Power bills got you sweating? Stay warm without spending a fortune
As I write this on a frosty Melbourne morning, the mercury has dipped below 3 degrees, prompting the ritualistic donning of black puffer jackets and a sharp spike in the number of people working from home. I've heard it's also quite cold in Sydney but, frankly, whatever goes on north of the Murray River is none of my business.
Scientists have also discovered that cold weather is often associated with thoughts such as 'oh my god I'm never going to be warm again' and 'can I do everything I need to get do today from bed?' It can also see many of us crank our heating up to ridiculous levels, which is great for short-term relief but bad from a power bill perspective.
This is especially problematic for those of us with large or poorly insulated houses (so, basically, all of us, as 80 per cent of Australian houses have a two star or less energy rating).
What's the problem?
To make matters worse, energy prices are on the up. Power prices are set to rise by up to 9.7 per cent in NSW and 5 per cent in Victoria from July 1, after the market regulator announced its latest round of annual price setting. These rises are just an estimate too, as calculations by Canstar show that over the past six years, 67 per cent of the actual prices ended up higher than the proposed price. All in all, it's shaping up as a bad year to be cold.
What you can do about it
So if the chill is creeping a little too much for your liking (and it's only June!), here are some moves you can make:
Shop around: You can put on as many jumpers as you like, or stack on three more blankets, but nothing will save you as much money as jumping ship to a new energy retailer. Comparison expert at iSelect, Sophie Ryan, says everyone should get on the front foot now and check how your current energy offer stacks up – including what your service and supply fees are. 'While power prices may be higher across the board and will increase further for many homes from July 1, there are still differences between retailers and plans, and even a small price difference could make a big difference to a quarterly energy bill,' she says. It's a common misconception (and something that I ramble on about all the time) that loyalty pays, but it doesn't. Your energy provider owes you nothing, and vice versa, so if another one is offering a better deal (even if it's just a one-off for new customers), go get it. The government even has a free, independent energy price comparing tool which you can access here.
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