Tango Still The Best for Electricity?

MikeKulls on 17/12/2020 - 10:53

A while ago it seemed like the default recommendation here for electricity was Tango. I know prices vary from location to location and between distributors but as a general thumb in the air rule is Tango likely to be the cheapest? Anyone have any examples of where they are not? For reference I currently pay 21.1c flat rate, 15.29c for controlled load, $1.21 daily charge and 10.2c FIT in a powercor area in Vic. I still like Tango because their rates are super simple, no fake discounts, no frills, no referrals and they so far haven't shown any tendency to price gouge. Although their prices have gone up slightly (was 18.6c and 12c before) so I am curious.

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Comments

  • dasher86 on 17/12/2020 - 10:56
    +2

    In VIC Globird is the cheapest for my area.
    But be careful as they increase prices and introduce new pricing for new customers.

    • MikeKulls on 20/12/2020 - 18:58
      +1

      Actually looks like Tango are doing that too as there is a cheaper rate than what I'm on. That sort of crap makes me want to switch. I just wish someone would offer a decent price, same flat rate to everyone and no discounts.

  • DingoBilly on 17/12/2020 - 11:10
    +2

    Depends on your use.

    Tango was great for a while but then upped my prices after a year. When I compared I found that Kogan Energy ended up being much cheaper for my use so I switched over.

  • soan papdi on 17/12/2020 - 11:44
    +6

    Visit https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/ every 6 months and plug in your actual usage CSV file. If you find something better, switch. No point guessing with energy retailers

    • MikeKulls on 19/12/2020 - 16:11

      I just had a look. Looks like Tango is still pretty good, no 2 but only by $50 per year, although they actually have a cheaper rate there than what I'm on. I'll give them a call on Monday and switch if they won't give it to me.

      • soan papdi on 19/12/2020 - 17:10
        +1

        If you've been with them 12-24 months, then the rate goes up. I think energy retailers are like mobile providers now. Have to port out and in to get the good offers

  • Domingo on 17/12/2020 - 11:57
    +1

    I've found Powerclub to be the cheapest, but with conditions. They charge $39 per year as a membership fee, and that only applies to a single address, so if you move after 6 months you'd need to pay another $39 to sign up with them at a new address.

    That being said, if you're planning on staying somewhere long term they are an attractive option. Their pitch is that they're like of like a credit union for power, where they sell to you at cost + operating costs with no margin applied, so end up cheaper than the other providers.

    • Alzori on 17/12/2020 - 12:36
      +2

      I'm kinda confused by the Powerclub marketing - so you're paying market rates (which change every 30 minutes) but you're also paying a regular fixed price, or a offpeak/shoulder/peak rates dependent on time of day?

      It can't be both market rates and fixed rates at the same time, so which is it?

      EDIT: reading it more, it sounds like you are paying wholesale prices effectively, but the savings (if there are savings) are held in your 'bank' thing… so it's basically paying wholesale prices but with a few extra steps thrown in so it isn't immediately affecting your bill each cycle. Feels a bit unnecessary to me but fair enough.

      I am currently with Amber - they just straight up charge the wholesale rates directly to you (and pay you the wholesale solar feed in rates) so it varies every half hour, then give you whatever the bill works out to be each cycle. Looks like their fixed fees are higher than Powerclub ($10/month vs. $39/year), however it looks like Powerclub are also adding ~28c to the wholesale connection fee, and ~1c/kwh to the power you buy, which may both add up to a decent chunk of fees.

      • Domingo on 17/12/2020 - 14:12

        Yeah the whole Powerclub powerbank thing is weird, they charge you a fixed rate for power but then credit/debit the delta between that fixed rate and the market rate into your bank. Once the bank reaches a certain size (pretty sure its $200), they start crediting that amount off your bill rather than adding more to the bank.

        Once you leave the bank should be refunded… which reminds me I haven't checked that and will go see if they refunded mine!

        • MikeKulls on 20/12/2020 - 18:56

          I had a look at powerclub, you have to put money in the bank, $40 per mWh per month or something? How do they determine that? We are all electric so can average 50kWh a day. So I have to put in $1000?

          • Domingo on 20/12/2020 - 19:39

            @MikeKulls: Nah, basically their model is you pay the fixed amount for electricity normally, but have a slush fund to cover variations in the price. ie when they sell it to you cheaper, you build up your fund and when they sell it to you are a higher rate than the fixed amount, they draw down on it.

            So say the rate is 20c, when they're selling to you at 15c you build up 5c, when they're selling to you at 25c you draw down 5c.

            There's some recommended amount that goes into it, I think $40 per estimated 1000kwh of yearly use. You get that amount refunded when you leave and I found mine grew over time, not shrank.

            • MikeKulls on 20/12/2020 - 20:53

              @Domingo: Yeah so I get 50kWh per day so I need to put in 50x365/1000x$40 = $730. So my question is how do they establish that estimated usage? Do they go off past usage or they ask me to come up with a figure?

              • Domingo on 20/12/2020 - 21:05

                @MikeKulls: They ask you to make an estimate in the online form - I think I put 120 or 160 in when I signed up

    • Yola on 30/12/2020 - 08:22

      Detailed discussion on Powerclub on Whirlpool. Seems slot of bad experiences.
      https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/3nk561k9

  • lbsyc on 17/12/2020 - 12:30
    +2

    Thanks for the post, I actually just found out Tango put me into the VIC standard rate instead of their lower home select plan so I called up to change the plan. Now I am on 71.5c and 22.77 rate.

    • MikeKulls on 17/12/2020 - 15:39

      What is 71.5c?? The daily rate? That is cheap

  • uncompressed on 17/12/2020 - 13:17

    I was on Tango but found that Momentum was cheaper for me after Tango raised their prices so I switched.

  • Yola on 30/12/2020 - 08:17

    I am with Tango in Vic, but after 12 months they have increased my rates to 82.5 and 23.76 while they are charging new customers 71.5 and 22.77. I am looking at others and Glowbird (74.8 and 21.78) works out nearly 9% less on the hourly cost, which is my major charge. Will check out Momentum and Amber next.

  • placard on 11/02/2021 - 10:01
    +1

    Apparently Elysian energy is pretty good value.

  • Ziggy28 on 15/06/2023 - 11:27
    +1

    Tango freezing their rates until 31st May 2024 for anyone who's looking for a provider. And surprisingly low rates, for my electricity at least.

  • MikeKulls on 19/06/2023 - 21:11

    I ended up going to Lumo in 2022. Still wasn't much in it from tango but they had 12 months fixed.

  • ECE on 19/06/2023 - 21:12
    +1

    Tango Yankee

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