10th March 2010
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How to save up to 300 pounds a year in utility bills
British people are more concerned about how to pay their energy and utility bills than any other financial matter. Surveys by organizations and consumers programs like the BBC's Watchdog have revealed that we are more worried about the huge increase in our energy bills than any other effect of the credit crunch.
It's not surprising because, whereas we can cut on luxury and unnecessary expenditures and we can save money on food by buying cheaper ingredients and meals, electricity and gas bills are harder to adjust to our pockets.
The good news is that there is a way to reduce our energy bills. Watchdog reveals that you can save up to 300 pounds a year if you switch your supplier.
Switching to a new electricity and gas supplier is easy. But what can be confusing is to compare different prices and tariffs in order to save money. There are several price comparison sites, but it may be difficult even to choose among them.
The watchdog Consumer Focus, the industry regulatory body presiding over the energy sector and campaigning for a fair deal for consumers (which has replaced the previous consumer champion Energywatch), has checked the many price comparison websites, so you can follow its recommendations as a good guidance on which sites meet the best criteria to give you a quote on the latest deals and tariffs.
You can start being energy smart by switching supplier on any of the following websites, all of which have been awarded with Consumer Focus accreditation as they demonstrated compliance with all nine requirements of the Confidence Code and now display the Confidence Code logo on their sites.
Best price comparison sites for electricity & gas switch
uSwitch
is a free, impartial online comparison and switching service that helps consumers compare prices not just on gas, electricity, water and heating cover, heating, but also on home telephone, digital TV and broadband providers, plus insurance, mortgages and other finanacial products. Its aim is to help customers take advantage of the best tariffs and services on offer from every supplier. For that purpose it has developed a series of calculators that evaluate a number of key factors including price, location, service and payment method, and advises consumers on the best deal to suit their needs. uSwitch is not a supplier but acts as an independent advisor, giving consumers an impartial view of what’s on offer. There is plenty of information on the uSwitch site and guides on various subjects, including saving tips.
It is useful for anybody who wants to compare prices and save money on their household bills. The average saving customers make by switching energy suppliers via uSwitch website is 140 pounds.
Website:
uSwitch
Moneysupermarket
is another recommended service offering a free, impartial online comparison for users wishing to change their gas and electricity. There is also a Compare Green Energy facility. Moneysupermarket's aim is for you to choose the right supplier for your circumstances and in so doing save money (up to £325 savings for gas and electricity). It does this by taking into account factors such as location, usage levels, price, service levels and payment method. People who want to compare prices and save money on their household bills can use Moneysupermarket, which acts as an impartial advisor in a user’s quest to get the best value for money. Moneysupermarket site gives a lot of information and guidance, with many topics, such as Gas and Electricity Products and Understanding your Gas and Electricity Bills, covered and explained in detail. And you can read pther users' reviews of the various energy providers. Around 150,000 UK households change their gas or electricity supplier each week and the average saving customers make by changing energy suppliers via Moneysupermarket website is £140.
Website:
Moneysupermarket
Energy Helpline
is a third online service which is free of charge, impartial and independent and is certified by Consumer Focus the regulatory body. Energy Helpline helps UK customers save money on their gas & electricity, green energy suppliers, home phone, and business energy and phones through a price comparison service. Once they have found the right service for them they can sign up online by filling in a few simple details and Energy Helpline does the rest of the admin for them. Typical energy savings are £365 for an average house for energy, £315 for green suppliers and up to £200 on home phone. Businesses can typically cut their bills by 15% - 20%.
Website:
Energy Helpline
Switch with Which
is the last but not least of our top 4 price comparison sites accredited by Consumer Focus the industry regulator. Switch with Which is the online switching service from Which?, the UK's Consumer Association, the well-known, trusted organisation with over 50 years experience providing expert and independent advice to consumers to help them make the right choice. Which? launched the Switch With Which service to give consumers a transparent and impartial view of all current gas and electricity tariff options. The average saving in 2007 was £245. Whilst people want to save money on energy bills, many are also interested in areas such as green energy, loyalty schemes or the service ratings of energy suppliers. On the Switch with Which site you will find a tariff that's right for you as well as all this other information. Switch With Which has switching contracts in place with all the major energy suppliers so it can switch your suppliers quickly and smoothly. Plus its online switching service features tariffs from smaller specialist suppliers, so that every customer receives the opportunity to review all the tariffs relevant to them.
Website:
Switch with Which
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