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News$700k worth of savings tips from the government
$700k worth of savings tips from the government

$700k worth of savings tips from the government

Tags: Energy Information
Last updated by Someone on

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you would have noticed all the talk about energy prices. If you have been off the grid (pun intended), there’s no hiding from your energy bill, which will find you eventually. 

And so will the Federal Government’s latest $700,000 ad campaign!

Launched this month, the Powering Forward Campaign reportedly cost tax-payers $300,000 for 60 seconds of airtime during the AFL & NRL Grand Finals, and as much as $700,000 in fees to a Melbourne ad agency.

There's some useful information buried in there, but it's hidden behind propaganda pushing the government's energy policy credentials.

What do you think of the campaign?

Our take? The website contains some useful info for people wanting to save on power bills, for example it links to the Energy Made Easy comparison site and the Victorian Switchon site to compare offers.

It also contains energy efficiency tips for households, which can be handy.

But all that useful stuff is buried behind the silly “powering forward” slogan and some bumph about the Government’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 and gas reservation policies.

They’re important, but we’d like to see the moneysaving info up front and centre!

Here’s something else you can do to save.

A couple of months back, the Fiftyup Club started our Power-Up Campaign,  which now boasts a staggering 50,000 registrations nationally That tells us that you do want to do something about energy prices even if it’s just to send a message to power companies that enough is enough.

While Australia may rank second in the world for quality-of-life, we rate first in the world for the highest energy prices. Data from the Carbon + Energy Markets' MarkIntell service says we’re ahead of Germany, Denmark and Italy with 4 Australian states in the top ten (click here to see the list).

This despite Australia having every energy resource available in the world including coal, wind, solar, nuclear and sea-water hydro power.

What can you do? It’s as easy as picking up the phone, calling your energy retailer and asking for a better deal. Don’t take no for an answer. The energy market has never been so competitive and you can get results, with many members reporting savings in the hundreds of dollars.

Click here to see the latest Fiftyup Club energy offers, extended for a limited time only


 

 

Originally posted on .

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Leanne
Leanne from NSW commented:

No comment 

Tony
Tony from NSW commented:

The fact it is Coles puts me right off. Wesfarmers & Woolworths own & control everything and by doing this will also attempt to put decent insurers out of business. They already have the fuel market, food, clothes, DIY soon there will be no choice available at all. Shame on you FiftyUpClub 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Tony:

Hi Tony, Coles Insurance has been chosen as a partner for the FiftyUp Club because they believe many Australians are paying too much for car insurance and they aim to provide a quality, value for money alternative to the major players. Coles Insurance won the Australian Banking and Finance “General Insurance Product of the Year” award 2013, as well as the Mozo People's Choice Awards “Best Value for Money Car Insurer” and “Top 5 Car Insurer” for 2013. 

Fred
Fred from NSW replied to Tony:

Decent insurers is an oxymoron. They are nither descent nor insurers as we can see at the Springwood/Winmallee fires 43 days and action on clearing and rebuildings most notably Alliance NRMA Suncorp named by Phill Koperberg. 

chris
chris from NSW commented:

to just ease the burden of everyday expenses by consolidated buying a gain some respect of our buying from retailers of all goods and services thank you Chris Oliver 

chris
chris from NSW commented:

to just ease the burden of everyday expenses by consolidated buying a gain some respect of our buying from retailers of all goods and services thank you Chris Oliver 

Anita
Anita from NSW commented:

Thanks Olivia, It would really be great if we as a force could do something as seniors and put forward an idea or package to Telstra, Optus and others about what need as a major purchasing group. When I have to retire very soon, I shall not be able to pay $2400pa. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

what about health insurance it is so expensive but we feel we need it. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Yes - what about health insurance! We pay $270 a month & are too scared not to have it as health problems occur more frequently when you are over 50. Have been with the same health insurer since 1961 & cover was barely used when my family was growing up. Now we are older we pay the same as a family would & have had to use cover a couple of times in the last 10 years. Public hospital waiting times are much too long to risk not having peace of mind with insurance. 

brian
brian from NSW commented:

make it easier, financially, for elder people to live comfortably. 

Denisa
Denisa from QLD commented:

How do I get discounts now that I am a member? 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Denisa:

Hi Denisa, at the moment we've got an offer with Coles Car Insurance. Have a look on the home page after you log in! They are offering a minimum of a $100 discount on your cover for safe drivers. You can also give them a call on 1300 661 436! When other offers come out you'll be notified by email! 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Olivia - FiftyUp Club:

Beg your pardon Denisa! I thought you were in NSW, please refer to Perrine's comment below. 

Perrine - One Big Switch
Perrine - One Big Switch from NSW replied to Denisa:

Hi Denisa, we have just launched our first campaign in NSW and we are hoping to extend offers to other states in the future! Keep checking out our website and I'm sure there will be a special offer in QLD soon. 

Anita
Anita from NSW commented:

Seems there are certain themes developing where improvements can be made. One area important to me and many others appears to be better packages from Telstra and others, for phones, internet and pay-tv. I pay around $200pm, and was told that I NEED the size of internet package I have. (My boys have left home!). Pay-TV 'Essentials' package is rubbish only having about 3-4 brilliant channels. Is there some way we can use OUR power to pay for what we want and use rather than being told what we have to be stuck with before we can get what we want? Being seniors does not mean I can afford $2400 for much longer. 

Olivia - FiftyUp Club
Olivia - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Anita:

Hi Anita, the FiftyUp Club will absolutely focus on tailoring offers to people fifty and up so that you don't have to pay for the excess when offers are so regularly directed at younger people. Thank you for your feedback! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Apart from possible discounts on anything, I'd hope that a group like this, which I am sure will increase in numbers, could perhaps have bargaining/representative power to get government to recognise that we need to be looked after (re discounts for meds, services, etc) rather than pushed to retire later. Get rid of so much financial help to youngsters who haven't worked most of their lives and give us a break! (Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now, LOL.) 

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