14/03/2010 by bill.

The cold winter we have experienced means that many consumers will get a nasty shock when their quarterly gas and electricity bills arrive.

Most of the major energy suppliers have recently cut their gas tariffs but many of their customers could still find a better deal by switching to a different supplier. The quickest way is to ensure you are on the cheapest deal by comparing all the deals available and switching to an online dual fuel tariff which many suppliers offer. Typical savings are £200-400 a year.

Compare available tariffs at energyhelpline now.

Posted in Household bills, Energy bills | Print | No Comments »

31/07/2009 by bill.

Early signs of the fall in UK house prices bottoming out may encourage first time buyers to get on to the housing ladder provided they can find an affordable mortgage. Whether you are a first time buyer, remortgaging or looking for a buy to let mortgage, the best way to find the right mortgage is to consult a qualified mortgage adviser. We can put you in touch with an FSA qualified independent adviser. Click here for more.

We also offer information and advice for anyone buying a home and on how to save money on energy and other household bills.

Posted in buying a home, Household bills, Mortgages | Print | No Comments »

25/06/2009 by bill.

New research by Consumer Focus indicates that energy customers are being overcharged by an average of £74 per household, as declining wholesale costs have not been fully passed on by suppliers.

The consumer champion estmates that current gas prices should be at least 7.4% cheaper (£60.10 annually), and electricity bills a minimum of 3.1% (£13.80) lower, if suppliers had fully passed on declining wholesale costs to consumers. The watchdog is calling on suppliers to pass on these savings immediately.

The research also suggests that additional price cuts of up to 8% (£65) for gas and 4% (£17.80) for electricity should be made by the end of the year, if market conditions do not substantially change. This, combined with an immediate cut, would save £157 on current prices by winter, which would make a huge difference to many cash-strapped consumers.

But as moneyjungle.net has often pointed out many, consumers could cut their energy bills immediately by switching to a different supplier or tariff. Anyone who has not switched supplier recently could do well to check what tariffs are available in their area. The quickest way to do this is through a comparison website such as Energy Helpline.

Click here for more ways to reduce household bills.

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15/03/2009 by bill.

Money Jungle is a melting pot for money making and saving ideas, offering clear and impartial information and expert guidance for investors, business startups and anyone looking to save or make money.

The Money Jungle business directory lists details of UK and international providers of personal finance, savings, investment, property, home finance and business development services.

Why not sign up to My Money Jungle? It’s completely free to join and benefits include a regular e-newsletter with news about savings, investment, saving and making money and about moneyjungle.net developments.

Posted in Household bills, Save money, Personal Finance, Finance | Print | No Comments »

09/06/2008 by bill.

Record global oil prices also mean high gas prices and domestic gas bills are expected to increase by 40% or more later this year with big increases in electricity bills too.

Yet simple measures can help us reduce our household energy bills.

The first is to check whether you are getting a good deal from your existing energy tariffs. You can do this at a price comparison website like Energy Helpline. If you do not already do so, check to see how much you could save by switching to a dual-fuel tariff - using the same supplier for both gas and electricity - or by paying by monthly direct debit rather than quarterly on receipt of your bill. Also look for fixed rate deals, these may mean higher tariffs now but could result in big savings if prices go up as much as many are forecasting.

But most of us can take other measures to reduce our energy bills. One of the simplest is to replace light bulbs with energy savings ones. Start with rooms where you use the lights a lot then replace others as the existing bulbs fail. Although energy savings bulbs may be more expensive at the outset they will more than cover this in the energy saved. Look out for special offers in suoermarkets and DIY stores which can mean prices not much higher than old style bulbs.

And don’t be put off by styles, the latest energy savings bulbs are smaller and neater and available in all sorts of shapes. You can even buy low energy replacements for all those halogen downlighters that are so popular especially in kitchens and bathrooms. You will find a good selection through the Money Jungle Shop.

There are lots of other simple measures that will reduce energy use. Don’t boil a full kettle if you are only making a cup of tea. Switch off the TV and other appliances when not in use don’t leave them on standby, if something stays in standby mode when you switch it off, switch it off at the wall socket or pull the plug out.

Turn off lights in rooms you are not using, ignore the myth that it is cheaper to leave lights on rather than switching them off and switching on again when needed.

In fine weather hang your washing up outside rather than using the tumble dryer. Try washing at a lower temperature than ususal or use an economy program. Wait till you have a full load before switching the machine on.

Try turning down your central heating thermostat and the hot water thermostat by just one degree.

When you replace appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and fridge freezers look for energy efficient ones with A ratings, or even better A+ or A++.

Ensure you have good draught proofing around windows and doors - but don’t block off grills installed to allow air to circulate where you have gas appliances.

Check your loft installation, think about topping it up to current standards, grants may be available but in any case the cost is low and pay back time in terms of lower energy bills is short.

Finally do look at moneyjungle.net for more money saving tips.

Posted in Household bills, Energy bills | Print | 1 Comment »

13/02/2008 by bill.

BT has announced increases in call charges and rental fees for its non-inclusive packages from 1st April. Line rental will increase by 75p permonth to £11.75 although customers who pay by direct debit and opt for paper free billing will get a discount of £1.25 a month so their line rental will be £10.50. BT will fund the Woodland Trust to plant a tree for every customer who signs up to paperless billing.

Although the day time call charge to UK land lines will increase to 4p a minute Option 1 customers will now get free weekend calls and the name is change to the Unlimited Weekend Plan. The prices of BT inclusive call packages will reduce, Option 2 will now be the Unlimited Evening and Weekend Plan and the cost will fall from £3.45 to £2.70 per month on top of the line rental, Option 3 will be called the Unlimted Anytime Plan and the cost will fall from £7.05 a month to £5.95 a month on top of the line rental.

Now is the probably the time to shop around to see what deals are available. Or try the USwitch price comparison site.

For more ideas on reducing household bills see moneyjungle.net.

Posted in Household bills, Phone charges | Print | No Comments »

11/02/2008 by bill.

More and more of us are questioning both the cost and environmental impact of drinking bottled water. It has been suggested that someone who drinks only bottled water is spending about £500 a year, much more if it is in restaurants. The same amount of tap water would cost around £1. But the environmental impact is the major concern. Manufacture of the mostly plastic bottles and transport results in high carbon emissions and only a small proportion of bottles are recycled. Most finish up in landfill or, increasingly incinerated. And, although more likely to be recycled, glass bottles are heavier increasing the CO2 emissions related to transport.

If you are concerned about impurities or the taste of tap water, it is worth thinking about investing in a water filter for your home. Here is a selection from Amazon.co.uk.

Posted in Household bills, Climate Change | Print | No Comments »