I've switched, have you?
| Related: | Personal Finance•Utilities•Electricity |
With so much news coverage given to increased prices in gas and electricity costs, I decided to look into switching suppliers.
I visited a comparison website energyhelpline and entered in my usage information and the results really shocked and surprised me!
I can actually stay with my current supplier and opt for another tariff and save £207 pounds with the price fixed for one year.
Having switched they will also pay me £15. This I feel is a real result and allows me to budget for the next 12 months.
Have others switched and saved?
Responses (4)
Hi Parchester, I switch and save regularly. I'm now into my second month with a new provider and a new tariff. I've gone for a capped tariff this time, so my costs stay the same if the prices go up, but go down if the prices go down...unlikely, probably, but if they do, I'm covered.
I always use the energy helpline, and find them very, very helpful.
I'm so glad you're happy with your switch, it's always worth it, in my humble opinion. :-)
Yes Parchester we're switchers and savers too.
Well done in making your saving of £207 that's definitely not to be sneezed at.
We have stayed with Scottish Power this year as like you we changed the tariff and fixed the price at a saving of nearly £200, we too were amazed at the result.
Hi,
I've been looking to switch, but don't trust the comparison sites I've tried. uswitch is completely wrong about what I'm currently paying, and switchwithwhich gets confused about how much of an annual discount nPower gives for a dual fuel deal.
I've done the calculations myself and get an answer I think is correct and there is £3 difference between the standard online tariff I'm being switched to and the cheapest tariff available. Sadly both are 30% more expensive than my current cheap deal(!)
I'd be wary of switching based on comparison site calculations. The things to watch for are:
1) For tariffs with a high and low rate kWh costs, do they assume you'll spend the high rate kWh first? This may be incorrect if you have spikes in your usage so lots of kWh are at a particular month's low rate. This gets me every time, and leads most sites to over-estimate my current spend by £100 -£190 a year, throwing out any 'savings' calculations.
2) Are the discounts correct and have they been applied to the sums provided you?
What comparison sites do people use?
I totally agree, G-Man, that is the problem with comparison sites. My way round it is to use the energyhelpline site (always with my exact usage figures) for 'nearasdammit' results, then phone the energy helpline and get them to work out the awkward bits for me. I get them to tell me how they've worked it out too, and do my own double check, then once I've checked, I phone the helpline back and get them to do the switch. :-)
Cool! Will have to do that :)
I shall have to try that, fruits. I find some difficulty with price comparison sites as you never seem to be comparing like with like.
Yesterday I phoned Scottish Power to find out, before I did a price comparison, whether I was on their best tariff for me. After half an hour on the phone I was none the wiser. All I got was if's and but's. The guy I spoke to even said he couldn't access my consumption figures as it would break their privacy rules.....???!!!
We were just about to switch to British Gas Feline and had to argue the case at length with SP.
I think as a courtesy and possibly an agreement to keep us (and possibly shut us up) they helped sort out a fixed plan which should if we have got our figures roughly correct save us a few bob in the long run.
They don't like it when you threaten to leave them and go across to their arch nemesis.
Fruitcake - thanks for this. I'm gonna have to try this website you mentioned as I don't think the other sites I've tried are accurate!
You're welcome, Lana, it helps a lot if you've got your usage figures, and try ringing them after you've checked online as they are very helpful and friendly.
Thanks for G-man and Feline for these things to check and for recommending energyhelpline. Will check this out.
We use electricity but have no gas in the village so use oil for heating which is horrendously expensive these days.
I use comparison sites just the same way I use stock filters. Use them to provide a shortlist of companies to work with. Always verify the data with the company's website before the switch.
Once you get into the habit of switching, you can save money on so many other things. Car insurance for one, I am always amazed how much I can save against the renewal premiums quoted. Also bank accounts, if you switch away from the turgid ones to a more customer service oriented one like First Direct they will give you £100 (after 3 months and provided your salary goes into the account). Also credit cards. The APRs just drift up and up and although I don't take extended credit on my cards, I like to make sure the card I have at the top of my wallet has the lowest APR going, just in case I have to use it to borrow at some stage.
I think that the more of us who get into the switching mentality, the better market forces will be to keep costs down.
All salient points wojtek. Yes it certainly pays to switch and save these days.
Well said, wojtek, and I agree with you! :-)
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