You can save money on your energy bills by looking at who is giving the best offers and switching to the provider that is offering the cheapest energy.  Save money by checking out the prices being offered by the various providers including the one you are currently with.  Energy providers are in a very competitive world and are constantly changing their offers to entice new customers.  According to an article in the Irish Independent today if you are currently with a provider and have not signed a new contract, it is likely that you have been switched back to their standard rates.

Generally speaking when you sign up to a “deal” or “plan” it is for a specified period of time, perhaps 12 or 18 months.  When this period of time has elapsed, in most cases you revert back on to the standard rate plan being offered at that time.

For instance, take someone who has never switched electricity provider and are still with ESB, now known as Electricity Ireland.  Unless the customer contacted ESB to switch to a cheaper plan at the time they launched as Electricity Ireland, they will have remained on the standard rate.  This switch could have saved them as much as €250 per year.  In order to obtain their cheapest rates you need to contact them they will not call you to switch your account over to the cheaper plans.  So be proactive, start surfing or calling, and save your hard earned money.

Use common sense to save money on your energy bills by making a couple of small changes in your house.  Maintain your heating system/Boiler by getting it serviced annually or at least every 2 years to make it as energy efficient as it can be.  Perhaps turn down your thermostat by 1 degree and save as much as 10% on energy bills.  Choose more energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.  Unplug appliances and electronics when they are not in use, do not leave them on standby as they continue to use energy and add to the high energy bills.  Reduce the temperature of your water and take shorter showers.  For more energy saving ideas go to www.seai.ie