Comparison site headache

abwsco

How, when I input my details on comparison sites with annual usage for electric only on BG Websaver 11 (and it's supposedly including the new prices from 18th August) do suppliers which have lower priced tarrifs than Websaver 11 come out at costing me more :undecided

Premier_2

If they cost you more, surely they are not lower priced are they? :huh:

You'll need to give us an example quoting all the data, and why you think a more expensive option as quoted by the comparison site should actually be cheaper

bengasman

Make life easy for yourself. For the vast majority of single meter users the deciding factor is the kWh price; the rest is just window dressing to make expensive options look cheaper.

Lower kWh rate = lower bill.

Plushchris

bengasman wrote: »

Make life easy for yourself. For the vast majority of single meter users the deciding factor is the kWh price; the rest is just window dressing to make expensive options look cheaper.

Lower kWh rate = lower bill.

Poor advice IMO

I've been on tariffs before with higher unit rates but big discounts, E-on for example had discounts of 28% on some of their tariffs, which meant you would be paying a higher unit rate but the discounts made it cheaper overall.

Most tariffs are the same now, comparing on unit rate alone will almost certainly NOT get you on the cheapest tariff.

If only it were that easy... but dont hold your breath

bengasman

Plushchris wrote: »

...comparing on unit rate alone will almost certainly NOT get you on the cheapest tariff.

I've asked a number of people that claim that to give me one real life example where the lowest kWh price did not bring ( one of ) the lowest annual bills for a regular single meter user.
Sum and total of such examples to date: 0.zero
Discounts, variable bands, cash backs and all that are nothing more than disguises of expensive bills.

What could possibly be a practical reason for the supplier to offer these options other than to make more money on average?

Premier_2

bengasman wrote: »

Make life easy for yourself. For the vast majority of single meter users the deciding factor is the kWh price; the rest is just window dressing to make expensive options look cheaper.

Lower kWh rate = lower bill.

Whilst I feel sure you are trying to help, please do read up on the matter before continuing to post this most misleading advice.

You were adviused how inaccurate your suggestion was a couple of weeks ago.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3372844

e.g. say you use 3300kWh of electricity per year.

Supplier A charges 8p per unit. No other 'window dressing'

Supplier B charges 16p per unit.
'Window dressing' comprises of:
1. 30% DD discount
2. 15% online discount
3. 10% discount for supplying your own meter readings
4. 5% discount for having the letter 'a' in your username on MSE :cool:

So you would choose Supplier A costing £264 per year, and pass over supplier B that you could purchase from for just £211.20 :eek:

Plushchris

You started with the line "Make life easy for yourself"

Are you really suggesting getting the unit rates for every supplier and tariff and comparing all the unit rates yourself is an easier method than using a comparison site?

You could go for the cheapest Kwh price but there might be a higher standing charge? (or vice versa) it would take you ages to work out who is cheapest and thats exactly why the suppliers have all these "window dressing" discounts as you call them - to make it confusing to compare.

Think about it for a minute, if it was really that easy why would comparison sites exist?

Premier_2

bengasman wrote: »

I've asked a number of people that claim that to give me one real life example where the lowest kWh price did not bring ( one of ) the lowest annual bills for a regular single meter user.
Sum and total of such examples to date: 0.zero
Discounts, variable bands, cash backs and all that are nothing more than disguises of expensive bills.

What could possibly be a practical reason for the supplier to offer these options other than to make more money on average?

I'll give you a real life example. I originally switched my electricity to SP. They were not the lowest unit charge, but did at one point offer a huge discount (£50) for prompt payment - that related to about a 25% annual discount for me making them the cheapest.
Sadly the offer is no longer available
(Was available ca. April 2009 - May 2010)

If you try some various figures in a comparison site, you'll discover for yourself just how misleading your advice is today.

bengasman

Premier wrote: »

please do read up on the matter before continuing to post this most misleading advice.

e.g. say you use 3300kWh of electricity per year.

Supplier A charges 8p per unit. No other 'window dressing'

Supplier B charges 16p per unit.
'Window dressing' comprises of:
1. 30% DD discount
2. 15% online discount
3. 10% discount for supplying your own meter readings
4. 5% discount for having the letter 'a' in your username on MSE :cool:

Not exactly the REAL LIFE example I asked for, is it? More like total fantasy.

Show me an example of a real, verifiable tariff where an average gas or leccie user was decidedly worse of with a bill based on the lowest kWh price, then we'll talk again.

backfoot

Always use a Comparison site to perform calculations on your unit (Kwh) consumption. For all the reasons stated by the experienced and knowledgeable posters any other advice is dangerously misleading.

bengasman

backfoot wrote: »

Always use a Comparison site to perform calculations on your unit (Kwh) consumption. For all the reasons stated by the experienced and knowledgeable posters any other advice is dangerously misleading.

Experienced in what?
Knowledgeable about what?

Personally, I always wonder about any source that discourages people from comparing their own calculations and never quite trusted the "don't worry your little head" style preachers.