If you are looking at ways to save money on your fuel bill then one of the easiest and quickest ways is to review your current energy provider and consider switching either your supplier or tariff to get a better rate.

How To Switch

Firstly, you need to do some research into the best supplier and tariff for you. The best way to do this is to look at some online comparison websites that allow you to compare the different energy prices and services online. This will detail all the suppliers and tariffs available and allow you to compare all the available rates.

You can also visit the individual supplier websites or call them to gain a better understanding of what they offer, as well as talking to sales people from energy providers who often come to your door or can be found in local shopping centres. It is also worthwhile letting your current supplier know that you are thinking of leaving them as they often will discuss and renegotiate the deal that you are on. However it is also important to note often the best deals are only available online as some tariffs will not be available to those who phone up for the offers.

Thinking Of Switching? Get In Fast!

The best advice at the moment, if you are worried about your electricity bill, is to find a cheap fixed tariff. But you have to be quick because many energy suppliers have a maximum subscription volume which, once met, means they pull the tariff.

So Many Tariffs, So Little Time

Most suppliers offer a variety of tariffs, which include:

• Electricity Economy 7

This basically means you pay a lower amount during the 7 hour night period.

• Online Tariffs

These tend to be the cheapest as suppliers try to incentivise people not to call and handle their accounts online. You generally have to provide your own meter readings and pay your bills online. However, be warned if you forget to provide a reading you run the risk of receiving a hefty estimated bill which can be annoying.

• Dual Fuel

You can obtain discounts for using one supplier for both gas and electricity. All the major suppliers offer this tariff which is useful if you want to make life easier.
 

• Fixed Tariffs

These are fixed for a set period normally a year or two but sometimes more. At the moment these seem to be the safest bet. As the market changes over the mid to long-term the benefits could be lost if prices fall.

There are a few other tariffs which offer benefits of their own depending on your usage and when you need to use the most electricity. Before signing up to a new supplier you should think about your current usage and find out which tariff will best suit your needs, especially if you have a large family or work from home. When comparing the different tariffs make sure you know how much energy you currently use by looking at a previous energy bill that you have received. Also if you have a dual energy supply then look at whether it is better to have the same supplier for gas and electricity or a different one providing each service.

Next you need to consider how you want to pay your bill as often savings can be made this way. Many companies charge you extra if you choose not to pay online or via direct debit, so this is a key consideration. Also when you get a quote then make sure whether this includes VAT as this is an extra expense that you may not have budgeted for.

Cutting Your Electricity Bills

What many people don’t realise is prices are different all over the country. Specific suppliers that once held a monopoly in a region often charge more. If you are using a local supplier you could save money by going with someone else.

It’s Not Always About Price

For the elderly or disabled it is not always about the price because some big suppliers offer special services which are helpful to those that need them. For example, N-Power offers a unique password service so customers can identify employees, which is great for security. They also offer Braille bills and you can even arrange for your bills to be sent to another address.

Finally when you have all the information and have made a decision about which supplier and tariff to use you can start the switching process. This process can take 4-6 weeks after your request so this may be something you will need to factor in.

Remember that at no point will you be without gas or electricity during the switching process, so there is no better time to switch if you are thinking of doing so. Your chosen energy provider will do all the work in switching your current supply and the only difference that you will experience is a change in the company name that sends you your bill.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

The tough recession that we are currently in has meant that there has been a sharp price rise in the cost of heating our homes with all of the top energy companies increasing their gas and electricity prices.

Even though this is not good news for consumers, does this credit crunch period we are experiencing effect the environment in a positive or negative way?

At the start of the year The Guardian newspaper reported on a dramatic fall in greenhouse emissions and cited the recession as being the main reason behind this fall. However these findings were in relation to industrial and business output and mainly the construction and transport sectors as these were hit the hardest by the recession.

