Switching energy suppliers is a concept that is now quite familiar to us all, but when was the last time you actually did it?
While you may have switched energy supplier at some point in the past, is it possible that you have once again fallen into the trap of simply accepting the best deal on offer from your current supplier when your fixed deal has come to an end?
Or worse yet, are you sitting on a standard variable tariff? If so, then now might well be the time to act!
New energy price rises labelled as “shocking”
You’ve heard it all before, right? Energy prices are rising and you urgently need to do something about it. This may be true, and it always makes sense to check whether you are on the best energy tariff or not.
But this time, it is really important that you get the best deal available, as the price rises that are on the way in just a few weeks’ time are some of the biggest hikes for almost a decade!
Recent price rises announced by Npower, for example, are so large that even one of Npower’s former bosses labelled them as “shocking“.
What is causing prices to rise?
Npower has blamed recent and coming increases to its energy prices on rising wholesale energy costs, as well as the costs involved with adhering to government policies on things like smart meters and renewable energy.
While wholesale electricity prices have risen by more than 30% in the last 12 months, there is a strong argument that energy companies could have acted pre-emptively to ease the burden on consumers by bulk buying energy in advance, something the energy regulator Ofcom has also commented on.
What can you do?
So, now that you know the true extent of the coming energy price rises, the big question many people will be asking is what exactly can you do about it?
Well, the first thing that you should be doing as soon as you can is to compare all the available fixed energy deals that are currently on offer from various suppliers, not just the big six.
You can do this by using energy switching comparison sites such as Utility Saving Expert, which allows consumers to quickly and easily compare any energy deals available on the market to find the best and cheapest deal for their needs.
Thinking long term
As rising energy costs are predicted to continue going forward, it would also be good to think about what you can do to minimise your energy usage long term.
If you’ve been putting off switching your light bulbs over to LED, for example, then perhaps now is the time to make that change if it is financially viable to do so.
You might also want to look at the various smart energy gadgets that have come onto the market in recent times, or even to look more closely at the energy ratings on certain appliances when you are next upgrading them.
