Switching energy providers could save you £325 in 2010.
Shopping around and switching suppliers is one of the easiest way to cut bills – but more than a third of households have never switched suppliers for any type of fuel.
So why not act now and save yourself hundreds of pounds? Moneysupermarket.com claims the average household pays £325 more a year than necessary.
Energy companies usually change their prices twice a year and what can be the best deal one year can prove less competitive the next.
The cheapest deals are for those opting for dual fuel – both gas and electricity from one supplier – and who manage their account online and pay by direct debit.
For example, the best online tariff for dual fuel at present is npower’s SOL 17, with an annual bill of £907 compared to the average standard tariff of £1,232 when you pay quarterly by cash or cheque.
Scott Byrom, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Moving online to a dual fuel direct debit deal is the easiest way to make savings, and will ensure your hard-earned pennies don’t go to waste. There are also some simple measures you can take to cut down energy costs. Just turning down the thermostat by one degree celsius can cut your annual bill by 10pc and even just turning appliances off standby can help reduce costs.”
Anyone looking to move suppliers should first take a meter reading. Then call your supplier and ask for your annual energy consumption in kilowatt hours. If you are paying by direct debit already you need to find out whether your payments to date are in line with your annual usage. Ask for your money back if you are in credit. If you are underpaying, you may want to redress this before switching.
http://www.utilitywarehousenetwork.com
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/
