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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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Robert
Robert from ACT commented:

Big problem with Coles Car Insurance, if you take up offer, you may lose. Most insurers give discounts on car/home combined, take up 1 & lose other - 50 Up Club go back to Coles & get home & contents with Car to get a better deal & we don't lose out by having different insurers 

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

Hi Robert, it's true that some insurers give discounts if you bundle car and home insurance, and sometimes that makes for a great deal. But not always. Our advice would be to get quotes on car and home from Coles Insurance with the FiftyUp deal factored in and compare them to what you've got. Good luck! 

Alison
Alison from NSW commented:

Can you ask the insurance companies why life insurance ceases when a person turns 70? Surely this is discriminatory , 

Craig
Craig from NSW commented:

Budget Direct is still cheaper. 

Someone
Someone from QLD replied to Craig:

Yes, it sure is. 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW commented:

Hi Craig, did you know Coles Insurance guarantees to beat your current price by at least $100 if you’re 50 & over in NSW and you switch your comprehensive car insurance policy to Coles Car Insurance. 

Glen
Glen from VIC commented:

Just received an email which offers cheaper car insurance, but to NSW members of 50 up Club only. WHY are Victorian being discriminated against? 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Glen:

Hi Glen, we currently have 35,000 members in NSW to unlock this offer and other offers like it outside NSW, where we currently have 5,000 members, we need more members. Spread the word, the more who join the greater our chance of success. 

Glen
Glen from VIC replied to David - FiftyUp Club:

David, I don't give a bugger how many members you have in NSW and how many members you have in elsewhere, This is Australia and we are all equal, If you want our support you will have to realise this. Discriminate and you are gone. 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Glen:

HI Glen, as much as we would love to offer our first deal to everyone, it isn't yet possible. Due to different markets and regulations across different states, not all offers can be offered to all. If we get significant numbers in any given state, then we can use the bargaining power of a significant amount of people to generate offers appropriate to that particular story. At this point in time the 5,000 across all other states outside of NSW isn't enough to be able to negotiate an offer. 

Someone
Someone from WA commented:

I have a friend here in WA that is with coles car insurance, they are totally useless! Long waits on the phone, car repairers don't like them, , only open until 2pm wa time.Forget them would be my advice. 

Joel - FiftyUp Club
Joel - FiftyUp Club from NSW commented:

Hi Anonymous, sorry to hear that. But in terms of numbers, the Coles Insurance call centre is open until 6pm weekdays and 3pm weekends in WA, and they have a lifetime guarantee on repairs from more than 190 approved repairers around the country. 

Laurie
Laurie from QLD commented:

Can the Coles Insurance deal work for Queenslanders as well? 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to Laurie:

Hi Laurie. Not just yet. We hope to have the offer along with others available in QLD soon. 

ELAINE
ELAINE from VIC commented:

I would prefer that the federal government was more pro active in helping people understand the importance of superannuation and saving for the future. Superannuation should be compulsory no matter your job and that not only does your employer contribute but you must also contribute s set percentage(doesn't have to be a large percentage)with the option of increasing if you can as time goes on. This could mean at retirement age you don't need a pension or possibly only part pension. Governments need to stop putting the full onus on ordinary citizens to cover up for the fact they can't get their act together. There are people in our community for what ever reason can be old at 60 let alone 70.The unions didn't fight for the 8 hour day / superannuation etc. so we could go back to the 18th century. These ideas always come from people on large salaries/superannuation schemes. On one hand good luck to them but they have lost touch with the ordinary person.Cheers 

Sonia
Sonia from NSW commented:

Those reaching 65 have worked and paid tax all their working lives. Why do politicians always punish the old and vunerable? Because they are unable to fight back. 

David
David from VIC commented:

I am living in hopes that the latest offer re: Coles Insurance is not typical of what you have to offer in the future. Some of us do not live in NSW, Are your future offers going to be only restricted to NSW members or is this going to be a national fifty up group. Otherwise it is useless being a member. 

David - FiftyUp Club
David - FiftyUp Club from NSW replied to David:

HI David, as much as we would love to offer our first deal to everyone, it isn't yet possible. Due to different markets and regulations across different states, not all offers can be offered to all. If we get significant numbers in any given state, then we can use the bargaining power of a significant amount of people to generate offers appropriate to that particular story. At this point in time the 5,000 across all other states outside of NSW isn't enough to be able to negotiate an offer. 

Warwick
Warwick from ACT commented:

The cost of living since the Labor party was elected to run our government and economy is a joke. With Carbon Tax and the cost of rates and even if the senate agrees to the change we will not see any benefits for 12 months. As a single person on one income and the cost of living increasing by 36% since 2007 i am thinking of moving to another country to survive. 

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