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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 Kayley Harris 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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keith
keith from QLD commented:

i totally agree with Kent from QLD. if the politicians i.e Federal, State and Council representatives start showing restraint and not jobs for the boys or girls then i agree. Something has to done urgently to our tax system to enable folks to retire and not seek assistance. 

Peter
Peter from QLD commented:

Peter from rural QLD I believe your pension amount should be based on how many tax returns you have filed. 

gary
gary from QLD commented:

Australia cannot afford to keep the pension as it is but there should be a Slow reduction of the pension over 1 or 2 generations as people have planned their retirement over a long period 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW replied to gary:

Think that has been in place for around 20 years now Gary - since Super was introduced. Still doesnt change things where unemployed folk are concerned - they will always get the full amount as things stand. Just those who work, contribute, save etc will receive less! 

Anthony
Anthony from NSW commented:

Íve worked hard all my life',my family had to put up with 17% mortgage interest rate (the recession we had to have), there was no baby bonus, no paid maternity leave, no superannuation till later in my work life, no government handouts for anything, no government re-training for the 4 redundancy's I endured, the highest income tax rates ever in Australia during most of my generation work life . Do I believe my generation deserves a better deal YES. Governments over the world new about baby boomer's and what plan did they provide for us in retirement a pension, work till you die?. First thing was to increase the retirement age crap! 

Kent
Kent from QLD commented:

I am okay that the age of entitlement is over as long as it also applies to the entitlements of Federal politicians. 

Dennis
Dennis from QLD commented:

I personally believe that the family home should be included as an asset. It seems to be totally unfair that people living in a million dollar home should be entitled to a pension and all its entitlements. I totally believe that the disability pension is being abused and needs to be reviewed. The New Start allowance should be for six months only the fend for yourself. 

Timothy
Timothy from QLD replied to Dennis:

Hi Dennis. Yes I agree with you in regard to newstart. In USA you only get unemployment benefits for 6 months then you get food stamps and vouchers. Let's see how many dole bludgers find work if we adopted that system. They wouldn't have money to go to the pub, movies, drugs, smokes, tattoos, takeaway etc. As far as the family home is concerned, I'm not sure. If someone has lived in a home all their adult life and raised their family there and it is their forever home maybe it should not be taken into account. Sometime elderly people can't deal with a lot of change. Their home may not have been and expensive home when they purchased it decades ago and it has just increased over the years. 

Timothy
Timothy from QLD replied to Dennis:

Hi Dennis. Yes I agree with you in regard to newstart. In USA you only get unemployment benefits for 6 months then you get food stamps and vouchers. Let's see how many dole bludgers find work if we adopted that system. They wouldn't have money to go to the pub, movies, drugs, smokes, tattoos, takeaway etc. As far as the family home is concerned, I'm not sure. If someone has lived in a home all their adult life and raised their family there and it is their forever home maybe it should not be taken into account. Sometime elderly people can't deal with a lot of change. Their home may not have been and expensive home when they purchased it decades ago and it has just increased over the years. 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW replied to Dennis:

Dennis we must look at how a property became valuable. My case: simple equation: First home bought for around $10K - a lot then. 30 years on land prices had risen due to migrants, city proximity. It sold for just over $200K. Next home $200K. 10 yrs on sold for $350K. My current home bought for $325K and is STILL worth that 8 years on. If there is a boom where do I move to? What do I gain? And if there is a bust?its worth precious little because noone will have money to buy. Those living in (now) million$$$ mansions may not have moved in many years and property values have risen - or may have inherited the property. No matter how they acquired their accommodation - tin shed or mansion - every man (or woman's) home - is their castle - their HOME. If they decide to sell and rent, the sale funds in the bank - cancels pension anyway. So, fortunes or work records aside, if I have choice, Id rather own than rent. At least I know Im not having to pack and move next week because my landlord says so. I agree re disability pensions - but feel those REALLY in need have way too many hoops to jump thru - and agree New Start or unemployment handouts need reviewing. In Canada, it used to be a handout for so many weeks then you were on your own for (from memory) maybe 1-2 yrs before you were eligible for further assistance if needed. Many years ago now, in Singapore I saw proud very elderly folk sweeping streets with brushbrooms and handled cans just so they could be taken care of with funds - no doubt meagre. Grooming students to believe they are equipped to be rocket scientists or MD's when they leave school, or the do-gooders who say it is damaging to the psyche to do menial work are responsible for elitist attitudes which abound today. Getting hands dirty and bending backs never hurt anyone. Many migrants have made it by doing so-called menial jobs many others born here felt were below their station. Work is rewarding in many ways. Handouts make it unnecessary to even try. :) 

dale
dale from QLD commented:

i am trying to get quotes from coles but each time i press best quote i get a blank page so far i only have got $50 off one and $55 off the other as both our vehicles are currently on one policy but have to split at coles said on chat line will ring me will wait and see 

Jess - FiftyUp Club
Jess - FiftyUp Club from QLD replied to dale:

Hi Dale, If you don't hear back from Coles please email me (jess@onebigswitch.com.au) and we can follow-up directly with Coles for you. 

dale
dale from QLD replied to Jess - FiftyUp Club:

hi jess after filling out all the online forms and chatting to them on there chat line and having them phone me i succeeded in getting only one quote fixed i gave up on second quote when she told me that they had lost my online quote for and i had finally had enough the don,t listen and i got sick of repeating my self so i gave up 

Someone
Someone from QLD commented:

Queenslander. Why is it that when a politician steps down, mainly because they failed the Australian public they are entitled to a salary for life! When we lose our jobs are we entitled to be paid for the rest of our lives. They only went to work everyday as does every other person. This must stop, when they retire, that is it, no first class flights, secretaries, cars, drivers. 

Andy
Andy from QLD commented:

Couldn't agree more Anon! 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW replied to Andy:

Couldnt agree more with Anon Qld and Andy Qld.. Sure get a Pro-Rata pension or Super . . . calculated same as anyone else with Salary Sacrifice if they wish - and when they leave office wherever - and whenever - that is - they find a job like anyone else. And start again with contributions and salaries like anyone else . . . then wait - and wait - for the right age to collect. If they have been there a while - say 10 years - then Long service leave - if they were in a high position, and had a "company car" equivalent, then maybe they have a chance to buy it outright - same as anyone else - but thats it! Then I think many if not most of us would feel more satisfied with the arrangements. 

Denise
Denise from QLD commented:

I have just renewed with Coles Little Red quote and got $75 of the already amended quote from my existing company, who priced their renewal at $582. I went online with this company and found "my" quote at $422 - so I called and complained - yes they would give me the new quote. Coles gave me $75 off this and when I rang my company to tell them "no thanks", they offered to match it (okay the excess went from $600 to $700) but what the heck... if they were wanting my business then they should have offered me something in the first place. Shop around folks... shop around. But I did have to laugh when I tried to do my contents insurance - my postcode in inner Brisbane City is listed at a bushfire zone!!!! The operator was based in Durban (South Africa) - I just laughed and said I couldnt be bothered arguing about an inner city penthouse on the 8th floor being in a bushfire zone. 

Stephen
Stephen from NSW commented:

I have worked for over 42 years, still work when i can pick some up. I wouldn't mind a hand now and again. I am sick of seing 3rd generation dole bludgers still looking at what they can get for nothing or see me with something and think they are entitled to releive me of it.. 

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