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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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Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

This is for the moderators. Perhaps it is time to divide the forum into sections or topics like other forums. There could be a topic for Electricity, another for Car Insurance and another for Life Insurance, Solar Panels, etc. If you have not accessed the forum for several days (or weeks), it can be quite time consuming reading through the entire forum to find information relative to the topics which you are interested in. 

Joel - FiftyUp Club
Joel - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Peter:

Hi Peter, that's a great idea and it's something we are currently working on, so watch this space in the coming weeks. 

Jim
Jim from NSW commented:

David Murray is an excellent choice for a very difficult task. He was head of the Commonwealth Bank for many years which proves he has expertise in this area. I personally knew David throughout his schooling and he is a very determined individual who will succeed at everything he undertakes. However when all said and done whatever recommendations David Murray makes will depend on the Government as to whether any changes are made......Well done Tony Abbott, hope to see some changes which will deliver a more level playing field. 

Elizabeth
Elizabeth from NSW commented:

I now longer go to a supermarket to shop. I do it all online, after viewing what the weekly specials are. I also have a list, before I go online. Buying when things are on special, I save heaps! My shopping is picked, packed, and delivered into my kitchen for me. No having to lug everything home, and unpack and carry it all inside. Not being tempted in-store, I only buy what I need. I started before Christmas, and have saved hundreds of dollars shopping this way. I'll never go back to supermarket store shopping again! What I save on time, effort, petrol, and stress, more than covers the delivery fee! 

Gillian
Gillian from NSW replied to Elizabeth:

Which site do you go to , to do your shopping. I did hear on Current Affair that the products cost you more doing it that way. Their are a lot of pensioner's who live on their own, as I do since my husband passed away, that is sometimes the only time you are able to speak with other people, particularly if you live in a regional area, as I do. A lot of people who are now moving out to area's such as mine are doing it because the housing is cheaper and both of them work so aren't home very often and when they are they don't seem to have time to have a conversation with you anyway 

Sandy
Sandy from NSW commented:

Another hint is to be aware of the prices of goods, particularly specials. If your item scans incorrectly, you can get it free (only the first one though). We have often received items free of charge just by being vigilant. 

robert
robert from NSW commented:

Re shopping: there is only one tip that consumers need to have, which is that they should do the majority of their shopping at Aldi. Since switching to Aldi several years ago we have halved our grocery spend. Of course, all consumers may not have easy access to an Aldi store but one will probably be coming along soon. I might add we have not only gained in economy but, in our view, we have gained substantially in quality of product. No more throwing out bad food. 

Peter
Peter from NSW replied to robert:

I agree with you Robert. I have saved considerably since Aldi opened locally. I only visit Woolworths and Coles when there are certain advertised lines which I buy, some of which I cannot buy at Aldi. 

Christine
Christine from NSW commented:

Thank you Joel. FiftyUp Club have stated that Click Energy will accept the OneBigSwitch solar panel if you are a Platinum Energy or 15% Direct Debit Customer. Well done...and thank you! a) Nice to see companies working together for the benefit of those involved and interested and b) nice to see people power does work! All you need to do is ask :) Thanks again 

Glenda
Glenda from NSW commented:

Why is the cost of gym membership so high? Its quite unaffordable for us seniors, certainly for me its out of the question as the cost is astronomical. I really do wish to remain as healthy as possible in these later years of my life and thank God, I'm ok right now. However, some class type exercise such as yoga, pilates, dancing etc and also exercising on gym equipment at a nominal cost would help keep all of us seniors more active and greatly improve our blood circulation, joints and limbs improvement, and give us a balanced sense of well being. Can something be done about this? Its not as though we are looking for something for free, but to have to pay around $400 + per quarter for gym membership is simply too too high a cost. 

Valerie
Valerie from NSW replied to Glenda:

Have you ever thought of swimming. Many Seniors have joined Masters Swimming in all States of Australia. Seek them out you won't regret it. 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Glenda:

I think rent, staff ,elec,'huge insurance costs etc could be some of the reasons why. One could alternate with some home exercise helped by videos and books from the library plus some basic bending streaching walking and gentle jogging.A small (by comparision) investment in hand weights and streach bands could help, and look around even in $2.00 shops as 2 kilos is two kilos no matter the cost or colour Channel 44 has gentle exercises for beginers or the quite elderly 9am and 3 pm. Not the same as incentive as being "pushed' at the gym however after 18 monthes you could use the money saved to go on a short cruise and use their free gym. People have stayed healty and fit in their latter years before gyms arrived on the scene, and remember gym owners work on the fact that not all who pay actually turn up all that often. 

steve
steve from QLD commented:

I think u have the wrong number as I have no idea what u are talking about someone must be using my email :/ 

maree
maree from QLD commented:

Ross you have made a valid point about a civilians firies police and ambos who work twice as hard and do put their lives on the line 24/7 and they are treated like second class citizens we would be totally lost without these services so I say let us stand up for these men and women who do this work everyday they most certainly do deserve it 

maree
maree from QLD commented:

oh you got me here I agree to all that has been said about the politicians they are only wanting to feather their own nest I just really believe that we are all equal so we could be all treated at the same way and have the same rights as these so called loonie tunes that are running this country and that goes for the past ones as well they should not be entitled to all these freaking lurks and perks that they get when they retire no come back to where we are forced to stay we paid our taxes and worked bloody dam hard to put food on our tables and raise our children and never got any support from the government at all so in saying that bring us up and bring them down and let feel what it is really like to struggle 

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