Recently I changed power companies, a change for the better also I might add. I was always a very loyal consumer till until the early 2000's. It really doesn't matter what changed my mind but it changed, and now I am always open to change.
A very dear friend of mine introduced to Powershop, I must admit I was first taken by the geekology of it... an android app, alerts of special... YES specials.... powers specials, (buying power on special.. quite a novelty huh) all from my phone or the web. I liked it! But one of the things that I really like about Powershop is everything is viewable daily... I mean how much power I am using.... it is shown daily as an average. Maybe other companies do this but I know this was not available with my previous power company. Yes I know that this is probably classed as geekish (but as we have already discover I am a technology geek) and perhaps some would say over the top, but hey I like to know! I have always had the desire, the curiosity to know how things work, anything from the mechanical working of my car to my computer, for this I thank my father ♥. Knowledge is power, so they say! In this instant that statement is not wrong.
At a residence in Auckland where I had very high power bills I learnt to read my meter on a daily basis by keeping a record of daily readings, trying to identify what was using the power. I guess that has never really left me, now with Powershop it is done for me. Because it is done for me(daily power usage reading) it has give me so much more ease of control. You may have heard and seen all the TV adds that say turning you appliances off at the wall makes a difference.
I moved recently and thought would try it, and I can say that yes it does make a difference. Even with my old power co it made a difference, I guess the difference is I can see it more clearly with Powershop. That difference is not to be taken lightly I think. Yes I do turn my appliances, mainly tv, stereo, microwave and oven off at the wall and don't have my printer on standby or 2nd computer running all the time and yes some times it is a pain and I don't feel like doing it but I know that the difference is going to be 2, 3 or 4 units at day. Now I know that 2, 3 or 4 units a day does not sound like much.. but I will suggest you have a look at your electricity bill and see how much your per unit charge is!
Mine is roughly 23 cpu when I get it on special, or 28 cpru when it is the base rate charge. (Powershop has no daily charge to incorporate)
So working on that the lower charge...
3 x 23 = .69c a day x 30 (days) = $20.70 a month that is with a little effort, it is in my pocket not the power company's (sorry Powershop) but as I am basically well nearly a fully self employed business owner every cent counts! And I thank Powershop for that.
I guess what I am trying to say is that, what Powershop has done is given me choice or the "power" to purchase power on special; in advance, and has given me the information to make an informed choice on my power usage! Something that has not been seen in this industry to date.