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This is the reality of what is happening with Gas and oil Jimbo, its going to get worse I am afraid as well. You could renationalize the gas industry, but you would still have to buy gas from abroad and you can't control the price of imported gas. You could get the government to subsidize it, but then you would have to take the money from somewhere else in the budget, and you would essentially impoverish your nation while enriching the gas- and oil-exporting countries. The only real long-term answer is reduce the consumption of both of these commodities, and come up with better alternatives, this will involve short-term pain, but the alternatives are a lot worse in the long run. We are all in the same boat actually, in Ireland we are looking at a 40 percent increase over the next 12 months.

I think we have some hard choices we need to start making Jimbo. We need to all be making adjustments to our lives or accept that we are totally at the mercy of the gas and oil companies.

I've been riding my bike back to work in the afternoons rather then driving my car. Granted it's only 5miles, but over a week I save a gallon and to top it off, I put on jeans this morning I haven't been able to squeeze into for quite some time!:guitarist

Who knows.... next week I may just be able to zip them up!wah:

Jim, I think it is a way of getting rid of a drain on resources - there are too many OAPs taking pensions ! Too many people are living longer !! If they killed them off in a crafty manner (which will happen), it would solve a problem ! I believe in Germany that the elderly people are looked after a hellova lot better than they do in this country. In fact I believe that our pensions are the lowest in Europe.

You are quite right about not being able to afford both heating and eating. We have central heating and this last winter, if I remember rightly, our central heating was only turned on about 3 times during the whole winter ! We have gas central heating and gas cooking. I've got a sneaky feeling that come next winter, we will be cooking a lot in the microwave, avoid having central heating on at all costs, and certainly not use the gas oven at all !! I am so thankful that we have wall to wall windows that face south, and although they are double glazed, whatever sun there is heats the house as if it was a greenhouse. I really feel for those whose houses face north. :-5

Will this just be for the UK or all of EUROPE??

It's not for the whole of anything, it's one private company in the UK that's put its prices up.

jimbo;936077 wrote: gallbladder said in his green land its gone up by 40 % spot old buddy is there really any doubt in your mind that all the other gas companies wont follow suite


I'm sure some will hold back and increase their market share instead, and that anyone swapping suppliers will have lower bills than those who don't.

I'm quite pleased with my phone bill and my broadband costs. I don't have central heating.

Actually, thinking about it, I bought a year's worth of food for £150 this week. It was amazingly cheap and it'll easily get me through until next summer.

You know this so sad. I heard in the states that different utility (household) companies are cocidering a 29% hike. their excuses are new and improved services and equepment. I have heard that Europe's gas prices are alarming. isn't it like $7 a gallon or so? This is CRAZY!! I have a friend who lives in Italy. Now I understand why she is so upset. At times I feel i have been taken Hostage by this. I can not know how you all must feel.:(

jimbo;936091 wrote: a years supply it must be tinned or powdered or have you brought chickens or pigs and your hoping to breed them It's all dead, honest. Some of it's in bottles. 20 litres of it's cider. The guy delivering from Sainsburys looked scared as he knocked on the door and then he had to lug a fifth of a ton of the stuff into the kitchen. Pasta, rice, oats, sauces, tinned fruit, it's the unhealthiest assortment of food you could aim for.

southern yankee;936095 wrote: I have heard that Europe's gas prices are alarming. isn't it like $7 a gallon or so? This is CRAZY!!($8.91 a US Gallon. The sum's £1.25 a litre times 4.5 to UK gallons times 0.8 to US gallons times 1.98 pounds to dollars. Some would rather it were lower, some would rather it were higher. I hate private transport, higher's fine by me.

spot;936099 wrote: $8.91 a US Gallon. The sum's £1.25 a litre times 4.5 to UK gallons times 0.8 to US gallons times 1.98 pounds to dollars. Some would rather it were lower, some would rather it were higher. I hate private transport, higher's fine by me.


but we were discussing methane not petrol

I'm currently paying £0.03984 per kilowatt hour

Bryn Mawr;936128 wrote: but we were discussing methane not petrol

I'm currently paying £0.03984 per kilowatt hour


If I'd known it was that cheap I'd have had a bath.

When household fuel bills rose last year all companies followed suit.

The problem is the knock on effect, food prices will rise also as overheads will be steeper.

I noticed today in the local supermarket that a dozen free range eggs were over £5.00!

abbey;936142 wrote: When household fuel bills rose last year all companies followed suit.

The problem is the knock on effect, food prices will rise also as overheads will be steeper.

I noticed today in the local supermarket that a dozen free range eggs were over £5.00!


Change supermarket - I paid £1.20 for half a dozen last week.

Please forgive for under pricing the gas for you all. That is HORRIBLE, Also forgive me for not undstanding the price for eggs. For free range i am paying $2.80. Also i was just FLOORED that people are buying a whole year of groceries at a time. Did I misunderstand that?? I don't think i will complain ANYMORE!!

The French are going to be building Nuclear power facilities for Britain, this may not be patriotic, but its probably the right decision, as the French have the most up to date Nuclear industry in Europe, and they will be able to bring a new generation of British energy engineers back into service over the next decade or two.

I think one major consequence of all of this stuff is that the debate on Nuclear power has to be revisited across the whole continent now, and all the EU countries need to work out a way to ensure that as a continent Europe has a sustainable, and cost effective energy generation and transmission system.

This will involve nuclear power, more renewables, carbon sequestration, biomass and biofuel use (mostly in agriculture I think) a lot better level of energy efficiency, and different consumer habits in relation to the use of fossil fuels, also public transport will have to be refocused on, as the days of discretionary private motoring using petrol and diesel will eventually have to end. The EU energy market should also be improved and Gas prices should be delinked from crude oil.

Not everything about the situation is negative, as we have to change our habits anyway, though this very sudden "shock" like jump in the price of energy is not desirable for vunerable people, really this was known about for years, but as usual the pain has been put off and off, and now its unavoidable.

I just changed supply to Southern Electric from EDF....not sure I did the right thing and just hate this Direct debit stuff too....we'll see.



Just filled my car up with petrol ready for going away at the weekend.....£33....and it wasn't even near empty. It's a Toyota Yaris...so just a 'baby' car....The car insurance has gone up by 25% and the car tax up £15.....3% inflation my a$$$$e !



Good job the sun's shining or I'd have something else to winge about ! :-6

In Europe do you all get cost of living raises? In the states, some companies do. The more i hear you all say. It is so sad. My electric bill last month was $188.00. just wonding, what you pay there??

southern yankee;936453 wrote: My electric bill last month was $188.00. just wonding, what you pay there??


£0.03984 per kilowatt hour.

Some people in the UK have union negotiators for their pay rate, some negotiate personally with their management, some are private contractors or run their own company. The monthly movement of the annual pay change gets published by the government together with the monthly movement of the rate of inflation on several scales.

US gas prices are rapidly retreating.

Thats the important thing.

Well just have to live with the rising costs overseas.