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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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Brian
Brian from QLD commented:

Better discounts on essentials, higher pensions for the low income, less income for the higher paid 

Elizabeth
Elizabeth from NSW commented:

Cheaper gas,electricity, private health insurance.. 

Arthur
Arthur from NSW commented:

Please check my address, I had trouble getting ONE in should be 33 Prescott Circuit QUAKERS HILL NSW 2763 

Fred
Fred from NSW commented:

I've read the report and understand the graphs, and await the offers which can only be realised, for us to believe; in terms ($) that we can tangibly have faith with this endeavour. I suggest you start with green slips and target the 7 major providers-gio, nrma, aami, etc etc...... include comprehensive insurance and/or third party property. Target two and get us 15% off which will have to be below that price we can negotiate ourselves. It's time John S. Show us our power as a united consumer group. We are and will be reliable. 

Someone
Someone from QLD commented:

Need to have support with Health Funds, pay more get less these days?? 

Lisa
Lisa from NSW commented:

Financial recognition in the form of discounts for this demographic's reliability & track records 

Liz
Liz from NSW commented:

I hope I have done the right thing by registering with the FiftyUpClub and it is not just another club that offers everything but delivers nothing but wasting my time. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Liz:

Actually Liz, I was thinking the same thing, more advertising, than savings. I have been receiving the Senior Card booklet for fifteen years and have never used one of their discounts. To get a discount, I would have spent more on petrol, trying to save 10%. I sometime think we're very gullible. 

Robyn
Robyn from NSW commented:

I hope for costs of services and products to be more reasonable, especially power. Also I hope that older people with good skills will be valued and recognised by businesses. 

maggie
maggie from NSW commented:

Lovely idea for the reasonably well off. Do not have a car. Landlord does not leave me enough money to purchase anything worth insuring. There is another radio station,priced at a few cents a day which refers to putting recycling bags in the boot, bottles with 10 cent refunds can be put in the boot and discusses supermarket petrol discounts without ever mentioning the added cost to those who do not have a car. Hope this does a little more for those who truly need it rather than helping those who simply want more,more,more. 

Frances
Frances from NSW commented:

All my insurances are with NRMA, I called and said I wanted a better deal on car insurance and they dropped $55 from the premium without argument - worth a try ? 

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

Great to see you're looking for a better deal Frances. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Frances:

NRMA didn't drop my premium and we've been with them for forty-five years and never claimed on anything. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

dump them then. There are plenty of insurance companies out there that may gladly take your business. I dropped my Strata insurance from NRMA to go with another company and saved over $200. So it can be done if you shop around :) Good luck. 

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