Electricity Meter
Pay as you Go or No?
Recently, I became a customer of the Electric Ireland “Pay-As-You-Go” electricity scheme and to be honest, I wasn’t sure about it when it was first mentioned to me, but now, a month down the road, I think I’ve changed my mind.
At first, when it was recommended to me by my suppliers Electric Ireland (ESB), I thought it was no more than the state (Big brother) telling me what to do, and like any self respecting Irish man, I didn’t want to know. However, every time I mentioned it to friends of mine I was surprised to find out just how many of them had all ready signed up to this scheme (sign of the times), and to top that, I couldn’t find one person that thought it was a bad idea. So, off I went and signed up, and when I say signed up, I mean if I didn’t they were going to cut me off. Here’s how it works…..
The first thing worth mentioning is there is more than one supplier. The way it works is they all purchase electricity and then just re-sell it on, to their customers. I wasn’t aware of this in the beginning but since have looked at a few different suppliers, and surprise, surprise the one I signed to (Electricity Ireland) is by far the most expensive. The cheapest is ‘One big switch’, then ‘Pay-as-you-go’.
Using it is easy-peasy. It’s no different to topping up your phone.
It is worth taking note that when having the device installed, make sure it is installed in a well lit area, as the Electric Ireland’s device has no back light and is quite difficult to see (I’ve purchased a torch). I’ve had a look at some friends’ devices (Pay-As-You-Go & One Big Switch) and funny enough not only are they cheaper than Electric Ireland, but their devices are well lit with a pretty back light.
If you are like me and others who have to watch what the money, then over all it’s a good way to keep track of what your spending.
