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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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Jean
Jean from NSW commented:

is it right that politician tell us when we can retire.? For a lot of workers who have work manual work their body are worn out by 60, but politician who have never raised a sweat in their working lives tell us to work to 70 what a joke! 

Mark
Mark from QLD commented:

One more comment please, how about some financial advice for us on how to avoid Bankruptcy or if we are in Bankruptcy or just out of it how to now rebuild, how to get that interest free loan, how to get a Credit Card after being discharged, with a bankruptcy on your Credit History trying to get a loan for a new car or for an interest free loan to do repairs on the house is nearly impossible 

Mark
Mark from QLD commented:

Is this just a big con to get our information for Marketing companies, will I start receiving phone calls, letters etc or will this prove to be of some benefit to us 

Perrine - FiftyUp Club
Perrine - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Mark:

Hi Mark, I would like to assure you that this is not a con we have helped many of our members cut the cost of their household bills! Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, the links can be found at the bottom of the page. Also, thank you for your recommendations above! 

Elizabeth
Elizabeth from VIC commented:

Fantastic idea. 

joy
joy from NSW commented:

How long do ''they'' expect the oldies to work, I worked from the age of 15, no government handouts came my way. I am now in my 80's I retired 6 years ago will I need to find a job? 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

She can work as as long as she wishes to, but there are many who have toiled hard over the years, paid their taxes have no superannuation and were promised a pension at 65. As much as this government would love to opt out, let's honour that commitment for them. They should not be penalised for bad management by government. 

Rosemary
Rosemary from QLD commented:

Why should the older generation keep working, when there are thousands of younger people out there who have never worked a day in their lives. Give the oldies a break. What is going to happen when the older generation are all gone and the country has to rely on the generation of youngsters now are responsible for keeping this country going. Make the younger people more responsible and get a job. The oldies have done their bit in more ways than one. 

Sharron
Sharron from QLD commented:

Morning, What does one do when circumstances dictate that you must leave work to become a full time carer before you have put away enough to even look after yourself. Can't afford to work, can't afford to not work. A bit of relief will be very welcome. Michael - I received your reply asking what kind of a break my family needs, but I can't reply due to a glitch. Cost of medicals aids, power and food are my biggest challenges (let alone the credit card interest) 

Pete
Pete from NSW replied to Sharron:

Hi Sharron, When pollies make decisions, most of them well to do, are clueless as to what full time carers have to endure. We save them billions and they supply us with virtually nillions. (Wow I just invented a new word lol). When you become a full time carer you are not considered employed and all Government subsidies for Superannuation cease. So becoming a carer for someone you love becomes a disadvantage to your retirement. We save the Government monetary wise and they cannot protect our retirement. 

Sharron
Sharron from QLD replied to Pete:

Lol, very true Pete. I am now going to see if I can download a free budgeting tool to see if I can find that extra portion of a "nillion" for super contribution. Can anyone recommend one? 

anne
anne from NSW commented:

Cant wait to retire have been working f/t for 45 years now and think that retirement age should be lower so that more young people can have a go just because we think we are indispensable does not mean it is so just look at all the places that have closed up recently. BRING ON RETIREMENT. I know that some people would work longer but that should be the exception not the rule. 

patricia
patricia from QLD commented:

we must all stand up to the government as one there is not use complaining and standing back and not doing any thing about it the government does not care we must all join together in a peaceful demonstrations that way the goverment must stand up and listen to us all the politicians must be made to live off the pension for a month no benefits at all with there housing they should be made to rent a house or flat and live off the pension like we do and that will show them the real cost of living each of us lives on a daily basis we can talk all the time on these chat back shows but we all need to stand up and be counted for 

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