Cost of living crisis

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EvilC
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by EvilC »

jastons wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:18 pm I'm no expert but wouldn't companies just pay out huge bonuses to (some) of their employees so they don't post anywhere near a record profit?
No.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by jastons »

EvilC wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:57 pmNo.
Fair enough.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by bubbles1966 »

Gas company's new recommended direct debit amount is about £40 a month cheaper - roughly 25% lower - than we have been paying this winter.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by bubbles1966 »

AA trying to take the piss with a 28% increase in breakdown cover. Hello, RAC - what's your best offer for a new customer?

Meanwhile, evidence that the rate increases are stating to work...

Consumer lending/borrowing falling away.

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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by RichieRiv »

bubbles1966 wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:06 pm Gas company's new recommended direct debit amount is about £40 a month cheaper - roughly 25% lower - than we have been paying this winter.
My DD has just dropped by 60 quid a month.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by irving boleyn »

The 29p Baked Beans at Aldi are 90% the taste of Heinz and 30% the price.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by irving boleyn »

Petrol is now at pre Ukranian War prices.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by jastons »

irving boleyn wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:16 pm The 29p Baked Beans at Aldi are 90% the taste of Heinz and 30% the price.
Neither a patch on Branstons then
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by North Devon Hammer 2 »

Shell Energy, who are a dreadful company, have increased my d/d (Gas and Electric) from £270 per month to £409 without consulting me, despite the fact that I am £220 in credit and prices are clearly falling.
I have contacted them several times and the best that they can do is tell me that the d/d are reviewed every three months and it should fall in May. I have had to change to a pay as you use system that I didn't want but that won't start until next month which means that I am out of pocket for a month.
I will be changing my supplier asap. Lesson is stay away from Shell Energy. Making billions but no concern for customers.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by Tenbury »

I'm with the same pirates, but every other company I've come across has also been a bag of sh*t. They did the same to my D/D, and I told them to bill me separately each month (I get 2 weeks to pay it). I demanded the 300 or so they had of my cash, (money took 14 working days, but I had to hassle them). They've got you over a barrel (of oil).
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by EvilC »

NDH/Tenbury. There is no justification for what they are doing - or if there is, they should show you the maths behind it.

I would write to them and tell them that without a clear explanation of what they are doing you will refer the matter to the regulator. She’ll won’t give a shut as they are exiting the sector but it is your best opportunity.

Octopus allow you to change your direct debit as you see fit as far as I can tell.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by We_are_BML »

irving boleyn wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:16 pm The 29p Baked Beans at Aldi are 90% the taste of Heinz and 30% the price.
Hands down my favourite tin of beans
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by YorksHammer »

EvilC wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 10:29 pm Octopus allow you to change your direct debit as you see fit as far as I can tell.
I'll second Octopus as being decent - been really good for me when I've had to talk to someone, and really helpful with my current house move (which British Gas messed up).

Are people able to switch now? I remember before now some companies - Octopus included - directed folks to not move due to the tariffs through the energy price spike, but maybe that's changed now.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by wolf359 »

YorksHammer wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 6:32 am I'll second Octopus as being decent - been really good for me when I've had to talk to someone, and really helpful with my current house move (which British Gas messed up).

Are people able to switch now? I remember before now some companies - Octopus included - directed folks to not move due to the tariffs through the energy price spike, but maybe that's changed now.
I switched to Octopus from British Gas a couple of months back. Was on a ‘waiting list’ with Octopus and got an email out of the blue, actioned it that day.

Another one for Octopus great transparency and communication (so far. )
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by mumbles87 »

wolf359 wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:23 am I switched to Octopus from British Gas a couple of months back. Was on a ‘waiting list’ with Octopus and got an email out of the blue, actioned it that day.

Another one for Octopus great transparency and communication (so far. )
Hands down the best company I've dealt with , easy to get In touch with, reply on twitter within hours rather than days

Any issues fixed quickly

If they make a mistake they honour it when they don't have to

A lot of their ev tariffs auto renewed in 2022 to old prices rather than new. All they had to do was give us reasonable notice and change it the next month .. legally .. instead they honoured the prices for the year didn't have to

That's without their innovating of the market but that's for a diff thread
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by bonzosbeard »

I'm with octopus. I pay what I want. I pay higher than I need to during summer to cover the higher winter bills. I'm in lots of credibut not putting it down yet until I see prices really come down.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by Junco Partner »

Yesterday was a punch in the stomach:

Water rates up 7.5% in England. (Not a single new reservoir built since privatisation)

Council tax up but he max 5%, 5.5% in Wales & 6% in NI.

Mobile costs up 17.3% with some suppliers doing mid-contract price hikes.

We're still deep in the woods - vital household costs, energy and groceries are all sky rocketing. Definitely not the time for BoE to keep piling on the pain of interest rate hikes.
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by smuts »

The mobile costs are a real piss take. EE proper rinse it now they are part of BT. There's a shock...
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by SammyLeeWasOffside »

smuts wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:59 am The mobile costs are a real piss take. EE proper rinse it now they are part of BT. There's a shock...
Had a message last week that my data allowance was being doubled and the price was dropping. Only 10p a month but still. Talk Mobile
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Re: Cost of living crisis

Post by wolf359 »

Junco Partner wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:50 am Mobile costs up 17.3% with some suppliers doing mid-contract price hikes.
Bought my phone outright -- pay as you go SIMS are cheaper than ever pay £6 a month for mine and have more data than I'd ever want.. I know this requires you to be able to afford the phone outright but is the cheaper option (I believe) and you are not subject to massive increases.
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