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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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Dawn
Dawn from QLD commented:

Hi all, what an interesting bunch of faces and comments ! I've just joined too and look forward to participating with others as best I'm able. To Angela - just respond to 

Dawn
Dawn from QLD commented:

What an interesting bunch of people and comments. I've just joined too and look forward to taking part in this venture 

Angela
Angela from QLD commented:

Questions are too invasive. 

Peter
Peter from QLD commented:

Hi I have just joined thanks to channel 7 have read a few comments and agree with all BUT WHAT I DISAGREE WITH IS A PERSON FEMALE EARNING UP TO $150.000 pa gets payed 6 months maternity leave if she is earning this what is her husband earning most likely a lot more They do not need assistance when we had our children we struggled through why do we have always help the rich the trouble as I see it the public service think the average wage is $150.000 when if fact it is only $49.000 GOVERNMENTS SEEM TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE LOWER WORKING CLASS ON LOWER PAY SCALES. . 

Sjoerd
Sjoerd from QLD commented:

hi, I have just joined and am relishing my life in the 50 plus era , have a good family ,houses and debt , and guess what I am going to enjoy it all and not sweat the little things.Live a lot . 

Charles
Charles from QLD commented:

Existing on a pension after being wiped out in 1990 and with a disabled and ill wife any help I can get on electricity and medical costs would be greatly appreciated, Us over 50's helped build this country to what it is today and should not be neglected in our twilight years. 

Rich
Rich from QLD commented:

Hi there, Just wondering whether anyone can share any info on self managed super funds.. Want to use our super to buy somewhere to live in on retirement. Cheers, Rich. 

Peter
Peter from QLD replied to Rich:

Hi Rich , .over 50 resorts are ok but careful how you go about this as with some you lose most of your money when you pass on or sell others you get the full value of your home these have a higher weekly rental but you get rent assistance from center link and you have use of a bowls club theater gym snooker swimming pool and coffee lounge and when you sell you get the capital gain hope this helps 

Emily
Emily from QLD replied to Peter:

Rich, there are over 50's style homes and also retirement homes, the latter is when all costs come out of the estate, whilst the over 50's one just pays the normal estate agent selling costs, the rest is yours or your family. 

Michael
Michael from QLD replied to Rich:

Rich, I am not sure if I have understood what you want but if you mean that you would like your SMSF to purchase a house and then you want to live in that house in retirement, I believe that all super fund investments have to (or should) charge going rates for rental which means that you would have to pay your super fund rental for your house. Check with a Financial advisor on that. Maybe the fiftyupclub has a Financial advisor like Noel Whitaker who can answer questions like that. :-) 

Ann
Ann from QLD replied to Rich:

Hi Rich, I had a SMSF for a time, before I retired. You have to be 'active' in managing your fund. The Deed needs to be set up and I had some advisors helping me with the share portion of the fund and they, in turn, had an accounting partner who did the BASS statements quarterly for the Tax Dept. I paid about $4,500 pa for this 'help'. Perhaps you are more capable to manage it yourself, but it is not for the faint hearted. Look up what you can on the Internet. If you still want to proceed - see a financial advisor first to see if that is best for your circumstances. Regards Ann 

Eugene
Eugene from NSW commented:

Ant TPD insurance on offer? 

roger
roger from QLD commented:

r? from qld: having just joined I did not answer 'premium' questions for insurance correctly. I refuse to give out such figures, or other personal details that could be researched to be specifically targetted by those offering 'over 50's deals'. I will accept or reject offers on an economic basis only. 

Jean
Jean from QLD replied to roger:

I also didn't put figures on insurance questions. 

June
June from QLD commented:

Hi: I have just joined and think this site is the best news I have heard of. My rates are so high that I can not afford insursnce. The Townsville City Council are bleeding me dry to get me to sell out cheap. Fingers crossed that this cyclone passes me by. June 

Roslyn
Roslyn from QLD replied to June:

Get rid of the NLP State and Federal Governments. Personally I can't find anyone willing to admit that they even voted for the Newman NLP. 

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