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Cut your Energy Bills for Winter: Five Questions to Ask Yourself Now
Did you know that the major energy companies increased what we pay for gas and electricity by nearly 20 per cent in recent months? Not noticed yet? With winter just around the corner you soon will.
There are a number of things you can do to try and lower your bills, but before you look to reduce your gas and electricity bills, ask yourself these five questions first:
Am I Average?
Energy rates are often based on ‘average household consumption’ estimates. These are notoriously unreliable when it comes to working out exactly how much energy you consume. For example, if you live alone you are likely to use far less than a large family, yet you could be paying the same energy bills. If you do not fit into the category for ‘average households’ then your bill will not accurately reflect what you use.
Am I Smart?
Getting a smart meter installed in your home means that you will be able to gauge a more accurate meter reading, this will significantly cut the risk of over-paying for your energy each month.
Am I Using Too Much?
Another way to save money is to evaluate your consumption to see if you can cut back on your energy usage. Obviously the less energy you use, the less you will pay. Leaving TVs on standby all day, for example, is not necessary and can use up a considerable amount of energy.
Am I Able to Compare?
Once you are armed with the details of your existing energy tariff, as well as exact figures of your actual energy useage, you should look to compare different tariffs from rival suppliers. Moving to dual fuel, paying by direct debit and signing up to an online deal can all help you find the best deals.
Am I Forgetful?
Most people that switch energy tariffs to a better deal often assume that they are still on the best rate months or even years down the line. With competition between energy companies fierce and changes occurring all the time in what they charge, what was perhaps a good rate 6 months ago, could be completely wrong for you now. Set quarterly reminders or sign up to online reminder services to ensure that you can keep monitoring energy tariffs.
Moneyextra.com recommends you take independent financial advice before acting on any article
Back2011-09-16 08:59:16 © Moneyextra.com