A lot of people find energy bills to be hard to understand and confusing. That is the reason why you should take some time and read about a couple of things. This is going to ensure that you have been billed correctly and there is no scope of overpaying. As energy consumption has reached its peak, electricity bills are going up like anything. That is why you should be well aware of how to manage your electricity bills on a regular basis. To understand how to read your electricity bills correctly, here are the top things you should check. Take a look –
- What is the bill based on? – you should check whether the bill is based on the actual or estimated usage. If you are not providing regular meter readings to your supplier, then they will calculate the bills based on the estimated usage. As the name suggests, according to this concept your bills will be made as per the estimate of the supplier. They track your energy usage and make a bill that is at par with your usage. This can be a real problem because if you have used a lot less electricity in one particular month, the supplier will still bill you according to your past usage. So, you should definitely get a meter reading and send it to the supplier.
- What is the account balance? – if you are paying your bills with direct debit, then the supplier will probably show a credit or debit balance. This is simply because the monthly payment is not the cost of the energy you have used in that month, but 1/12th of what the supplier believes your bill will be. To get a better idea about what your account balance is, you should get in touch with the energy supplier now.
- Pending dues – if you have any amount pending from previous month’s usage, then it is high time that you pay them off. Delay in payment of electricity bills can attract hefty penalties and at times the supplier may even cut off your electricity connection. If you have missed a month’s payment, then the supplier will send you one or two warnings about the missed payment. Make sure to visit the supplier and pay off any impending dues to them. It is always a good idea to keep your books clean when dealing with the supplier.
- Usage pattern – last but not the least, you should read your electricity bill carefully and find out your usage pattern. This is going to benefit you and you only. Check if the energy consumption is going up or down over the course of time. If it is rising every month, then find out what is the cause for it and if it can be avoided. The rise in electricity costs can impact your household finances in a serious way.
So, here are the top things you should check when you receive the electricity bills from the best energy supplier near your area.