Is there too much choice?

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

I historically got very irritated by so-called suppliers of utilities. For most of what we need there was one state-owned system and a host of parasites acting as sales agencies.

Things have changed for telecoms as mobiles are a genuine choice, having different infrastructure.

There is some change in electricity as the UK now has numerous suppliers at different prices and the sales agencies buy and sell electricity from those sources. Hence the recent chaos, which I have managed to survive as I am with a "provider" who buys electricity mostly from wind power and hence the price hasn't gone up. The small premium I paid when I signed up compared to coal and gas-sourced electricity has disappeared as fossil prices have risen, I now have "cheap" electricity.

Insurance is sort of sales agencies, I find that all the cheapest prices have the same underwriter, so I am stuck with them unless I pay a fortune. What does help is good service when you have a reasonable claim and that is worth seeking out.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

If you embrace online banking it can make life very easy, cancelling a direct debit is in your complete control at the touch of a finger although it would be courteous to inform the recipient you were cancelling it. The ability to pay bills and transfer money to anybody willing to share bank details makes life very easy. I bought a car for my son and drove away within the hour, car paid for,taxed and insured. I think any sensible dealer would wait for a cheque to clear before they hand the keys over. I think our utility bills are going to be frightening in the not too distant future. The motor insurance business is a racket that needs a sort out, it will be interesting to see how the new regs actually pan out, I saved £600 pounds on my sons insurance using a comparison site and I think I shall be seeing what they offer me next time. I think they use the how to boil a frog principle, just keep raising the temperature gently and the frog won’t jump out of the pan. When I finally thought they were taking the **** with my home insurance i reinsured for a third of what I had been paying. I shall be looking around with my utilities but the savings have never been spectacular enough to initiate me moving. It would be nice if there was some competition with council tax, they have you over a barrel and it only ever goes one way. I know the system is based on sharing the burden but I don’t use most of the things they provide and the ones that I do use are poor at best.

Mike

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