Owl Energy Monitor
€15.50 Add to Cart
€27.50 Add to Cart
As Featured on Today with Pat Kenny - Thursday, 6th October 2011
For domestic electricity and gas users, standard tariffs have been increased by every provider.
Standard electricity tariffs were increased by 12% by Bord Gais in August, 12.3% by Airtricity in September and 14.8% by ESB Electric Ireland from October.
Bord Gais’s regulated gas tariff was increased from 1st October by 22%, and all other providers (ESB Electric Ireland, Airtricity and Flogas) have followed suit.
Consumers always want to know which electricity provider is cheapest. But the answer is not the same for everyone, as it depends on your electricity use.
For example, Airtricity has the cheapest option for electricity only, but this is a two-year contract and the rate goes up in the second year. (Based on annual use 5,300kWh / Urban 24hr tariff / exit fee €35 for each year). But if you are a low-ish user Bord Gais would work out cheaper for electricity if you pay by direct debit and use e-billing, because they have a lower standing charge.
How to save in your home by changing small things.
To help with turning appliances off fully, buy an OWL multi socket power saver strip (with individual sockets) for €17.60 so you can take out each plug manually when not in use. For a few euro more you can buy one with a remote control or get one for €30.50 (www.theowl.ie), so that you can completely switch off each plug separately via remote control while using others on the same strip.
To check how much electricity you are using at any one time and the associated cost buy an OWL electricity monitor for €37.95 (www.purchase.ie) or one with a USB stick so you can feed your usage details to your computer for €54.95 (www.theowlireland.com). A device is attached (by an electrician) to your mains supply or electricity panel and you have a wireless monitor that reads usage and cost. Seeing is believing – by seeing how much you are using and spending and the cost difference that can occur from making just small changes.
Compare Natural Gas & Electricity Prices (www.bonkers.ie).
You can compare gas & electricity providers and prices in Ireland including Airtricity, Bord Gáis, ESB Electric Ireland & Flogas.