Signing up to an annual direct debit payment plan from your energy supplier is supposed to help prevent bill shock as your payments are spread equally throughout the year. But it might not work like that...
Petrol prices 'putting drivers off'

More than two-thirds od people surveyed said their car is 'purely to get from A to B'
The love affair of people with their cars is cooling considerably, according to a survey.
Only 8% of drivers describe their motor as a "prized possession", the poll by rental service WhipCar.com showed.
More than two-thirds (67%) say their car is "purely to get from A to B", with only 18% bothering to name their cars and a third not even able to remember their vehicle's registration number.
Based on responses from 2,000 people, the survey also revealed that 25% believed it was less important to own a car today than it was 10 years ago, with the ever- increasing running costs coupled with rising petrol prices sparking a change in attitudes towards driving.
WhipCar also highlighted recent Government figures showing the number of under 30-year-olds obtaining driving licences having fallen by 20% since 1992.
The company also cited another recent survey showing that 38% of motorists intended to give up driving within a year if petrol prices continued to rise.
WhipCar co-founder Vinay Gupta said: "People used to love getting behind the wheel and just going for a drive. These days, trips are more carefully considered."
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