Free Swimming for the Familly With British Gas
British Gas are currently offering all of their customers a free swim at participating pools for up to 2 adults and 3 children. As the principal partner for British Swimming, this voucher is a great way for a family to enjoy a fun filled day out for free, courtesy of British Gas. All you have to do is -
- Fill in your customer details
- Decide which date and pool you’d like to swim
- Print off the voucher
- Get your bathers on and jump in!
Swimming is great fun and an excellent way to stay fit for all the family, so this great offer is going to be a sure fire hit with the kids! Just follow the online prompts to book and print-off your own Free Swim voucher, and the next thing you know you’ll be doggy paddling away without a care in the world. Enjoy your dip!
This Offer Has Now Ended
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Save Energy and Money with The Green Shop from British Gas
British Gas has just launched their new green shop which will be selling a wide variety of products to help you save energy in an environmentally friendly manner. With green energy a major focus of not just Government but consumers too, the British Gas green shop will feature such energy saving products as :
- Solar Panels
- Energy saving light bulbs
- Energy standby savers
- Boiler cylinder jacket
- Thermostatic radiator valves
- Solar powered shed lights
- Eco Kettle
All of this great energy saving equipment will help you shave pounds off your bills, and there are so many to choose from. So why not put some more money in your pocket whilst also helping the environment with the British Gas Green Shop.
Click Here to Shop Online at The Green Shop
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Top Energy Savings Tips for this Coming Winter
With winter just around the corner, now is a great time to start thinking about energy saving before the frost kicks in. Fuel consumption can almost double during the cold winter months, but there are many great ways to cut down on heat loss. As people tend to stay in more due to the weather conditions, electric and heating bills tend to take a sharp increase. But by following a few of the simple tips below, you may be able to dramatically cut down on your extra overheads in the coming months.
- Weatherstrip around windows and doors to stop draughts
- Duct wrap heating and cooling ducts
- Install energy saving lightbulbs and showerheads
- Replace old windows to conserve heat and add property value
- Insulate attic ceilings to seal in heat
- Set thermostat no higher than 68 degrees
- Fix any plumbing issues
- Wash only full-loads in a washing machine & dishwasher
- Defrost refrigerators and freezers before ice build-up
- Only purchase Energy Star rated appliances
- Don’t use the fireplace and central heating at the same time.
- 10 year old electrical equipment can use almost double the power an Energy Star labelled product can, whilst a dripping tap can waste up to 212 gallons of water a month! Even simple things like setting your thermostat at 68 degrees can make a massive difference, as every degree above that uses up to 5% more energy.
These simple tips can really help you save money this winter, so why not start energy saving early this year. You may see a big difference in the price of your bills, and also the contents of your wallet!
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Save Energy and Money with Loft Insulation
By applying loft insulation to your home, you are simply and effectively stopping the heat from rising out of your ceiling and evaporating in the cold air. An uninsulated home can lose up to a quarter of its heat through the roof, and is cheap and easy to install. Once added to your home, the insulation should be good for 40 years, which will pay for itself in the long run.
Heat will always flow from a warm area to a cold one, and the coldest area in any house is the roof. By insulating the ceiling, your heat will struggle to pass through the roof as the air pockets within the lining trap heat. As the seasons are beginning to turn, now is a great time to add loft insulation to your home, as the colder it is outside, the faster heat escapes upwards into the surrounding air.
Plus by saving energy through loft insulation, your household will produce less CO2 and reduce your impact on the environment. There are even Government grants available to help pay for loft insulation, so you could enjoy the ‘double-whammy’ of saving money: whilst helping yourself save money!
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E.ON Launch their cheapest Dual Fuel offer to date with Fixonline
E.ON is now offering their cheapest Dual Fuel offer to date with the launch of their new Fixonline 3 service . By providing fixed fuel prices until 1st December 2010 alongside an additional FixOnline discount, you can now :
- Pay and enter meter readings online
- Organise fixed energy payments
- Receive billing via email
- Save money through energy efficiency
By switching to E.ON FixOnline and paying by direct debit you could save up to £211 a year on your dual fuel heating costs. Plus with no more paper bills you will be doing your bit for the environment.
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Switch and Save with British Gas Websaver 4
Sign up to the British Gas WebSaver 4 online to save up to £134 on your energy bills until 30th November 2010. With WebSaver 4 you can amend and pay your bills online, completely hassle free, plus British Gas also offer :
- On average the cheapest national online dual fuel tariff
- 6% discount against standard British Gas tariff
- Online account management
- No estimated bills
- Paperless billing
These fixed discounts ensure that whether prices go up or down, your British Gas tariff will still be 6% below the standard tariff. This is great news for customers who are looking to take advantage of the current competitive energy prices in the UK.
