WASHINGTON—Aspiring homebuyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit for first-time owners that expires in November, driving up the number of signed sales contracts for the seventh straight month in August. Construction spending also rose unexpectedly in August on the biggest jump in housing activity in nearly 16 years, another [ Read More → ]

The findings come after rival comparison site uSwitch revealed that people who chose to pay for their gas and electricity once a quarter by cash or cheque were paying on average £224 more than neighbours who set up their energy account over the internet. But it is not [ Read More → ]

Energy bills are £224 a year more expensive for customers not online Photo: PA Those who chose to pay once a quarter by cash or cheque, are paying on average £224 more than neighbours who set up their gas and electricity account over the internet. The research, undertaken for The Daily [ Read More → ]

There was more pain at the pumps for drivers this week when fuel duty increased by 2p per litre; the third increase in petrol and diesel tax in nine months. Once VAT is included, this latest duty rise will total 2.3p per litre – pushing the average price [ Read More → ]

NW Natural has proposed sharp rate cuts in Oregon and Washington, beginning Nov. 1, amid slumping wholesale prices for natural gas. In a filing with state regulators this week, the utility proposed cutting rates by 14.5 percent for Oregon residential customers, and 17.5 percent cut for commercial customers. For a [ Read More → ]

Heating costs this winter figure to be cheaper for much of the country than they were a year ago, thanks to a glut of natural gas and fuel oil and a recession that’s pushing down demand. Does this mean you should lock in a rate now , or wait for prices [ Read More → ]

If you’ve ever opened an energy bill only to find yourself completely baffled by the figures within, the results of the latest research from uSwitch.com may not surprise you. In an experiment to test the problems people have when reading utility bills, uSwitch … Read the original article at Totallymoney

USwitch’s dummy bill Only 14pc of people who were asked to work out how much they owed came up with the right answer – even though they were allowed to make notes and use a calculator. The online test, set by uSwitch.com, the price comparison service, involved a [ Read More → ]

Pensioners have seen their gas bills jump by 55pc in the two years to April 2007, while electricity bills have risen by 36pc, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. As a result, the amount of money older households spend on fuel has increased by about 22pc during the same period, [ Read More → ]

Natural gas prices are at seven-year lows and it looks like heating bills may be cheap for a while. How did prices get so low, and how long are they likely to stay there? Are there ways we could be using natural gas - beyond staying warm and cooking food - [ Read More → ]