Came across this site whist researching for another subject , they are one of many new low cost agents offering to connect customers to Cheaper Electric and Gas bills via the Internet. There are other agents but this one caught my eye.
Cheaper Gas and Electric Bills
I think not….Reports in all the papers today allude that homes in the UK should brace themselves for steep increases in their fuel bills, Britain’s energy regulator warned last night. Ofgem went onto say they feared a crisis in Russian gas supplies will ‘push up prices’ in the next few years.
The warning will worry thousands of households, particularly pensioners who are often forced to choose between heating and food, and families with young children who cannot afford to keep warm in the winter months.
The average gas and electricity bill, known as ‘dual fuel’, has more than doubled in the past five years from £580 to £1,240 a year – an increase of nearly 115 per cent.
Last night, Industry experts said: ‘Gas scarcity in Europe could push up prices for British consumers and they urged customers to look at new authorised distributors like www.betterbills.net and others. He said “ In today’s toughening market place consumers must look towards both using less and shopping around for their energy “ He went on to mention that savings of 20% were not uncommon and customers now have a wide range of products and services available to them.
The Citizens Advice Bureau has already reported a sharp rise in the number of households contacting it for help. Between May and September, the number of those with ‘fuel debts’ jumped nearly 50 per cent compared to the same period last year. Chief executive David Harker said the figures are particularly worrying because winter has not even started.
David Hunter, an analyst at the energy consultancy McKinnon & Clarke, warned that millions of families are facing a nightmare battle to pay their fuel bills if they climb even higher.’The long-term future for energy bills is that they are going to cost more and more,’ he said.
‘People who are already struggling to pay the bills should be paying less, not more. Any future rises are going to be very difficult.’ He also called for the ‘Big Six’ energy firms – including British Gas and Scottish Power – immediately to cut their annual bills by £120. . Despite wholesale prices for gas and electricity more than halving over the last year, energy giants have only passed on modest cuts and are reliant on their customers not leaving.
Times are hard and customers are starting to see the light but the big utility companies seem to be only interested in the bottom Line.
Cheaper Electric Bills
With the state of the worlds economy and the relentless worldwide search for renewable energy, cheaper electricity is something close to everyone’s heart.
Of course you could just use less and many try to but to most others cheaper electricity means simply buying it for less money. The price of electricity goes up with inflation year on year as set out by the government watchdog Ofwatt and wholesale costs also rise/fall with the price of oil. Every time there is a major incident around the world cheaper electricity gets further for every ones reach. The attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, the war in Iraq or the collapse of banking giants Lehman Brothers, these have all directly affected the price of electric bills landing on door steps across the UK. Of course as oil drops and the threat of war ceases we should get cheaper electricity bills but as we all know that’s rarely the case.
Since the deregulation of the Electricity and Gas industry in the 1990’s there has been a wider choice in the UK energy market. Lost cost providers are now offering gas and electricity across the current infrastructure in millions of homes nationwide. I guess a similar parallel can be drawn with the airline industry with many new smaller leaner carriers competing with the big boys offering discounted airfares across Europe and beyond. Easyjet’s planes are full of passengers that are happy to spend a lot less on a ticket than say British Airways were charging for the same route. Of course some of these airlines will fail ( and have ) , as will some of the smaller energy providers but the better ones will survive increasing competition and driving down the price or your electric bill. In fact recent findings show that on average each person that has swapper to a low cost supplier is about £100 better off per annum since deregulation.
Bearing in mind this saving its hard to understand why so many households are still using the bigger and dearer providers like Npower and Eastern Electricity and not looking at other cheaper companies. Many of these new providers also have modern helpful customer services teams to further set them selves apart for the established old boys. Indeed their satisfaction ratings are almost double that of current providers.
If you look at average utility bills , Gas , Electricity , Home/Mobile phone and Broadband prices appear quite keen and most people cant be bothered changing supplier but add them all up and multiply the total by 12 and its easy to see why many house holds are spending upwards of £1500 a year , some considerably more. A ten or twenty percent saving is easily achievable by moving your account to a lost cost carrier. It’s the same gas and electricity as before just cheaper and that means cheaper electricity bills……
Have a look at your bills, take off 20% and multiply this figure by 12 , it wont buy you a new car but it’s a saving , often it’s a big saving. Check out a low cost provider , what have you got to lose ?
10 Energy saving tips to cut your bills
10 ways to save energy, money, and help prevent climate change.
Here are some simple measures you can do right now.
- Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and using one can save you around £40 over the lifetime of the bulb. This saving could be around £65 over its lifetime if you’re replacing a high wattage incandescent bulb, or one used for more than a few hours a day.
- Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and typically saves around £55 per year. If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time.
- Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.
- Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
- Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.
- Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
- If possible, fill up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher: one full load uses less energy than two half loads.
- Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle).
- A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they’re fully turned off!
- Do a home energy check. Just answer some simple questions about your home and we’ll give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £300 a year on your household energy bills.