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Save Money By Managing Your Account Online
Do you dread the sound of the letterbox opening with your electricity or gas bill popping through the door?
Wonder how much your next bill will be?
The answer to your troubles is simple – and can actually save you money!! Millions of people throughout the UK are paying more than they have to for their fuel because they continue to use paper bills and standard tariffs.
Most utility companies now offer price reductions or cashback savings for those customers that sign up for online account management rather than receiving bills through the post.
Users can save up to £116 with E.ON by managing their bills online and paying via direct debit. Other major providers offer similar offers. All you need is a computer with an internet connection to sign up for the online facility and the savings can start!
Those that are suffering the most are customers who have been with their existing energy company for a number of years. Most discount offers are open to new customers or “switchers” and the utility companies are raking in the money due to the lack of knowledge of users about how easy it is to save money on their bills.
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Why Switch Energy Supplier?
Will I really save that much money by switching energy suppliers or is it more hassle than it’s worth?
One sure fire way to get someone’s attention is to tell them that you can help them to save money. People’s normal response to this is ‘what’s the catch’ or ‘what’s involved’ ? When it comes to switching your gas and electricity supplier most people are aware that there are better deals on the market but there is also often a certain amount of inertia which seems to be rooted in the common misconception that switching is a complicated process.
This attitude is not helped by the constant price rises, price cuts and general confusion in the market-place that seems to start each autumn and continue right through until spring. This moving of the proverbial goalposts makes many people question whether they have made the right choice or exacerbates the problem of people simply not knowing who to switch to – let alone how to switch energy provider with the least amount of disruption.
Having said this, it seems that more people are starting to catch on that it really isn’t as difficult as you may imagine. Industry regulator Ofgem reckons that approximately 50% of the UK’s twenty two million gas customers have actually switched supplier following the deregulation which occured in 1998. Whilst this is testament to people’s awareness and willingness to change suppliers – we would doubt whether the remaining eleven million customers have not yet switched due to being genuinely happy with their present supplier? Like anything, it’s a process of education which is why we at Energy-UK aim to simplify not only the choices available but also the processes involved in switching.
Consumers should choose their first ‘switch’ carefully as industry experts have calculated that the first time you change suppliers the biggest savings apply, often in the region of one hundred pounds or more. Subsequent changes of supplier can also facilitate further cost savings but these are less likely to be as substantial as the first time you change – therefore, it’s important to do your homework and make the right choice from day one!
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A Switchers Guide To Switching
The Three Steps To Saving When You Switch
To make the process of switching as simple as possible we’ve devised a three step guide to making the change :
- Use our energy provider comparison guide to identify the supplier that best meets your needs
- Make a note of any meter readings and also have an idea of your present usage if you know it.
- Sign up online for your new supplier. Most providers have special online offers which give further discounts.
Thats it! Your new supplier will then contact your old supplier to initiate the transfer of account and the whole process is under-way. The transfer itself tends to take on average around four to six weeks. Of course, you will need to have a final bill from your old supplier which is where the meter reading comes in. Give them a call to inform them of the meter reading and they can the generate the final bill and close your account.
What’s exactly is on Offer?
With the profusion of deals available from the main suppliers it can be a daunting task to extract what is actually of benefit to you and what is effectively marketing spiel. The UK energy market is fiercely competitive and one of the only industries where it is common practice to slag off the competition as your main marketing message! The main UK suppliers are constantly trying to out-do each other which is great news for the consumer in terms of getting a competitive deal but not so great when these ‘deals’ are constantly evolving, changing and are available only for limited periods. A common pitfall is to opt for a supplier with a time sensitive offer which then reverts to more unfavourable terms after an initial period.
We only feature the energy providers on our website that we feel represent the best current consumer offers available therefore, doing most of the hard work for you by cutting the wheat from the chaff. There are other energy comparison sites available that attempt to evaluate the whole market but this is rather a tall order when often you are not comparing ‘apples to apples’ and thereby adding to the confusion.
Another word of caution is that if, like 14% of other UK households you use a prepayment meter for gas or electricity many third party websites offering a ‘switch online’ feature do not cater for prepayment customers – they only work if you pay by direct debit. Pre-payment customers are better off making their selection by using the comparison tools and reading reviews on our site then going through to the providers website and signing up online.
