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For residential and small businesses, the price you are charged for the energy you use is called a tariff. Gas plan tariffs vary depending on the type of meter you have, where you live, and your energy provider. Your energy bill may be lowered by factoring in time of use, single rate charges, off-peak charges and controlled load charges.

Gas tariffs: The tariff you pay for gas depends on your location and the distributor for your area. Gas tariffs are divided into two parts on energy bills; these are your supply and usage charges. Common gas tariff terms include supply charges, fixed and variable rates, and usage charges.

• The supply charge is a daily service tariff for the supply of gas to your residence or business.
• Usage charges are rates charged by your energy company for the gas you use.
• Some tariffs have variable usage rates depending on when the gas is used.

Seasonal gas rate: This tariff is charged between the winter peak season and controlled load seasons (non-winter).

Non-seasonal gas rates: The tariff stays the same all year round with a non-seasonal rate tariff.

Use the GoSwitch comparison service to locate gas and electricity retailers in your area, and let the energy market work in your favour. GoSwitch price comparison allows you to factor gas, electricity, and solar power into the equation.

Compare your gas and electricity needs, and use a combination of natural gas and electricity to power your home or business. Allow GoSwitch to find great deals for you to choose from, absolutely free of charge. Here are a few ways GoSwitch can personalise your energy plan.

Time of use: With a time of use gas or electricity, different rates are charged for energy usage during the day and night. Time of use pricing is a good option for people who are home at shoulder and off-peak times during weekdays, in the evening, or on weekends.

• Off-peak – charged at times of low usage, such as overnight.
• Shoulder – usage charges are cheaper at certain weekday and weekend times.
• Peak – charged when power network demands are high.

Single rate (all the time):  With this rate your tariff stays the same all day, every day of the year. A single rate tariff is lower than the peak rate, but higher than shoulder and off-peak rates. Single rate pricing is a good option for people who use large appliances at home during weekdays.

Off-peak: This refers to lower electricity or gas prices during certain times, generally when network usage is low. This is a money-saving option for people who use power at night and on weekends.

Controlled load: This refers to energy being used by a stand-alone item such as a hot water cylinder. Controlled loads are recorded on a separate meter.

Natural gas production is designed to meet increasing Australian demand for gas services. Australian production and consumption of natural gas is closely monitored to ensure consistent supply for the foreseeable future, with present consumption rates measuring 2.2% of total proven reserves. In other words, natural gas and LPG gas are cost-effective choices for energy plans in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and all other Australian regions.

More than two millions Australians use natural gas in their homes for cooking, heating and appliances. It is also worth knowing that not all households are billed the same way for using gas. Firstly, it’s worth understanding your gas meter.

What is a gas meter?: A gas meter records natural gas consumption in businesses and households. The amount of gas you use is relayed to your energy retailer for billing purposes. Gas usage is recorded in megajoules (MJ), and is recorded on your gas meter. When purchasing new appliances, it’s a good idea to investigate energy consumption. For example, an oven with an input of 20MJ/h uses 20 MJs per hour.

There are two main types of gas meters used in Australia; imperial and metric.

• Imperial meter: Gas use is measured in ‘cubic feet’. Imperial gas meters are found in older homes and are being phased out.
• Metric meter: gas use is measured in ‘cubic meters’. New homes in Australia are equipped with a gas metric meter with a digital display.

Your gas bill provides a lot of information about your energy usage. It is worth taking the time to understand supply charges, usage rates, rebates and pricing structures. You should also become familiar with exit fees, tariffs, megajoules and other energy company terminology.

The front of a gas bill contains familiar personal information, account numbers, balances and total amount due. However, most people neglect to inspect the back of the bill, where your tariff is broken down into details that include:

• Peak, shoulder, and off-peak gas usage
• Supply charges, such as flexi-saver peak consumption pricing
• Government rebates
• Billing days, plus current and previous readings
• Total megajoules used
• Gas usage compared to the same time last year

The free GoSwitch service will present you with all the options required to save as much as possible on gas bills and electricity bills. Our energy price comparison tool provides up-to-date information about energy prices from retailers, including tariffs, exit fees, rebates, supply charges, usage charges, direct debit payment and off-peak pricing. Use GoSwitch to save time and money on your search.

It is common and acceptable to change energy companies and energy retailers these days. Deregulation has resulted in fierce competition between energy providers and distributors, with lots of energy plan savings available. Prices can vary markedly according to your location, so whether you live in Sydney, Melbourne, regional NSW or Vic, or anywhere else in Australia, it is worth investigating your natural gas network energy use for getting a better deal.