Just doing these simple things will cut at least 10% off your bills
How to change Elecrticity supplier / provider
Reasons to Switch your Gas & Electricity
| Switching energy suppliers is simple and can save you a lot of money. We show you all the tariffs available and how much you could save by switching to each one, as well as the service ratings of each company, meaning you get all the information you need to find a better energy provider.
Many people who have never switched before could save up to £378 a year. Switching is quick and easy and normally only takes a few minutes. There’s no need to fill out any paper forms or sign a new contract. |
Frequently Asked Questions.
What details do I need to switch my gas & electricity?
Most people can switch using just their postcode and a few basic details – such as how much they spend or how much energy they use (if you don’t have this information to hand you can still switch using our usage estimator).
Please note: if you’d like to switch to a direct debit tariff, you will need to fill out the DD form online with your bank details. Rest assured our web pages are secure, and your details will be encrypted and held securely.
In a very small number of cases you may need to know your gas or electricity meter number, which you can find on an old bill or the meter itself.
What is a gas meter (or MPRN) number and how do I find it?
Your MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) is the unique identifying number of the Gas meter at your property. It is a 10 digit number, sometimes referred to as an “M” number, and can be found on your gas bill (generally on the back of the bill).
What is an electricity meter (or MPAN) number and how do I find it?
Your MPAN is the unique identifying number of the Electricity meter at your property. It is often referred to as a “Supply Number” or “S” number, and it can be found on your electricity bill (generally on the back of the bill). If you can’t locate your number, you should contact your current electricity supplier. We have a system on the site which looks up your meter number automatically in most cases.
How does the process for transferring suppliers work?
Check against the suppliers and tariffs shown on the results table, and remember you can search by price, service rating and green credentials.
Once you have chosen a supplier,fill in the forms ( often online ) and within a month you will be given a supply transfer date by your new supplier. On this day you should take a meter reading and submit it to your new supplier. They will contact your old provider so they can arrange a final bill and close your account.
Will there be any interruption to my supply?
No, there will be no interruption whatsoever. There is no need to change any meters, wires or pipes – your new supplier will use the same ones as your old one. The only changes that you will notice will be a lower bill and / or improved customer service from your new supplier.
Do I need to contact my old provider to switch to a new supplier?
No, your new supplier will organise the entire switching process. You should, however, ensure that your new supplier receives a final meter reading from you so that they can organise a bill and close your existing account.
If I want to switch to a Direct Debit tariff do I need to have my bank details?
No, in some instances you can request a paper DD form which will be sent to you by your new supplier. You can then fill out your bank details and return it to them in your own time. We recommend that you complete Direct Debit forms on energyhelpline.com as it will save you time, and the details are received and held securely.
I’m not sure who my current supplier is, how do I find out?
Check any recent bills – your supplier’s name will be on there, probably at the top. Otherwise, to find out who your current gas supplier is, you can contact the Meter Point Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524. To find out who your current electricity supplier is, you can contact your landlord or letting agency or your regional electricity supplier eg. London Electricity – you can find their phone number in the phone book, on the web, or from directory enquiries.
Info from www.noteservice2010.com thanks…
Would you say it would be cheaper to buy electric heaters or us my gas furnace?
I have a 1000 sq ft house and my gas bill gets up to $400 per month in the winter. Do you know if it would be less expensive to run electric heaters in every room or us the gas furnace??
Depends on the price of gas and electricity in your area. In times past gas has been cheaper. Now it depends on the efficiency of your furnace…..how old it is, etc. A better idea for this year and the next few is to increase the insulation in your attic, add to walls if possible, check all the windows and door and reweather seal as necessary…….do more to prevent heat loss.
You may find if you can limit the rooms used in winter, add a supplemental electric heater for the room and only use as necessary, you can cut the heating bill.
The Eagles – Hotel California – Original
THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR THE THIRD TIME DUE TO FRAUDULENT COPYRIGHT CLAIMS BY SOME BOGUS COMPANIES AND BEEN RESTORED 21ST AUGUST 2010.
DURING THE RECLAIMING PROCESS, WHEN I ASKED THEM TO COME TO COURTS, THEY BACKED AWAY!
SO THE RESULT IS THAT VIDEO IS BACK TODAY!
THANK YOU.
“Hotel California” is the title song from the Eagles’ album of the same name and was released as a single in early 1977. It is one of the best-known songs of the album-oriented rock era. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey. The Eagles’ original recording of the song features Henley singing the lead vocals and concludes with an extended section of electric guitar interplay between Felder and Joe Walsh.
History and recognition;
“Hotel California” topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week in May 1977. Three months after its release, the single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America representing 1,000,000 records shipped. The Eagles also won the 1977 Grammy Award for Record of the Year for “Hotel California” at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978.
In 2009, the song “Hotel California” was certified Platinum (Digital Sales Award) by the RIAA for sales of 1,000,000 digital downloads.
