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Understanding Your Energy Bill

Understanding Your Energy Bill

Tags: Energy Information
Last updated by Shelia Taylor on

If you’re like most everyday Aussies and you find your energy bills are somewhat confusing, here are a few handy definitions to keep in mind when deciding whether your plan is a good one or an indication you need to shop around.

STANDING OFFER: This is the basic offer for electricity and gas, without any discount applied. If you never shop around, this is the plan you will automatically be given.how to understand your energy bill

MARKET OFFER: This is an offer with other features such as a discount, fixed charges or frequent flyer points.

DAILY SUPPLY CHARGE: This is a fixed charge to get electricity to your home EVEN IF YOU DO NOT USE ANY.

USAGE CHARGE: This is a charge based on how much electricity or gas you actually use.

DISCOUNT: This is the amount you can save off the rates by shopping around among the providers and paying your bill on time. Most discounts only apply to the Usage Charge, but some apply to BOTH the Usage and Daily Supply Charges.

EXIT FEE: This is a fee you pay for leaving your provider (also called a termination fee). These fees vary based on what is left on your contract.

Still have questions? Read more at Your Energy Savings from the Australian Government

Check out the current FiftyUp Club Energy Offer

 

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Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Several days back,I thought that Click's offer of 40% (usage & Supply) appeared genuine but on further intense research found that their usage was over 10% higher than certain competitors,so with 30% offered by the competitors it is easy to see why Click appear to be streets ahead. I agree do your homework and compare KWH charges. Be surprised as I was. Naughty Fifty Up Club and naughty 2GB for promoting Click's dodgy offer. Bruce Sydney 

Shelia at Fifty Up Club
Shelia at Fifty Up Club from NSW commented:

Hello. While we do encourage all of our members to do their homework. We do our homework too. We do have our energy analysts look at the combination of underlying rates, discounts and other features (such as exit fees) to compare offers and pick a recommendation for our members. 

Lee
Lee from NSW replied to Shelia at Fifty Up Club:

Click may not charge an exit fee...but... due to the discount is carried forward to the next bill, when you do leave Click you will miss out on this discount. As the last bill will be a meter reading, the discount that would of applied will be significant. A discount up front and an exit fee would be cheaper in most cases. 

sinikka
sinikka from NSW replied to Shelia at Fifty Up Club:

Click is far more expensive then other retailers I also gave Click the Flick the offer is misleading and costly I did my home work and had it also checked out by professional 

Thomas
Thomas from QLD commented:

Be warned about misleading 'discounts' with Click. See https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/19/electricity-retailer-selling-plans-with-discounts-on-artificially-inflated-prices 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

I too am astounded the the Fifty Up Club supports Click Energy! Click Energy are rip-off merchants and my poor experiences makes me question any recommendations for anything that the FiftyUp Club promotes. As for their overseas call centre... absolutely useless. I went on-line as recommended by the NSW Energy Ombudsman and discovered that the Click Complaints Service which was Option (4) on the call centre line, has been cancelled! .Says it all! 

Shelia at Fifty Up Club
Shelia at Fifty Up Club from NSW commented:

We're sorry your experience hasn't been good with Click Energy. We do have our energy analysts look at the combination of underlying rates, discounts and other features (such as exit fees) to compare offers and pick a recommendation for our members. 

sinikka
sinikka from NSW replied to Shelia at Fifty Up Club:

Sooner the better I will never trust Fifty Up Club recommendations again 

Keith
Keith from NSW replied to Shelia at Fifty Up Club:

Hi Shelia, surely the responses you have been receiving regarding Click Energy must make you question the research of your energy analysts. I’m no energy expert, but my simplistic calculations, together with the responses the FiftyUpClub is receiving, indicate to me that what you are recommending is clearly not in the best interest of your members. I guess it gets back to commercial reality, the “kick-back” you receive is more sadly important than your members 

Ian
Ian from QLD commented:

You are so right I joined earlier this year I thought at first it was a good deal even though paying up front discount on next bill and paying fortnightly confused me.Anyway I gave them a chance and found they were a rip off being after getting 3 bills from them trying to trace my discount as an Aged Pensioner I was angry.other deals I think Alinta Energy is really good easy to read bills 3 monthly and recently 25% to 28% was done automatically no missing because I was already on the 25% deal and only for new members.FLICK CLICK is a good name for them. 

Derek
Derek from NSW commented:

I switched to Click via 50 Up Club because of the 40% discount offered. I thought because the offer was through 50 Up Club it would be legit. I discovered that Click usage charges were higher than any other retailer and the 40% discount was misleading. I switched again to Origin whos rates were 27 cents compared to Click's 40 cents. Beware! 

sinikka
sinikka from NSW replied to Derek:

Same here 

Robert
Robert from NSW commented:

I can only repeat what I've posted here previously - do your homework. For your billing period, for every offer, no matter what the offer is or who it's from, work out what the supply charges are, add the usage charges, deduct the discount offer and then add GST. Compare different offers - you will be amazed at the differences. And we should all be asking why supply charges keep increasing, and why are retailers offering discounts off ( mainly ) usage. Methinks it's an admission on their part that previous increases were a rort. Most of the current offers are designed to confuse, and hide the real costs we should be charged. And let's not forget that price increases are rubber-stamped by the state government controlled so-called Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal ( IPART ). 

Ken
Ken from QLD commented:

I can not believe that you went with Click Energy for your latest offer. We were with them for 5 years - the 1st 4 years we had no problems with them then they were boughtt out by another company and rapidly went downhill increasing there tariffs every 6 months and then 3 months. The last 12 months were a nightmare with problem after problem - they changed their call centre to an overseas one and you had extreme difficulties understanding them and any problems they just ignored - Click Energy would be right down the bottom of my list to recommend. If you take the time to read feedback on this company we are not alone - in fact it is surprising the extreme number if negative comments this company has, My overall comment would be "DO NOT GO WITH THIS ORGANISATION _ DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK" 

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