Latest news with #bills
Japan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Household electricity bills in Japan set to fall in July due to subsidies
The nation's 10 major electricity suppliers said Friday that power bills for standard households will fall by between ¥520 and ¥691 in July from the previous month. Behind the drop is a resumption of government subsidies to cut electricity costs from July to September, when the use of air conditioners spikes. Falls in prices of liquefied natural gas will also contribute to the decline in electricity bills. The subsidies will be ¥2 per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed in July and September and ¥2.4 per kilowatt-hour in August. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings and Kansai Electric Power define a standard household as one consuming 260 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. Given that, the subsidies alone are projected to push down the bills for such households for July by ¥520. For Tepco, the July bill for a standard household will decrease by ¥616 to ¥8,236, while Kansai Electric expects a drop of ¥520 to ¥7,271. Subsidies are also set to be reflected in city gas bills, by ¥8 per cubic meter in July and September and ¥10 per cubic meter in August. The subsidies will push down the gas bills of four major suppliers, including Tokyo Gas, by between ¥241 and ¥318 for July. Subsidies for electricity and gas bills began in January 2023 as a temporary measure in response to soaring fuel costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The program was halted and restarted several times. The last time it was implemented was from January to March this year. The government plans to spend ¥288.1 billion from its fiscal 2025 budget reserves for the electricity and gas subsidies.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How much are YOU overpaying on your energy bills? New calculator reveals how much users could save
Millions of households could be overpaying their energy bills, a new calculator has revealed. The average energy bill for a dual-fuel home paying by direct debit increased from £1,738-a-year to £1,849 from April 1 after a 6.4 per cent increase in Ofgem 's energy price cap. But it is set to decrease by seven per cent on July 1, meaning the UK's 35 million households on a variable tariff will see their monthly gas and electricity payments fall. A typical household will see their annual bill fall from £1,849 to £1,720 from next month. This is £660 (28 per cent) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the Government implemented the energy price guarantee. It will be a welcome drop in costs for millions of struggling Britons who are battling the cost of living crisis. But the predicted drop is slightly less than the previously forecast nine per cent fall following an easing of trade tensions. Now, a new calculator released today can help you work out how much you may have been overpaying on your energy bills. The price cap does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. However, news of a fall in energy costs will come as a relief for households, who suffered through an 'awful April' of bill rises. And prices remain elevated with the upcoming level £152 (10 per cent) higher than the same period last year. The number of customers switching providers plummeted during the 2021-22 energy crisis as the cost of bills shot up, with rates still significantly below pre-crisis levels. Under-pressure households have also been hit with the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988, alongside steep rises across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax However, experts at household money-saving firm are warning that millions of households who haven't recently switched providers that they're likely to be overpaying. Greg Marsh, household finance expert and CEO of said: 'The vast majority of households are overpaying on their bills – energy included. 'Most of us have no idea how much it's costing us. Energy companies know how hard it is to make sure we're on a fair deal. 'In fact, they hope we don't notice we could be saving and put up with paying more than we need to. It's not fair, and it's exactly why we started Nous. 'We regularly save our customers hundreds of pounds a year on bills because they didn't have the time or headspace to stay on top of things, and didn't realise how much they were wasting.'
CNET
2 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Internet and TV Bundle Prices Are Up This Year: Here's How to Cut Back
If you've noticed your TV and Internet bills going up, you're not alone. Recent JD Power data shows that both Internet and TV bundles have increased in price for the first quarter of 2025. What's most surprising is that only unbundled Internet bills saw a slight decrease. Finding ways to cut back on monthly bills can feel nearly impossible, especially when there's an increase every few months. But it's possible. Here's more on JD Power's findings and what CNET experts recommend to help lower your TV and internet bills. TV and streaming is getting more expensive According to JD Power's findings, here's how much bills have gone up. It's no surprise that we're seeing price hikes, since most providers increase prices over time. But it's important to understand why, even if the price change seems small. It could be due to the end of a promotional offer you signed up for, cable companies charging you more because networks are charging more for their content or even inflation. Average monthly bill Locating local internet providers January 2025 October 2024 Bundled cable or satellite TV $187.99 $180.30 Unbundled cable or satellite TV $121.86 $120.93 Streaming $73.47 $73.09 Regardless of the reason, every cent can help toward other goals. If you're paying more than you'd like for TV, you may consider a few options to save money on your monthly TV bill -- especially if you're paying for streaming services. Ask your streaming or TV provider about special promotions, such as military discounts or family bundles, to try to cut back. And as much as ads may be inconvenient when watching your show, the monthly cost for a service with ads is usually cheaper than no-ad options. Or you may cancel some streaming services altogether. "The advantage of streaming services is there's no contract and no penalty, so you can always sign back up whenever you want to -- especially if you are on a monthly subscription," Kourtnee Jackson, CNET's senior editor of streaming and home entertainment, previously stated. Even if you're in a TV service contract, take a close look at your contract to see what you're paying for and ask if some services can be altered or cancelled. You may be successful at negotiating a lower bill. Only unbundled wireless internet is slightly cheaper Bundling your internet with other services may seem like a way to save money, but not if prices are going up. The only option that's gotten less expensive is unbundled wireless internet, which decreased by nearly two dollars per month. Here's a closer look. Average monthly bill February 2025 November 2024 Bundled wired internet $170.06 $169.14 Bundled wireless internet $145.40 $145.21 Unbundled wired internet $83.35 $82.96 Unbundled wireless internet $71.53 $73.64 We saw a similar trend in a CNET survey earlier this year that shows 63% of US adults saw their Internet prices increase last year. But what's more surprising is that 51% of US adults still have unreliable internet despite monthly bill increases. There are a few ways to lower your internet bill, especially if you're unhappy with the service. Try negotiating with your provider or using your own equipment. Bundling your internet with TV or phone services may still be a money-saver, despite JD Power's data, but it's best to do the math first.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
The Social Security time bomb is near. No, really, this time.
One thing I've learned by getting old is that dates that sound very far-off will eventually arrive, and the bills payable on those dates will come due. The long-foretold tipping point of Social Security and Medicare into insolvency seemed like science fiction when I first tried to imagine the 2030s, but a new examination of the numbers confirms that the time is almost here.
CTV News
7 days ago
- CTV News
Counterfeit $20 bills increasing in Meaford
An OPP cruiser sits outside of a press conference in Vaughan, Ont., on Thursday, June 20, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj Counterfeit $20 bills are circulating in the Municipality of Meaford. Police warn local businesses to watch out for the counterfeit bills. To determine if the bill is fake, watch for a holographic strip that shifts when tilted, a transparent window with metallic portrait, raised ink on the large '20' and 'Bank of Canada' and hidden numbers visible under light. Police urge the public to not confront the person, but instead to note their description and call the Grey Bruce OPP.
