Want to Find a Better Energy Company Near You with a Quick Electricity Comparison?

Best Energy Company

Post on June 13th, 2015

Compare energy companies and get the power to choose

Customers living in States with full retail competition are in luck. Not only do you have the opportunity to choose who you get your energy from and what plan you want to go on, but you also have the freedom to take matters into your own hands, to compare energy companies and start to take advantage of this sheer number of energy suppliers—make it work in your favour!

And when you decide to start looking around to compare energy companies you get the choice of doing it by yourself or looking to the experts for help. If you want to do it yourself, then that’s great! We’ll tell you how to do that below. But if you want some support doing this, then we’re here for you.

When you call ElectricityWizard at 1300 359 779 or fill out the form below, one of our skilled customer service representatives will help you to compare apples to apples. We work with you to help you find a better energy deal to meet your household needs. ElectricityWizard has already helped over 165,000 Australians to compare. You could be making a money saving switch today.

Our energy comparison is free, easy, and effortless. In just 5 minutes, you can potentially save a bundle on annual power!

Reduce expensive power bills: find a better energy company for you

If your energy bills are more expensive than normal, then you’re not alone—there are a number of factors that have caused electricity rates to rise nationwide. Customers in each State are paying more for energy than ever before due to the new federal carbon price, increasing costs needed to keep up with the demand for electricity, and extra funds required to update aging electricity infrastructures, just to name a few.

So while we can’t do much to combat the carbon tax, electricity demand, or the price of electricity infrastructure, what we can do is provide you with some pointers on how to compare energy companies. Comparing energy companies, and then making the switch to take advantage of cheaper electricity prices, has been proven to be one of the fastest, easiest ways to save on your energy bills. So let’s get into it, shall we?

When looking to compare energy companies, it really comes down to what you want to get out of a relationship with your electricity company. Start by making a list of things that are important to you. Think about the following:

• If you care about your environmental footprint, look at companies who get their power from green energy sources.
• Would you prefer a company that’s locally-owned and operated? Some customers feel more comfortable speaking with someone in their local area, who understands their local issues.
• Some companies are new, and some are more established. While this by itself doesn’t necessarily mean anything, some of the newer companies offer a more streamlined, customer-focused business model, and are thinking differently about the way an energy supplier works—so the age of the company might change the way you think about their service offering.

So have a look at the different electricity suppliers available in your area. Click that link and have a bit of a read about each one, and make sure to pay attention to consumer reviews—these can give you an idea of what people like you think, so you can develop a picture of how these companies will work for you.

But comparing energy companies is just the start—you’ve also got to see what each supplier offers.

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Finding an energy plan that’s right for you

When comparing energy plans in order to find a plan that’s right for you, it helps to understand what your energy company is charging you for. Here’s a breakdown of what to look for when comparing energy companies and plans.

First of all, work out the type of electricity tariff your home is on. There are a few basic tariffs you’ll come across:

• Single rate tariff – A single rate tariff is just what it says, one set rate for your electricity usage, no matter when you use your electricity. These are usually lower than other tariffs, and are a good way to save a bit of money, especially if you use the most of your energy during peak time.
• Time of use tariff – A time of use tariff is fairly self-explanatory—you get charged at different rates depending on your time of use. This is usually broken into peak electricity times, and off-peak times.
• Controlled load tariffs – Controlled load tariffs apply to single appliances that have their own electricity meter, like pool pumps, electric hot water systems, and underfloor heating for those colder areas. You can have more than one appliance on its own controlled load tariff.
• Feed-in tariffs – This one is just for houses with solar panels. If your panels are generating electricity but you aren’t using it, this gets supplied back to the electricity grid so everyone else can use it, and you get paid a small credit for each kilowatt hour that you supply.

You can find your current tariff on your current bill. You can also find a fee on your bill called a “service to property charge” or “supply charge”. This is similar to a line rental for your power lines, that your electricity supplier pays to their energy distributor.

This fee will usually stay at the same price each bill—unless your supplier changes their pricing. It’s useful to keep this in mind, so if you see a plan with a much lower supply charge, this will probably be offset by a higher usage fee.

So now you know what you’re getting charged for, it’s time to start contacting energy companies to start comparing their services, and their plans. But it helps to know what to look for when comparing electricity plans to find the cheapest electricity. Here are some questions to ask the supplier, to ensure you’re finding one that best suits your needs:

• What are your Peak Rate/Off Peak Rate/Supply Charges? Work out when you use most of your electricity, and find a supplier that will give you the best rate during this time. It helps here to look at your energy use habits. Doing simple things like running your high-load appliances (washing machine, dryer, dishwasher) at night can save you money, and help you reduce your energy footprint at the same time.
• How much can you increase my rates each year in this contract? Most companies will say your rates are kept to the CPI, or there is NO CAP. Stay away from any supplier that doesn’t offer you a price cap since that is a sign they intend to increase their rates drastically in the near future.
• What will you charge me if I move homes? Make sure you won’t be getting slugged any fees when moving—it’s already a stressful experience enough on its own.
• Do you offer any discounts? Suppliers often give discounts for things as simple as paying your bill on time, opting in to email notification, and setting up direct debit billing. But be sure to check the terms and conditions for any discount you receive—you don’t want to find any surprise fees later down the track. So ask the question, and see if you can make some savings.
• Will you give me a discount off the total bill or just the usage rates? This one is important to know, as there’s quite a difference in price with a discount off your rates, as opposed to a discount off your total bill. You don’t want to think you’re getting a discount on one thing, then get stung with a higher bill than you expected later.
• Will you match or beat another company’s offer? That’s right—just like other goods and services like cars or electronics, your electricity supplier might very well offer to match or beat rates set by other companies. Shop around, find a rate you like, then ask your supplier of choice if they’ll match it. You’ll be able to get a better rate, save money, and go with the supplier that suits you.

It sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? But it’s important. These questions not only seek to get you a better rate, but also let you see what your prospective electricity supplier’s customer service is like—one of the most important aspects of comparing energy companies.

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Our last tips

For customers who want to make their quarterly electricity bills even cheaper, it can help to start out with a free electricity comparison to find help you find the best energy company near you. Call ElectricityWizard to make the switch today!

From there, the South Australian Government recommends that customers take the following steps to lower expensive power bills each quarter:

• Check your meter reading, as an outrageously high electricity bill could be the result of an estimated meter reading or an incorrect reading that has resulted in an erroneous charge. A higher than normal electricity bill could also be due to a catch-up payment added on from a previous meter estimate.
  
  Since energy providers take an actual meter reading at least once a year, you may receive a higher quarterly electricity bill if you were charged too little on a previous billing cycle. If you feel that you have been charged incorrectly, you can contact your electricity retailer directly to fix the issue.
• Check household energy use. Comparing your current energy use with previous electricity bills in the same time period will help to determine what may have caused your energy rates to rise. This could be due to a change in season or more people living under one roof.
• Ask your electricity retailer about payment options. For difficulty paying a bill, it’s recommended to contact your energy retailer directly to find out about alternate payment options or financial assistance.

Customers looking for a better energy company can start out on the right foot with a quick and easy electricity comparison. Call us to make the switch today!

How to Compare Electricity Providers

ElectricityWizard allows you to quickly and conveniently compare through the offers of a host of electricity providers in your area. One of our trained specialists can help you find many great available rates and options in your service region so that you can choose a better plan to meets your needs and save—so get in touch with us today!