Consumer champion Martyn James is here to help you tackle your bills before things get even more expensive this April
It has felt like the longest January ever, didn’t it!
But congratulations – you’ve made it to the end of the month! January is always hard for people paid monthly, as it’s an extra week or two till payday if you’ve had an early December pay-packet. Freelancers and small businesses struggle to get clients to cough up while desperately filing tax returns.
Add to that Christmas spending and the all-round appalling weather and most of us are barely crawling over the line when payday comes around. Now that we are at the end of the month, you might be looking at your finances and wondering how you can make your money go further. Don’t forget you can find all of my budget and saving tips in my Mirror author page for free.
One of the best ways you can save some money is by taking a long, hard look at your monthly bills and switching providers or reducing what you are obliged to pay. This is particularly important as many of these bills are increasing in the coming months. So don’t delay, dig out your paperwork and start saving!
Mobile and broadband
Millions of people are currently out of contract with broadband and mobile phone deals. That means we’re paying way more than we could be for these services. By shopping around for a better deal you can save hundreds of pounds a year.
In addition, every April, mobile phone and broadband suppliers take advantage of clauses in their contracts that allow them to hike prices mid-term. New rules have just banned inflation-linked price increases, but your existing contract might still allow businesses to charge you.
So if you are mid-contract, speak to your service provider and ask them if you can leave your contract early without an exit fee if they are planning on increasing what you pay. When considering a new broadband or mobile phone deal, look for the following:
- Duration of the contract
- Exit fees for leaving early
- Special offers and discounts
- Freebies and introductory offers
- Additional costs for ‘add on’ services
Do a bit of research too so you know a bit more about the business. Check:
- Performance data from regulator Ofcom, along with consumer websites like Which? Citizens Advice and MoneySavingExpert.
- Review websites
- Service availability in your area
- Additional services, like TV packagers, signal boosters and more
Energy
Every time I write about energy for the Mirror – like my column last week on understanding your energy bill – I get a huge response. If you want to get a better energy deal, then you may be considering fixing a tariff or switching to a new provider.
Start by checking out the offers available on the comparison sites – but bear in mind that not all the deals available will be on each website. MoneySavingExpert have a helpful energy switching club you can use for free and information on all the latest deals here.
You will find deals for switching to new providers or staying with your existing provider, but there are lots of other factors to consider when looking at the deals. The four essential things to consider are:
- Duration. How long is the contract?
- Discount. How much are you saving over the term of the contract?
- Volitivity. Are you tied to a deal that can go up as well as down?
- Exit fees. How much do you have to pay to get out of the contract early?
Switching or fixing energy deals are linked to the Energy Price Cap (EPC). This is set by the regulator Ofgem and effectively tells the energy firms the maximum average amount they can charge for each unit of energy. This is given as an annual ‘average’ bill.
The deals available at the moment attempt to undercut the EPC but there are catches aplenty that make comparisons difficult. For example, a deal may fix your bill at 6% less than the existing price cap for a year. But think about what happens if the price cap drops below this amount in the coming months.
Some deals offer to undercut the EPC whenever it is announced by a certain percentage. For example, an energy firm might promise that you will always pay 3% less than the cap. But what if bills go up higher than a fixed deal? Finally, there are exit fees.
This is the price you pay for leaving a contract early. Most comparison sites include exit fees now, so do think about the cost of getting out of a bad deal. Once you’ve factored these things in you could potentially save some cash in 2025, or at least not pay as much.
Water
Short of moving house, we are stuck with our water bills. But you could still save some cash. Having a smart water meter installed could save you some money, but it depends on your circumstances. Water bills are estimated based on the ‘rateable’ value of your property in most parts of the UK.
So the size or value of your property affects how your bill is estimated. If you have a small flat or have a small household, then a meter may save you hundreds of pounds. If you’ve got a big family, chances are you’ll pay more. You may have to pay to have a meter fitted in Scotland though, while in Northern Ireland water charges don’t apply for most customers.
Cutting back on the water you use is the obvious way to save some cash. But it’s not that easy. Things like washing machines and dishwashers aren’t great for water consumption, but you can use the ‘eco’ mode to cut costs (or go back to hand washing!) The Energy Saving Trust has some great tips on their website.
However, water companies have a surprising range of free things to help cut your water consumption. Type ‘water saving’ into your water provider’s website. These include things like shower, tape and hose attachments that help cut the flow of water.
Council tax
Council tax is billed over ten months, which gives you two free months at the end of the term. It seems too obvious, but it’s true that you can ask the council to spread the money over 12 months instead. In addition, if your home is in the wrong band, you could potentially claim a rebate (check with each council).
Make sure you are claiming your discounts too. If you live alone then you can get a 25% discount on your bill. There’s also a big list of exemptions and discounts to the tax. Find out more here.
Financial difficulties and taking things further
If you are struggling financially or are in credit of benefits or government support, utilities companies can help you reduce your bills in a wide variety of ways. Search my columns on the Mirror website to find out more, or type ‘financial difficulties’ in to your service provider’s website.
If you aren’t happy with your service provider, or you aren’t getting the help you are entitled to, then you can take the matter to an ombudsman or dispute resolution scheme for free. For Energy, it’s the Energy Ombudsman. There are two telecommunications ombudsman – your provider will tell you which one to go to. The largest of the services is the Communications Ombudsman and you can contact them here. Alternatively you can find CISAS here. Finally, for council tax problems appeal through your local council’s website that should explain the process and how to appeal if you are still unhappy.
- Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist
