Get your ‘light-bulb’ moment when comparing electricity

The electricity market is big and can sometimes feel a bit like walking into a super store – easy to lose direction, get distracted, add unnecessary things to your cart or forget what you came in for. According to browser add-on Keywords Everywhere, “Electricity comparisons” is searched 5,970 times a month* so here are a couple of tips to keep you on the straight and narrow when comparing electricity.

#1 Cut through the jargon and confusing terminology

To research and compare you need to know the lingo – Powershop have a jargon buster to shed some light (pardon the pun) on electricity jargon. Get across your ‘peak’, ‘off-peak’, ‘tariff’ and ‘kilowatts per hour’ to make comparison a breeze.

#2 Know what makes up your power price

The pricing in your power bill is made up of various elements, reflecting all the moving parts that go into powering a property. Usage charges cover the electricity you’ve used (this can be divvied up by different tariffs, including single rate peak and off-peak, controlled load and flexible tariffs), daily supply charge covers the maintenance of the poles and wires, and GST is dropped on top.

The element that largely affects the price of your electricity is usage charges, so knowing your current rates gets you ahead of the game. Powershop have an awesome team who can chat you through your bills to compare rates from 8am – 7pm Monday to Friday AEDT on 1800 462 668 . They’re super friendly and occasionally funny, too.

#3 What matters to you?

We all have different things that matter to us when it comes to service – maybe you’re big on bargains or the environment, or perhaps you like to keep close tabs on your electricity use and like flexibility in your plans. By asking what matters to you, you can find a service that supports you.

Powershop have a little something for everyone. If environment is your thang (in the same way that it’s ours) then we offset all of the emissions associated with our customer’s energy usage, making you as neutral as Switzerland. You also have the option to purchase GreenPower from our Shop, helping to increase the demand for renewable energy in Australia. Our Shop also empowers customers to monitor, control and oversee their power usage, with the opportunity to jump on some damn good discounts. We also have a PowershopLITE option for customers who love a good deal but prefer a simpler experience. There’s no discounts, just a simple set-and-forget option with great rates.

#4 What are the skeletons in the closet?

Don’t forget about the hidden fees – we’re talking transaction fees, credit card fees and so on – because these bad boys add to your bills. Also keep an eye out for flashy discounts that only last a limited time to draw you in before hitting you in the back pocket with a whopping bill. That stings – bad.

At Powershop were not into duping our customers – hidden fees make us v.sad so we have none of them, literally – zilch, zip, nada, naught, diddly-squat, donuts. Oh! And if you decide to join us and your current provider charges an exit fee we will give you a $75 credit to your account to cover the cost – just show us some proof of your exit fee.

* Insight noted on 9 October 2018