But, what about individual household emissions? The Guardian felt that households were stubborn and that their greenhouse gas emissions remain high. The reasons behind this were the growth in population as well as the growth in single homeownership. There are also other factors which I feel come into the equation such as people are not going out as much during the credit crunch leading to a greater usage of plasma televisions and computers, therefore increasing home energy consumption and usage figures.

It is also felt that households are often not encouraged enough to think about the environment. And with the Energy Saving Trust who were specifically set-up to help households think about the environment having their funding cut in half by the government, it is little wonder households aren’t getting the message.

However, these recessional times have forced the government to consider the environment and our energy usage especially as there are predetermined climate change targets for the UK to reach. The Green Deal which is going through parliament at present is the main driving force being introduced by the government to try and revolutionise energy efficiency. The scheme aims to offer households energy saving improvements throughout their homes. The cost will be paid for upfront by private firms however the money will be recouped through the household’s energy bill. It is assumed that the energy saved will more than pay for the cost of these improvements.

Therefore, does the credit crunch effect the environment in a positive or negative way when looked at in relation to households? In theory it should be good thing as it should be assumed that people will have less disposable income and will be looking at active ways to reduce their expenditure. However, this is not the case. Even though individuals may reduce the amount they spend on luxuries such as car trips and holidays therefore reducing some gas emissions, they are reluctant to change their household energy usage and budget. This is because many people feel that this is a luxury and a comfort that they should try and retain for a healthy and happy household during the credit crunch.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Over the past few weeks and months we have witnessed energy companies increasing their gas and electricity prices and combined with the increased cost of buying food, petrol and wages not rising; we are concerned that heating our homes will become a huge expense over the coming winter months.

When you look at the facts on heating your home they can make worrying reading. Currently, it is known that older people are suffering the most when it comes to affording to heat their homes with 3.5 million older people living in fuel poverty (people who have to spend one tenth of their income on their energy bill). Also, with the government reducing the winter fuel allowance this year for the elderly, paying the energy bill can seem like one big expense and headache for everybody.

However, there are things that you can do to plan for the winter months and try to reduce your energy bill. You need to look at your home and calculate where you can save money. The first thing that you need to do is decide whether you have any heat loss and how this can be fixed.

In simple terms heat loss means losing heat from your home into the outside environment. It is thought that at present about a third of all the heat that is produced in a home in the UK is lost through such areas as the roof, walls and ceilings and in monetary terms it is assumed that £1 out of every £3 spent on heating is wasted.

Losing heat matters because you are paying for that energy which is just being wasted and therefore you are not getting value for money. It also means that you will need more energy and therefore the energy suppliers will put further strain on the environment in providing this.

There are many ways to ensure your home doesn’t lose heat and ways to plan ahead to reduce your energy bills over the winter months. Why not carry out an energy audit of your home? There are many online tools to help you and these are a great way to see how you can improve the energy efficiency of your home. Energy audits will provide you with a detailed checklist and way to evaluate your home to identify and prioritise energy efficiency.

You could also look to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) who can advise you on energy efficiency matters. At present the EST recommend that home owners take steps to reduce heat loss and in turn cut their energy bills. These steps with their percentage saving on your energy bill include replacing an old boiler with a new boiler (up to 25% saving), ensure your home has double-glazing (up to 17% saving), installing roof insulation (up to 15% saving).

Implementing these steps along with looking at the way you use gas and electricity in your home will help you ensure you become as energy efficient as possible and ready for those winter fuel bills.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

It seems like we’re always being told if we turn our boiler thermostat down by 1 degree we can save X amount and leaving our TVs on standby wastes electricity. But how much power do average everyday home appliances actually use?

My Electricity Bill is Confusing
Generally when you receive your monthly or quarterly electricity bills it is measured by the amount of power used which is denoted by kWh or kilowatt hours. The total amount you pay for using an appliance is calculated by multiplying the power of the appliance by the amount of time it is used. Your energy supplier should state the unit price of electricity on your bill.

For example, if you own a 2.5kW kettle and use it for 1 hour per week and your electricity unit price is £0.08. To calculate the price of using it would be 2.5 x £0.08 which is £0.20 per week or about £0.80 for the month.

