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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

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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STEFAN
STEFAN from NSW commented:

When does the "Click Energy" deal close, I will be changing when my Origin contract expires on 3/1/14, am sick and tired of being told "stories by Origin Customer Service Operators" On three occasions in the last couple of months I had been given misleading information re my contract.... 

Perrine - FiftyUp Club
Perrine - FiftyUp Club from VIC replied to STEFAN:

Hi Stefan, I'm sorry to hear of your constant difficulties with your current provider. I would recommend giving Click Energy a call on 1300 085 785 and discuss this electricity offer with a representative over the phone. 

Bruce
Bruce from NSW commented:

Have just been informed by GIO my Comprehensive & CTP Insurer that they have taken a business decision that they will no longer grant the customary 10% Seniors card Discount.Talk about being taken for granted!!!! 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

Peter from Campbelltown, You already have electricity charges up for discounts!, now why not gas charges 

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

Hi Peter, unfortunately there is no gas offer available but hopefully there will be a discount unlocked that you can take advantage of in the future! 

frank
frank from NSW commented:

I was with origin and getting a 14% discount until my contract expired. No notice was given to me that my contract had expired and when I got my next bill I only received a 1% discount. When I questioned this with them their reply was that this is their standard procedure. Well that day I changed to Click Energy. Thank you Fiftyup Club 

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

Hi Frank, it is great to hear that you were able to take part in our electricity switch and receive a much higher discount! 

Daniel
Daniel from NSW commented:

I would like to see violent criminals getting harder longer time, and for parole boards and psycoligists to butt out of things they have no understanding of. The average physcoligist spends about 6 years in training, some of these criminals have been in training since preschool and can outmaster most telling people what they want to hear , and contrition can be turned on at will. It's very scary out their, youth got no respect and no brains, and have no fear of consequences, I have a 14 yr old that wont go to school, never does what she's told when i disciplined her recently i got arrested so i have washed my hands of her, i don't know what happened to my beautiful little girl, she hangs around with no good Maoris that beat on her when they feel like it because they have racial problems and no brains, a deadly combination, they smoke and drink, and have bongs, I don't think this is the average teen, they couldn't all be that stupid. 

John
John from NSW commented:

Internet, phone, mobile and cable tv discounts and I ride a motorbike and the insurance and rego is the same as my car. Cheaper insurance for bikes as most including Coles do not insure bikes. Green slips are the biggest rip off's here in NSW. The deal with car insurance I was getting a better deal from GIO with cheaper excess.QBE is the cheapest and best bike insurance on the market. No other company could come near what they offered me. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

It would be nice if Green Slip Insurance could be cheaper for older people. 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

Travel Discounts.... Reduced rate travel insurance for 50+ travelers...not increased rates once your reach 50. 

Rockey
Rockey from NSW commented:

I would like the FiftyUp Club to offer a deal that I could take up. They were not able to help me obtain a better deal on car insurance or help with our home and contents and they could not beat the power deal that we are on at the moment, which is only a month to month plan. I can only assume that the people that the Club have helped were really being ripped off to begin with. 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

NEED Telephone and Broadband Internet deals..We are supposed to be part of the new Asia but Internet in Asia is 20% of the rates charged in Australia. There is so much room for reducing charges through genuine competition. 

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