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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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Richard
Richard from NSW commented:

Free solar panels for pensioners who own their own house, flat units etc in particular regional areas, more public support for Australian grown food producers in all retail outlets both in major cities and regional centres along with Govt support at all levels to give preference to Australian produced food in Govt contracts. 

Patricia
Patricia from NSW commented:

Free solar panels for pensioners and more discounts for pensioners for all insurances 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

We are in our middle seventys and find it more difficult each year to keep up with the House and content .insurance. Been pensioners we hardly every leave the house 24/7 these days and when we do-everything is well locked etc. Same as Green slip- its such a lot of money from the pension. 

Ron
Ron from NSW commented:

20% discounts on regular house hold expenses like Electricity, Water, Home content and car insurances. Better service and options of payment 

Krishna
Krishna from NSW commented:

We will hold the balance of power in the choice of Government 

Henry
Henry from NSW replied to Krishna:

Yes, Krishna: we will. I have also joined The Seniors Party (www.seniorsparty.org) in the hope they can get proper and so much needed representation in Canberra. Imagine: this Club fighting for us to get better deals all around and The Seniors Party fighting in Canberra to put through a number of policies to assist us further: Wat a mighty combination that would be! 

Daryl
Daryl from NSW commented:

Cheaper groceries and electricity costs and fuel costs and vehicle registration costs 

Terry
Terry from NSW commented:

easy and understandable and appropriate mobile phone plans. 

Karen
Karen from VIC commented:

less complex electricity & gas contracts 

Anita
Anita from NSW commented:

Anita from NSW I was shocked when my mother and I received an electricity bill for $703 last quarter. I work F/T and she is 91 and sleeps much of the time. As everyone else has left home, or passed away, no one cooks, ((a carer comes in to buy my mum's food from outside each weekday), and washing is done at weekends - therefore something is very expensive since privatisation. I have paid taxes since 1968, I think it's about time the governments rewarded us (>50's taxpayers) with free solar panel installation if they cannot make up their minds on major Policy development for the nation's utilities. 

Henry
Henry from NSW replied to Anita:

Anita: I believe there is something drastically wrong with this bill. Have you had it checked by the electricity people? These bills are quarterly so it means your dear mother has been charged $234.00 per month (or $54.00 per week!)There is 2 of us at home, where we do all of those things your mother is not doing: cooking, washing, etc. and our last bill was for $176.00. Admittedly I joined One Big Switch campaign sometime ago and received around 16% discount, but be as it may your mum's bill is absurd. Incidentally, I also joined The Seniors Party (www.seniorsparty.org) because I believe we need representation in Canberra to have some policies regarding the over 50's. Do you agree with this? 

Ross
Ross from QLD commented:

Reduce insurance costs in north Queensland. I'm lucky enough to own a couple of houses in the Cairns area,all in flood free areas. The last couple of years I've been getting hammered. I've had the same insurance company for 25 years never had a claim. I have rung around other insurance companies in the last couple of years, as soon as you mention your post code very few of them insure in north Queensland, and thoes that do are as dear as poison. The last couple of years I've been increasing my excess and decreasing the value of the properties to keep the premiem manageable. 

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