The Pre-Pay Electricity - a Sign of the Times

Overheal

certainly a nicer model than billpay, going by Cries of Retail and the amount of customers who try to piecemeal their owed bills.

I tell family and friends, if they want to avoid bills stick 20euro a week into their electricity account. Increase to 30 etc, if needed. No unexpected bills this way.

Yep. I use budgeting software for this (YNAB), suddenly I have hundreds of dollars tucked away for car repairs and even a vacation in july, when 2 months ago I was operating paycheque to paycheque quite thinly.

dsmythy

What happened to putting the money away and using the amazing power of will and not spend it before the bill arrives.

ted1

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Like I said before the cost of the meter and install have to come from somewhere.

Yes but it's cheaper for the company than having in paid bills, chasing up customers, having cash in the bank in advance, etc

So it should be cheaper

Quazzie

FoxT wrote: »

Good post, OP. It is a trend in a number of service areas , though.
The following are other examples of things that are more expensive in the longer term:
- Cellphone PAYG
- buying phones on contract

How can both be more expensive than the alternative when they are the only two options to owning a cell phone?

Guy:Incognito

fussyonion wrote: »

I have a pay-as-you-go meter which I had installed by ESB as I was having trouble paying my bill and I've never looked back.

I like the fact that I'm in control of how much I top up by, when I top it up and I can see how much I have left.

I dreaded getting a bill every two months and I found it hard paying it.
I've worked out that actually it's cheaper having the meter.

I buy €10 a week which lasts AGES and there's always the emergency €5 credit there if you need it.

ESB take their cut and put it towards the bill I owe them and that's fine by me.

I also find myself switching off things more and really, I think it's a good option for people who want to take control of their spending and not having to worry about mammoth bills coming in.

Surely sticking the tenner a week in a biscuit tin would have been the same thing?

Guy:Incognito

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Got one of these installed a few weeks ago as Airtricity were dicking us around. We use €20 per week, so €80 per month. Airtricity were charging us €91 per month. So yeah, of course I'm saving money and I told Airtricity where to go too!!

20 a week is €86.66 a month.

Capt'n Midnight

ted1 wrote: »

Yes but it's cheaper for the company than having in paid bills, chasing up customers, having cash in the bank in advance, etc

So it should be cheaper

Even then it's only cheaper for the company for those customers who don't pay on time.

Femme_Fatale

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Got one of these installed a few weeks ago as Airtricity were dicking us around. We use €20 per week, so €80 per month. Airtricity were charging us €91 per month. So yeah, of course I'm saving money and I told Airtricity where to go too!!

What could Airtricity have charged you in addition to the recurring charges and the amount determined by the meter reading (i.e. your consumption)?
Unless you're talking about over-estimated bills.

Otherwise though, your usage is bound to be lower simply because you are being more careful with it on pre-pay.

Please Kill Me

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

20 a week is €86.66 a month.

Whatever, either way it's costing us less. Especially as on two occasions we didn't have to top up.

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

What could Airtricity have charged you in addition to the recurring charges and the amount determined by the meter reading (i.e. your consumption)?
Unless you're talking about over-estimated bills.

Otherwise though, your usage is bound to be lower simply because you are being more careful with it on pre-pay.

They were taking more money than they were supposed to and started adding stupid fees. So I cancelled the direct debit and went with PPP.

Curlysue76

Chucken wrote: »

I am the consumer! My dd was 45 a week, now I pay 35e.

I win.

I'll add here, if you get worried about your electric bill and ask your provider to help with a meter, they will tell you you that you need to be 2-4 bills in the red before they will consider it

€45 a week? No way, i usually pay €50 every month all year, in credit after summer so it goes towards winter payments.

Chucken

Curlysue76 wrote: »

€45 a week? No way, i usually pay €50 every month all year, in credit after summer so it goes towards winter payments.

You do realise every household is different?
I'm not going into details on here about mine, but the fact is, our bill was 45e a week and now its 35e with no cutbacks (apart from turning off the sky box at night, which I mentioned here or on another thread)

Curlysue76

Chucken wrote: »

You do realise every household is different?
I'm not going into details on here about mine, but the fact is, our bill was 45e a week and now its 35e with no cutbacks (apart from turning off the sky box at night, which I mentioned here or on another thread)

Sorry if that offended, i was just surprised at the cost. I have always been a bit mean about using electricity, annoy the heads of the kids telling them to turn of lights and all the rest. My granny was the same, maybe i get it from her.

Quazzie

Curlysue76 wrote: »

Sorry if that offended, i was just surprised at the cost. I have always been a bit mean about using electricity, annoy the heads of the kids telling them to turn of lights and all the rest. My granny was the same, maybe i get it from her.