Another example, if a 2.5 kW kettle is used for two hours a week, and a unit of electricity costs £0.08, then the number of units used is 2.5 kW multiplied by 2 hours. This is 5 kWh. To find the cost of using the kettle over a week you multiply the number of units used by the cost per unit. In this example the cost of running a kettle over a week would equal £0.40 of your electricity bill.

How much do appliances cost to use?
I found two online tools which were the most useful when trying to find out how much it actually costs to power every day home appliances. The first was UKPower.co.uk it gives you a drop down option so you can check various appliances.  

To power an average 100 Watts lightbulb for 1 month will cost you about £1.2. This equates to about 120 hours of use which means it costs about 1p per hour. I personally don’t like 100 Watt bulbs because they are too bright for my eyes. If you install 60 Watt bulbs the cost reduces down to about 0.72p per month which is quite a big saving over the year if you combine all bulbs together in your house. Incidentally if you are not totally sure what a Watt is here is the definition from batteryeducation.com “A watt is a measurement of total electrical power. Volts x amps = watts.”

I next checked the cost of running a TV which brought back a cost of just £1.80 for 90 hours use a month. I’m not sure how big this television is meant to be but I am presuming it is an average size of around 32 inches.

The next tool I came across is from the U.S, but is still useful for general reference. It’s from Data Vizualization and is basically the same as above but with more choice. According to this tool an electrical water heater costs about $670 per year to run. You can also find out how many kWh appliances use on average which is more useful for people from the UK because you can then compare it to your unit price on your bill.

By far the most expensive thing to run in the home is the boiler and heating system. For big savings it is best to start looking at ways to reduce your heating bills by improving insulation and energy efficiency for long-term savings.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

There is a lot of news on energy price hikes in the UK with Scottish and Southern energy recently announcing rises. Most of the stuff we read about is all doom and gloom. The electricity industry is notorious for its vast array of tariffs and complicated pricing structure. But with a little due diligence and some time in front of the computer it is still possible to find good deals.

Thinking Of Switching? Get In Fast!
The best advice at the moment, if you are worried about your electricity bill, is to find a cheap fixed tariff. But you have to be quick because most energy suppliers have a maximum subscription volume which, once met, means they pull the tariff.

So Many Tariffs, So Little Time
Most suppliers offer a variety of tariffs, which include:

• Electricity Economy 7

This basically means that you pay a lower amount during the 7 hour night period.

• Online Tariffs

These tend to be the cheapest as suppliers try to incentivise people not to call and handle their accounts online. You generally have to provide your own meter readings and pay your bills online. However, be warned if you forget to provide a reading you run the risk of receiving a hefty estimated bill which can be annoying.

• Dual Fuel

You can obtain discounts for using one supplier for both gas and electricity. All the major suppliers offer this tariff which is useful if you want to make life easier.

• Fixed Tariffs

These are fixed for a set period normally a year or two but sometimes more. At the moment these seem to be the safest bet. As the market changes over the mid to long-term the benefits could be lost if prices fall.

There are a few other tariffs which offer benefits of their own depending on your usage and when you need to use the most electricity. Before signing up to a new supplier you should think about your current usage and find out which tariff will best suit your needs, especially if you have a large family or work from home.

Cutting Your Electricity Bills
What many people don’t realise is prices are different all over the country. Specific suppliers that once held a monopoly in a region often charge more. If you are using a local supplier you could save money by going with someone else.

It’s Not Always About Price
For the elderly or disabled it is not always about the price because some big suppliers offer special services which are helpful to those that need them. For example, N-Power offers a unique password service so customers can identify employees, which is great for security. They also offer Braille bills and you can even arrange for your bills to be sent to another address.

The Future Is Bright
OFGEM has announced that is overhauling the current guidelines for energy suppliers, which means more transparency, less tariffs and less confusion which will make customers lives easier.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein