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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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jim
jim from NSW commented:

make our dollar go futher.If you don't have a use of goods any more sell it on ebay to help with life style 

David
David from NSW commented:

Reduced power and insurance cost on a regular basis and not just once 

Maurice
Maurice from NSW commented:

Hopefully we may have some discounts on the things that hammer us on a daily basis, like energy, petrol ,rates, Tax Relief on wages , goods and services for the over 60's would be a boom, send it straight to super. .then we could think about retirement with a life. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Maurice:

I agree with the relief for over 60s ! Many over 50s are still enjoying life in well paid jobs with annual overseas holidays etc etc. Not so for many of we over 60s. 

val
val from NSW commented:

i like most of us on here would like to see a discount on our electricity bill..im sick of paying a huge bill. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to val:

do you do any energy conservation tactics like one energy efficient light on at a time ? I thin the cost of delivering the power to the powerboard is a crock......over $30 a month before any electricity is consumed. Even if the energy companies gave us a break on that alone. And what about the $50 to read the meter to add insult to injury. 

Felicity
Felicity from NSW commented:

I agree with Paul to some extent however if we choose to work after the age of 65 maybe it should be tax free, I work a 90 hour fortnight and pay nearly $2000 in tax it would be good if the government gave us a break as it would mean greater financial independence and less drain on government funds in the form of pensions. 

Felicity
Felicity from NSW commented:

Hopefully there will be enough members to apply market pressure on essential items 

Keith
Keith from NSW commented:

This type of service cannot come quick enough. The over 50's are being taken advantage of and other than over 50 people really do not give a dam. Most think we will just work until we drop and then another will come to take our place. retirement is a total joke and the pension is even worse so what is the point of becomming older when we have nothing really to look forward too except watching our grand children grow. 

Paul
Paul from NSW commented:

AUSTRALIANS would be forced to work until they turn 70, under a radical late-retirement plan from the government's top policy agency. This is BS in a big way. Yes it may cost the country some money, but that money has come from those very same people who have put the money into making this country the best in the world. Most have worked hard, all their lives for this moment. They have paid for their retirement already, don't take away what we/they have worked 40 or 50 years for. Why should the baby boomers be punished because of the era they were born in? Totally unfair and an utter disgrace. It should be a choice, retire at 65 if you want and get the pension OR keep working if you want to. Maybe they could look at massive reduced income tax rate (e.g. 1/2 the normal rate) if you keep working after 65 instead of going on the pension. But that would be too easy or sensible!!! 

Daryl
Daryl from NSW replied to Paul:

Now they want us to work till seventy and tax us on the family home can they just leave us all alone it's never enough for them , over it .Daryl . 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Daryl:

of course the Pollies will never experience these expenses because they are on the never ending "gravy train" that should have a expiry date of 2 years post Government. So why would the Pollies support us. We need to start a 60sUp club, not a 50sUp. The latter are working or are capable of working in well paid jobs and have 10 years to save for their future. We over 60s are at the end of our working life (by virtue of medical issues, often) so we need the discounts more than the 50 to 59 groups. I semi-retired at age 60. 

Diane
Diane from NSW commented:

I hope that everyone over 50 will get better deals from banks, electricity, car insurance providers, plumbers, electricians etc as I feel that we are treated unfairly. 

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

Hi diane, we hope to achieve offers in all of these areas. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to David - FiftyUp Club:

David, out of interest, why did you include people in their 50s who are still capable of working and saving for the future ? Wouldn't it have been better to call it the 60Up club ? Those of us over 60 often have medical issues that preclude us from full-time gainful employment, period let alone in well paid jobs where we would really not need discounts on electricity, water, rates, insurances etc etc Just a though. I recognize that there are exceptions to the rule for those under 60. 

Bronwyn
Bronwyn from NSW commented:

Thank you so much Paul, I'd decided not to bother making any further comments after that guy's response . I'll continue to read tho. Cheers, Bron 

Paul
Paul from ACT replied to Bronwyn:

Bronwyn - keep commenting otherwise the Trolls out there will win - I posted this the other day in response to a disparaging comment, explains what we did in a bit more detail "The idea of this site, as I understand it, is to help the over 50s to save money by providing advice, either from fellow members or offers proposed by the organisers - I see this as being pro-active. This "system" (negative gearing) does allow first home owners an opportunity but it is dependent upon a family approach by using their parent's equity to kick start the process, they will eventually own the home/unit when their parents die but in the meantime the kids are not paying "dead rent" and the parents have a tax benefit (holidays) - as I said a win-win for all. If you just sit on your bum and wait for someone to hand it to you instead of going out and grasping it you will end up disappointed and bitter. quod erat demonstrandum !" 

Valerie
Valerie from NSW replied to Bronwyn:

Don't let peoples critical replies put you off. You have your opinions so share them. It's good to hear whatother people have to say. 

Daryl
Daryl from NSW replied to Bronwyn:

Hey Bronwyn , which guy ? Does he have a name ? 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Bronwyn:

Bronwyn, I've looked up your original comment and I can't understand why you're so upset. I can't find any critical replies to your comment. Paul seems to be the one that has been criticised and can't stand the flack. If he can't stand the heat, he should stay out of the kitchen. 

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