Saving those student pennies by changing the gas and electric
Saving money on your student energy supply
When you’re a student, many things can occupy your thoughts on a daily basis – or not. Choosing a t-shirt to wear, committing your time to one particular daytime TV show over another, selecting a loaf of bread that will best complement your tin of baked beans – all of these dilemmas can often prove to be time consuming and perplexing. Some students even have studying to contend with.
Often, the last thing students have time to think about is their energy bill, which means that energy companies are able to prey on students to make a fast buck or two. Condescension aside though, it can be genuinely tough to know the best decision to make regarding which energy suppliers offer the best deals when you’ve only recently moved out of your family home.
Cheap gas and electricity suppliers, however, are definitely out there, offering deals that can save students money that they can then spend on books, stationery and not a single drop of alcohol.
Be wary of mis-selling
One of the hazards of energy-purchasing for students is the temptation to believe everything that is said by door-to-door energy salespeople. Over the last few years, energy regulator Ofgem has found a number of doorstep sellers misinforming the public and even signing people up to a contract they did not ask for.
The advice to avoid being mis-sold to is to be vigilant. Ask for formal identification from any doorstep seller and take a note of their name. Do not sign anything until you’ve read through all related materials and you’re sure that you’re completely happy with what you’re buying.
Shop around
There are significant savings to be made by switching your energy provider if you’re a student moving into a new house. It might seem much easier to simply leave the gas and electric supplies that are already set up with certain providers, but you could save as much as £350 a year by making a simple switch.
Go online
Often, the best place to find a cheap gas or electricity deal is to go online. Once your student house is all hooked up to the Internet, get online and have a look at the savings you can make by selecting an online tariff with an energy supplier.
Moneysupermarket energy expert Scott Byrom said: “The cheapest tariffs have always been, for the last number of years, online deals, simply because it makes life a lot easier for the energy providers, likewise it does for the customers. Because it's an online account the supplier has got a lot less responsibility in terms of managing that account and sending out bills. With it all done online its just a lot easier all round really.”
