Switching energy supplier

One of the quickest and easiest ways in which you can save money on your household fuel bills is to switch energy suppliers. Although it may seem logical to switch to the company that is offering the cheapest deal at the time, a more measured approach may save you more in the long run.

Picking the right time to switch suppliers is the key to saving the most money on your utility bills. In January 2009, Britain's largest energy supplier, British Gas, cut their customers gas bills by ten percent, and since then four other leading suppliers have followed suit.
You might think that now would be the best time to change your supplier, but if prices fall again, as many predict that they will, then it might be better to play a waiting game.

All of the major UK suppliers have now reduced their prices, but there have been rumours that they may cut them even further later on in the year. Due to the fact that energy suppliers tend to change their prices around the same time, and that there is no way of predicting the extent or timing of these price changes, all you can do is wait and see.

Although it is tempting to go for a fixed price plan while energy costs are comparatively low, this could work against you if prices drop further, as fixed plans can be costly to get out of. One way in which you can at least get a bit more of an idea of the direction energy prices are likely to go is to familiarise yourself with, and stay abreast of developments in the energy markets by looking online or reading financial publications.

You can save a lot of money by opting to pay your energy bills by direct debit and managing your account online, with a plan such as British Gas' Websaver 3 tariff, although an internet connection is required in order to use these services.

Remember that the switching process can take up to 8 weeks to complete, so if you switch to a cheaper tariff you will still have to pay the older, more expensive tariff for the duration of the switchover period.

Switch to British Gas' cheapest gas tariff and on your gas bill. Make British Gas your first choice in electricity companies. Visit British Gas Today.