The song is rated highly in many rock music lists and polls. Rolling Stone magazine, for example, placed it as the 49th greatest song of all time. It is also one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The song’s guitar solo is ranked 8th on Guitar Magazine’s Top 100 Guitar Solos.
As one of the group’s most popular and well-known songs, “Hotel California” has been a concert staple for the band since its release; performances of the song appear on the Eagles’ 1980 live album and, in an acoustic version, on the 1994 Freezes Over reunion concert CD and video release. The “Hell Freezes Over” version is performed using eight guitars in total, and has a decidedly Spanish feel to it – with Don Felder playing a flamenco-inspired intro. During the band’s Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne the song was performed in a manner closer to the original album version, but with a trumpet interlude in the beginning.
The song is a playable track on the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.
Hotel California is an example of very few songs using most of the chords of a minor scale. It is in Bm scale and the chord progressions are: Bm/F#7/Asus2/E9, G/D/Em7/F#7 for the intro and G/D/F#7/Bm, G/D/Em7/F#7 for the chorus. As functional analysis the chords are
i/V7/VII2/IV9, VI/III/iv7/V7
VI/III/V7/i, VI/III/iv7/V7
Glenn Frey described the origins of the song:
The song began as a demo tape, an instrumental by Don Felder. He’d been submitting tapes and song ideas to us since he’d joined the band, always instrumentals, since he didn’t sing. But this particular demo, unlike many of the others, had room for singing. It immediately got our attention. The first working title, the name we gave it, was ‘Mexican Reggae”.
Personnel
* Don Henley: Lead vocals, drums.
* Glenn Frey: 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals.
* Don Felder: Lead guitar, 12-string electric guitar, backing vocals
* Joe Walsh: Lead guitar, organ, backing vocals.
* Randy Meisner: Bass guitar, backing vocals……………..
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner.
With five number one singles and six number one albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful recording artists of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and Hotel California, ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the U.S. according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and the band was ranked #75 on the magazine’s 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[1] They also have the best selling album in the U.S. with Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), which sold more than 29 million copies.
The Eagles broke up in July 1980, but reunited in 1994 for Freezes Over, a mix of live and new studio tracks. They have toured intermittently since then, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2007, Eagles released Long Road out of Eden, their first full studio album in 28 years. The next year they launched The Long Road out of Eden Tour in support of the album. The tour continued on into 2009, crossing North America and Europe, and will continue in 2010 with additional North American, as well as Australian, tour dates…………..
[Wikipedia]
Duration : 0:6:8
Fur Elise (METAL!) – Beethoven – Daniel Tidwell style
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Here I am performing Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Fur Elise on electric guitar with my own style.
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Duration : 0:0:53
Fur Elise (METAL!) – Beethoven – Daniel Tidwell style – continue reading
am i entitled to a refund/ how do i find out who installed the meter and when?
Hi guys,
Ive been living at my current property since july 2008 and just found out that my current energy supplier has been charging me for my electric on an economy 7 meter (which i never knew i had)the thing is i changed to my current supplier from another earlier in the year, so was with the previous supplier for nearly a year also being charged through economy 7 meter when i have central heating. I have no bills from the first supplier (as it was a long time ago and i shread my bills) and dont know if im entitled to a recalculation or if that they can do it or that im entitled to a refund of the difference??. Now i know why my electric bills were expensive!! need some help/advice please!!??
get the old company to send you copies of the bills and then you will be able to check.
What does it mean to have Deregulation of Energy?
I understand the Deregulation of the Telephone System back in the 80s but now I am hearing about Deregulation of Energy can this even be possible? the energy companies are so old.
Does this really main we can choose our own energy supplier? What is the benefit if any for me to change and get my Electric from a different place?
There is a relationship between government and distribution of goods (including energy) within the state. Republics and Democracies often rely upon markets to distribute the goods. But not always. Sometimes companies get so big that they become virtual monopolies and eliminate the moderating power of markets. Sometimes governments want to create monopolies as a way to handle certain areas like electricity. In these times regulations take the place of markets. Sometimes governments hand out advantages in the form of subsidiaries. This changes market preferences so regulations are attached as a counterbalance. And sometimes markets are influenced by advertising as in the case of cigarettes so that regulations attempt to control this.
So markets are generally preferred but they don’t always work. Government often blindly go from supporting regulations to supporting markets. Conditions change overtime and regulations may not change as quickly as markets can adapt absent unequal pressures.
Deregulation is the process of shifting back to allowing markets to distribute goods like energy. If there were a silent group fixing prices or media control, deregulation will not work as markets depend upon price to influence buying decisions. If there are too few players in a market deregulation will not work as alternative choices are not available. In theory deregulation will allow prices to fluctuate and permit buyers to choose between different parties offering the same goods or services. In theory this means you could go out and buy your petrol from different suppliers or choose to use another alternative fuel entirely. You could choose to heat your home in any number of ways from different suppliers and could change as quickly as you decide.
Deregulation when there are few alternatives gives more control to the suppliers.
