay your bills monthly. It means you can keep an eye on the actual usage and nip and tuck where necessary, and there will be no huge bill building up quietly in the background.
ReplyDeleteYes there will be no big quarterly shocks (no pun intended!!)
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