Are you finding your power bills too high? Most power companies have had a price increase as of the 1st April 2016 and winter is now on its way too. If you have not checked you are on the cheapest power plan recently, now is the time to do it.
Power companies tend to review their prices in April because that is when changes to lines charges are passed through to retailers. A number have put up their charges recently including Genesis Energy, Mercury Energy and part of the Contact Energy network.
Some companies have offered customers the chance to lock in current prices, sometimes with a premium, to avoid the hikes.
Carl Hansen, chief executive of the Electricity Authority, said customers should take the opportunity to check they are on the best plan for their households.
"It's always a good time to check you are still on the best power deal for your circumstances, particularly as power use changes coming into winter. This is especially true if you haven't checked your options recently."
He said most of the April changes for this year had taken effect.
"But it's a dynamic market and many electricity retailers offer discounts on their standard prices. If you've had an increase, it's worth having a chat to your current retailer to see if they are able to sharpen the deal. If not, it's definitely worth checking to see whether switching could save you money."
Use Switchme.co.nz to check out the different offers available to you.
Source: Stuff.co.nz