Octopus Tariffs

[dan_b]

So after a year on Shape Shifters, I thought I'd run the numbers to see what we have achieved.

Over the course of the last 12 months, our bill would have been £7485 had we stayed on the old tariff. But combing in the lower daily standing charge, and the on average lower tariff achieved by moving consumption around, our electricity cost was £5546.

We’ve saved £1939 vs the previous regular tariff, a 26% reduction.

That's a properly meaningful number!

(these figures exclude VAT and the Climate Change Levy of 0.00775 £/kWh)

[Richard77]

So after a year on Shape Shifters, I thought I'd run the numbers to see what we have achieved.

Over the course of the last 12 months, our bill would have been £7485 had we stayed on the old tariff. But combing in the lower daily standing charge, and the on average lower tariff achieved by moving consumption around, our electricity cost was £5546.

We’ve saved £1939 vs the previous regular tariff, a 26% reduction.

That's a properly meaningful number!

(these figures exclude VAT and the Climate Change Levy of 0.00775 £/kWh)

That's a not too shabby saving Dan... Well done.

It's a shame that most of the general public do not know how much they are wasting on energy by not understanding that they can swap to cheaper tariffs.

Legislation should be put into place so that energy companies should automatically put people on the cheapest and most suitable tariff for their uses.

I can only imagine how many billions they make off vulnerable/elderly people who just pay pay pay and don't know any different.

[Fueltheburn]

As us lot on here know: zero bills should be pretty easy! Most of us would manage cash-positive bills if we were building a house from scratch!

If I could apply what I have done to my house in the last 5 years elsewhere, I would buy an old house and strip everything back to bare walls and start from scratch.
Then I would use my house as a passive source of income and not a monthly drain.

[Stinsy]

As us lot on here know: zero bills should be pretty easy! Most of us would manage cash-positive bills if we were building a house from scratch!

If I could apply what I have done to my house in the last 5 years elsewhere, I would buy an old house and strip everything back to bare walls and start from scratch.
Then I would use my house as a passive source of income and not a monthly drain.

There is a lot I’d do differently too. Now I know…

The most surprising thing is that this knowledge is confined to us weirdos. 90% of people are blindly paying £400 a month for their energy.

I’ve lost count how many people say “I bet your electric bills are high” when they seem my EV. My reply of “Direct debit is £100 a month, that is for 2x EVs and all gas/electric for a 5-bed house with 2-adults and 3-kids” is met with disbelief.

[Richard77]

As us lot on here know: zero bills should be pretty easy! Most of us would manage cash-positive bills if we were building a house from scratch!

If I could apply what I have done to my house in the last 5 years elsewhere, I would buy an old house and strip everything back to bare walls and start from scratch.
Then I would use my house as a passive source of income and not a monthly drain.

I'd love to sell this house, find a nice bit of land and start from scratch!

Shame none of the family would want to come with me though... Hehe

[Ken]

It takes a few "weirdos" to lead the rest of the pack of sheep -that is just animal nature.

When you are spending thousands £ on the rest of life a energy bill seems small bere or at least it used to. I think people know they have to pay the going rate for so many things that not paying energy bills is like really strange. One does need capital to invest but when a huge % of people/majority do not have £50 in the bank.

[Richard77]

It takes a few "weirdos" to lead the rest of the pack of sheep -that is just animal nature.

When you are spending thousands £ on the rest of life a energy bill seems small bere or at least it used to. I think people know they have to pay the going rate for so many things that not paying energy bills is like really strange. One does need capital to invest but when a huge % of people/majority do not have £50 in the bank.

That's what 0% interest credit cards are for...

[Stinsy]

It takes a few "weirdos" to lead the rest of the pack of sheep -that is just animal nature.

When you are spending thousands £ on the rest of life a energy bill seems small bere or at least it used to. I think people know they have to pay the going rate for so many things that not paying energy bills is like really strange. One does need capital to invest but when a huge % of people/majority do not have £50 in the bank.

Sure, there are some people who have nothing left at the end of the month to invest. However we’ve had this discussion before… A smart plug is a fiver, a roll of loft insulation is £20, you can save £50 skipping a takeaway on Friday night. Having the money to invest five-figures into 3G or a HP, or an EV, is the result of hundreds of small decisions and many years of hard work. Not many of us on here were born rich and we do people no favours by painting the less-well-off as helpless.

[resybaby]

Somebody gave me some advice once as a 16 year old kid just starting out in life on a YTS scheme (remember those). First time id ever had any money (i think it was £25/ week) having been born to 16 year old parents with not even a pot to pizz in and no welfare state to fall back on.

That advice was "use what youve got to make more"

Now that can be applied literally to everything.

kindness, muscles, determination, ambition, resolutness, work ethic, size, compassion, skills etc etc right down to the only £1 in your pocket.

Its the best advice ive ever been given and have stuck with for life, sometimes being a 'weirdo' is a badge of honour.

Wacking in a bit of insulation or similar to cut the next bill for the future is just a part of that ethos

[Richard77]

Somebody gave me some advice once as a 16 year old kid just starting out in life on a YTS scheme (remember those). First time id ever had any money (i think it was £25/ week) having been born to 16 year old parents with not even a pot to pizz in and no welfare state to fall back on.

That advice was "use what youve got to make more"

Now that can be applied literally to everything.

kindness, muscles, determination, ambition, resolutness, work ethic, size, compassion, skills etc etc right down to the only £1 in your pocket.

Its the best advice ive ever been given and have stuck with for life, sometimes being a 'weirdo' is a badge of honour.

Wacking in a bit of insulation or similar to cut the next bill for the future is just a part of that ethos

Great advice