My bill is €200 a month

Curlysue76

Quazzie wrote: »

My bill is €200 a month

Ouch!!!

Quazzie

Curlysue76 wrote: »

Ouch!!!

It includes all my heating aswell so it's not too bad. Works out a lot cheaper than if I was using oil or Gas.

Curlysue76

Quazzie wrote: »

It includes all my heating aswell so it's not too bad. Works out a lot cheaper than if I was using oil or Gas.

Not too bad if heating included. Problem with oil is when it's gone it's gone. Oilman won't deliver less than €250 worth of oil. Not always easy to come by if you run out unexpectedly.

Femme_Fatale

I'm not sure what people mean by being overcharged. Look at your bill breakdown: recurring charges; the number of units used - as per the customer's own meter reading (i.e. their own usage). How can the company add anything else?

Pre-pay makes a customer more careful, that's why the cost of consumption with it is less than with a bill.

Dodd

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I'm not sure what people mean by being overcharged. Look at your bill breakdown: recurring charges; the number of units used - as per the customer's own meter reading (i.e. their own usage). How can the company add anything else?

Pre-pay makes a customer more careful, that's why the cost of consumption with it is less than with a bill.

If you live in a flat you may not have access to the locked meter in the main hall so how can you know what you use.

fasttalkerchat

I went with pre pay because its slightly cheaper in the North to get people using them. Also the meter lets you see your exact load so you can work out what is costing you. I just top up once a month but if it somehow runs out I can just go online or call them 24/7.

There is no standing charges or contract either so if the prices go up I can switch back to quarterly bills.

fasttalkerchat

Curlysue76 wrote: »

Not too bad if heating included. Problem with oil is when it's gone it's gone. Oilman won't deliver less than €250 worth of oil. Not always easy to come by if you run out unexpectedly.

Just get yourself a few 20L drums and an old road cone
Oil at the pump is often cheaper now!

fasttalkerchat

jester77 wrote: »

Wow, didn't realise how cheap electricity is in Ireland, yet I always hear people complaining that it is expensive. Cheapest here in Germany is around 26c per kWh.

I'm paying 13.31 sterling in NI and that's the total price. No installation or extra charges.

manbat

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Whatever, either way it's costing us less. Especially as on two occasions we didn't have to top up.

They were taking more money than they were supposed to and started adding stupid fees. So I cancelled the direct debit and went with PPP.

Obviously you're an a bit of an idiot with your "whatever" and stupid fees" comment!

Did you look at units used and intelligently try to work it out?

PPP meter is a good idea for keeping an eye on consumption though will give you that.

snubbleste

Using prepay costs an extra €137 per year and possibly more as you are missing out on reduced rate tariffs.

Customers pay an extra 37.5c per day on top of standard electricity charges as a service fee to private operators for having a prepay meter in their homes.
That daily charge adds up to €137 a year, while the fact that they can't avail of the cheapest discount electricity rates offered to bill-pay customers could cost them another €130 a year in higher unit charges http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/prepay-electricity-users-fork-out-extra-137-a-year-29279402.html

mtjm

I've just signed for Prepay power, my bill is with Boardgas at the moment bill is €73 a month, I live in an apartment so hope it should be reduced I feel even €73 is bit too much for 1 person

looking_around

mtjm wrote: »

I've just signed for Prepay power, my bill is with Boardgas at the moment bill is €73 a month, I live in an apartment so hope it should be reduced I feel even €73 is bit too much for 1 person

yikes, what do you do?? I was paying that every 2 months..with ESB S: ...

Me and my partner in a house, pay the about 70 a month now .. but there's always something power consuming on now.

Gamayun

mtjm wrote: »

I've just signed for Prepay power, my bill is with Boardgas at the moment bill is €73 a month, I live in an apartment so hope it should be reduced I feel even €73 is bit too much for 1 person

While you may be right, and it may work out cheaper, I wouldn't enter into any contract on hope alone. The cost of units/charges/fees is quantifiable and estimates could and should be made before switching.

CrazyRabbit

Some copper cabling and a nearby street lamp is much cheaper. Hell it's practically free!

Degag

mtjm wrote: »

I've just signed for Prepay power, my bill is with Boardgas at the moment bill is €73 a month, I live in an apartment so hope it should be reduced I feel even €73 is bit too much for 1 person

It's not going to work out cheaper for you unless you change your consumption. THe charges are more expensive. The only difference is that you are prepaying and can keep an eye on what you are spending and not have to worry about a big bill.