COMPARE YOUR ENERGY BILLS IN TIME FOR THE NEW FINANCIAL YEAR

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Posted June 10, 2019

Salon owners know that the price of energy has risen. We know because it affects our bottom line significantly – with all the dryers, wax pots, IPL machines and steamers plugged in every day, a small increase can mean big bucks at the end of the month.

What the energy companies don’t want you to do is check your prices regularly. Most companies get you in with low initial rates or discounts when you pay on time, but those generally get eroded as time goes on; the rates get increased, and we don’t just quite seem to have the cashflow to pay the bill right on time and so it’s all a bit more expensive than we thought.

The easiest way to make sure you’re paying the right amount for your electricity is to check it regularly and make sure that what you’re paying is in fact the best deal. In most areas except Tasmania, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and areas outside south east Queensland, you have a choice of which electricity retailer to go with, so take some time to compare plans and check whether you’re paying more than you should be. Even in areas where there’s only one electricity retailer, there will still be a number of energy contracts to choose from. So no matter where you live it’s important to make sure you are on the contract that is most suitable for your particular needs.

EnergyMadeEasy lists a range of calculators or estimators to help with finding the best option for your household. For NSW Salons, you can also use the EnergySwitch service from the NSW Government. These tools allow you to compare electricity and gas contracts available from licensed energy retailers and help you estimate your annual energy costs under each contract. You’ll need access to your previous electricity and/or gas consumption information. If you don’t have previous bills available, your current energy retailer can provide you with this information.

Keep in mind that the calculators are intended as a guide only. It’s important to consider the recommendations against your particular household circumstances and any exceptions that might apply. Because this is a government comparison service, it means there are no commissions paid for particular plans and so they will show you the cost of the services honestly.

We understand that switching energy providers can be a royal pain to get sorted. But it does come down to the crunch of the numbers – are the savings significant? If so, it’s worth putting in the hard yards now to get your new plan in place for the new financial year. HABA recommend salon owners check their energy bills annually just to make sure you’re getting the best rate – after all, it’s the small amounts that make a huge difference on your salon profitability.