Are you signed with Contact Energy? Got that free power from 9-12am? Well, here’s your Residential Rep’s hot take – consider an alternative.
There’s lots of debate on which power plan is the best, or which will save you the most money. The reality is: the best plan is always going to depend on your flat. There are so many factors: whether you use gas bottles, how many people are in the home, and how often you are at home. But I want to open up your mind a little, and hopefully bestow some wisdom as you look into flats for 2027.
Free power from 9-12am sounds very desirable, but the daily charge is nearly double that of many other power plans. So, you’re getting 3 hours of free power, but the rest of the time you’re paying a whole lot more. This stacks up when some flatmates are gym rats that take multiple showers, have taken up baking as a hobby or prefer to study at home. When you look at the rough amount you’re paying across 12 months (depending on the flat), your bill will be a similar amount to or more costly than other companies. Even more, when you concentrate usage to that period, as many student flats do, it’s no wonder we get so many outages during the winter months because usage is so excessive in a short period! My question is this: why restrict your power usage to unrealistic times of the day when other power companies offer more affordable plans that allow for better flexibility?
My number one recommendation is to use Powerswitch. Go to powerswitch.org.nz, where you can input your address and flat details. The site will give you a series of recommendations based on those details, with in depth descriptions of each plan, as well as yearly cost estimates. I find it very useful.
Side note: This would all be a lot easier if only we had a Winter Energy Plan for students…