The main selling point that all of our chosen providers have in common is the ‘protected price deal’. These deals offer a static price for a predetermined period and in our opinion represent the best deals for consumers as they are clear and easy to understand and allow households to budget accordingly without the fear of an unexpected price rise. The fixed deal tend to come in three different options :
Standard : This is a set price for a set period say, until March 2009. This is great in terms of transparency of pricing but a word of caution. Prices can go down as well as up so on this option you could end up paying more if the price drops below your ‘fixed’ option. To a certain extent you are very much hedging your bets as to future gas and electricity prices. Having said this, it a similar principle to a fixed rate mortgage. If you’re happy and comfortable with the fixed price then this security aspect may well outride any loss of sleep over paying slightly over the odds if prices fall. Worst case scenario, if wholesale gas prices fall and you find yourself stuck in a standard fixed price deal in which you’re paying over the odds – you can always switch again!
Capped : This often represents a better option than the standard deal as with a capped offer the supplier agrees not to raise prices beyond a certain point for a fixed period, however, if prices drop during this period then the consumer will also enjoy the benefits.
Fixed and Fall : This is a combination of the other two, currently offered by British Gas, whereby prices are fixed for a set period and then guaranteed to drop at the end of this period.
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Energy Saving Advice
Let’s assume you have selected the most cost effective energy provider to supply the gas and electricity to your home. It’s now time to think about ways in which you can reduce your own energy consumption as there are many simple ways to save money on the energy used in your home. As well as saving your pennies on your next bill this is a really easy way to help protect the environment by adopting a greener lifestyle. Many of the tips we’re suggesting only require a small change to your daily habits but if everybody takes the same measures we can collectively make a much bigger impact. As both a country and individuals we should be making a conscious effort not to waste our limited natural resources and also be aware of the impact that their consumption has on our planet.
So, how energy efficient is your home?
Kitchen
The kitchen probably has more gas and electrical appliances than any other room, so there are many ways to reduce your usage which we’ve listed below :
Fridges & Freezers
Check your fridge and freezer settings to make sure they’re using the least amount of energy in order to chill your food to the desired temperature. Remember that the fridge is one of the only appliances that remain constantly on for 24 hours a day every day, so in terms of energy usage it’s normally one of the biggest consumers of electricity in your home. Modern fridges often come with an energy rating – try and choose the top star rating as this can potentially save an estimated 4.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas over its lifetime. Equally, as fridges get older they tend to consume more energy with inefficiencies in the region of 3 – 4 times more energy use seen in old models.
Obviously, most people aren’t in a financial position to just go out and buy a new fridge to save energy so if you do have an older fridge the easiest way to save energy is to remember to close it and don’t keep opening it unnecessarily! Another quick win is to think about the position of your fridge and try to keep it as cool as possible. An outside laundry room is ideal, next to an oven is not. Something else which many people don’t realise affects the amount of electricity used is whether or not there is sufficient ventilation for the coils located at the back of your fridge. Try not to back it right up against a wall, instead attempt to leave at least an 80mm gap and this will help to save energy. With regards to freezers, one of the simplest things you can do to improve efficiency (and also one of the biggest culprits in energy wastage) is to remember to defrost it. The recommended guidelines are that you should aim to defrost a standard upright freezer around three times a year and the larger chest style freezers 1 – 2 times a year (these tend to be bigger and therefore don’t get frozen quite as quickly.
Dishwashers
As with fridges and freezers, most new dishwasher models have an energy efficient rating so if you can afford it always make this a consideration when looking to buy. If you’ve got an existing dishwasher that is not necessarily energy efficient or has not rating there are some really simple things that you can do to make a difference.
- Always fill it to capacity as a half filled load actually uses the same amount of energy as a full load meaning you’re potentially using twice the energy by doing two half loads.
- Another tip is to stop the cycle before it gets to the drying stage, open up the dishwasher door and let the air dry the load naturally.
- If your dishwasher has more energy efficient settings, try to use these wherever possible such as short wash cycles or rinse only. These tend to use less energy and you should be able to identify them in your instruction manual.
Ovens
As a general rule microwave ovens, pressure and steam cookers tend to use a lot less electricity than standard ovens. Therefore, if you have one of these consider using it as an alternative for meals which can be prepared using it instead of your actual oven. When cooking with frozen food another easy way to use less energy is to make sure that the food is fully defrosted before you start to cook it. This should reduce the overall cooking time required and therefore the amount of energy used up. Becoming conscious of your energy usage habits can also help to have a healthier lifestyle. Nutritionally, vegetables will be better for you if you steam them lightly using the least amount of water possible. This also reduces the amount of power needed to get the water to boiling point therefore saving on your consumption and also of course your bill! Another trick is to turn down the heat to a simmer once your water is boiling and cook your vegetables once the simmering point is reached. This will give you greater control over the cooking and ensure they do not become overcooked whilst also reducing the amount of energy required.
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