Gas Prices – Beating the Rise

 

Gas prices, more specifically the rate at which they are rising, have been a common fixture of the

news for quite some time. Energy companies are hiking their gas prices on a seemingly very

frequent basis, leaving many of us struggling to make ends meet ­ whilst the companies themselves

rake in profits higher than ever before.

Why are gas prices rising?

According to energy companies, gas prices are going up due to the cost of buying gas as well as

“green” levies imposed by the powers that be. Additionally, the cost of delivering the gas to

customers’ homes has increased.

On the face of it, this seems reasonable – we cannot get away from the fact that almost everything

costs more as time goes on. The controversy lies in the profits that the energy companies make –

customers quite rightly feel as if it’s unfair to keep hiking the prices when their profits are already

as high as they are. When the elderly are dying in their homes because they cannot afford to pay

their gas bill, it’s little wonder that customers are angry about further increases when the

companies’ profits never take a hit. Customers feel as if they are over a barrel when it comes to

gas prices.

How can we beat the rise?

There are many steps we can take to help reduce the amount we spend on heating our homes. By

living in a more economical way we can save a lot of money, stopping the rising gas prices from

making too much of a dent. However, the first step should always be to find out whether you could

be getting a better deal elsewhere. With gas prices rising by almost 10% in recent months,

governments are urging consumers to look into switching to a cheaper tariff – either with the same

company, or a different one.

Using a price comparison site can be a very effective way to discover if you could be paying less

for your gas with a different company. Some price comparison sites are even able to facilitate the

switch for you, saving you more time and hassle.

How do I use a price comparison site?

You will need some basic information, such as what company currently supplies your gas, and

how much you use – or how much you spend. However, if you don’t have information on your gas

usage, you will usually be able to select an option that uses the national average to compare. Once

you have provided this information, you will be able to view a list of providers and what deals they

can offer. The list will show clearly how much money you could be saving, and you may be able

to access special deals by clicking through from the price comparison site.