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What is economy 7 in electricity prices?
Economy 7 electricity is a fancy term for night time (red. cheaper) electricity. This cheaper electricity stems from so called “must run” electricity production at night. The hours at which this cheaper electricity is delivered varies from company to company but is usually from around midnight until 08.00 am. (Some companies use slightly different starting and ending times) The reason why electricity suppliers can charge lower prices for this night time electricity is a simple matter of supply and demand.

For obvious reasons, the demand for electricity in the night, when offices, house holds and most factories require less electricity, is very low. On the supply side we see that some electricity generation plants, (particularly coal and nuclear electricity production plants) need to run around the clock. The technical processes in these plants are such, that switching off the plant at night is just not cost effective or not even physically possible. Those kinds of plants therefore produce electricity 24/7 even at night when demand for electricity is much lower than during the day.

To incentivise night time energy consumption, the industry came up with the term Economy 7 to off load this excess night time electricity. The value of night time electricity is approximately one third of the value of daytime electricity. For consumers using this lower cost electricity at night can be an effective way of lowering your electricity bill. Examples of night time energy consumption by consumers are; running your washing machines, dryers, storage heaters, dishwashers, etc. at night using timers or using the delay function build in to your appliances.

For the generators it is also a good deal as it is better to sell the electricity produced at night at this lower price rather than have to keep constantly powering down and re-firing their generating plant as this causes additional wear and tear and holds additional risks to the producers. It is also a way to even out electricity consumption throughout a 24 hour time span. This helps the plants run more efficiently and (slightly) reduces the need for additional installed capacity and is also somewhat greener to produce.
Winners all round you might think; as long as you are willing and able to schedule your energy consumption during the night, yes!

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How to fly cheaply

November 8, 2009 at 8:25 pm (Comparison Sites)

We have seen a tremendous increase in the number of low cost airlines over the last couple of years. Although this is good news for the holidaymaker, it also makes the market more competitive and usually less transparent. Here are our tips for searching the cheapest airline tickets:

Book far ahead

Usually, the later you book the more expensive the flight becomes, most carriers charge more if you book the ticket a few days before you want to departure, so the earlier you book it the cheaper the flight will cost.

Weekends and school holidays are hot

If you want to book a flight for the weekend then the ticket will cost you more, as you won’t be the only holidaymaker. Try and book the flight departure during the week, and not only will your flight be cheaper but you might find more accommodation special offers.

Travel agent or direct via airline

If the airline you booked with goes bust, you will need a return flight with another airline. If there is a delay or no other airline flies the same route, you may need to book a hotel or do some extra travelling at one or both ends of your journey.

If you book a flight directly with the airline, you will not be covered by ATOL if the airline fails when you are abroad. However, if you wish you can protect yourself when booking by:

•    booking through agent that offers ATOL protection – check what cover the agent offers
•    paying by credit card (for sums over £100) or Visa debit card – check what cover your card issuer offers
•    taking out extra travel insurance if you think it is worthwhile

Some airlines offer reduced ‘repatriation fares’ for stranded passengers. These are usually available, by telephone only, within a few hours of an airline going bust (but maybe not immediately) and last about two weeks.

Late night / Early morning flights

To save the most money when booking your airline ticket, book a flight either late at night or in the early hours of the morning, this is where the best savings are made, simply because of the unsocial flying times. Specially the low cost carriers flying from alternative airports like Luton offer these kind of arrangements.

Pay with debit cards

It often occurs that paying by credit cards results in fees up to 10 GBP per booking. Using a direct debit card might lower your travel expenses considerably.

Choosing a good online website

There are so many online booking websites that it can be hard to know whether the one you’re looking at is reputable. Always look for a site that:
•    gives you a rundown of exactly what is…and isn’t…included in the price
•    sets out all the taxes and charges that apply
•    gives you options and prices for flights on other days
•    tells you your luggage allowance
•    lets you opt for paperless tickets and online checking in
•    has a secure booking page to protect your details
•    tells you if there are additional fees for card payments
•    states an address or telephone number in case of problems

Remember that the Internet is a place that is extraordinarily useful, and you will find some great bargains – but you should also watch out for the sites that aren’t so reputable, and if in any doubt, don’t do it!

Compare online

Do not make a mistake by just buying a ticket from your regular travel agent. When you are looking to book cheap flight tickets, it is necessary to evaluate every available offer in the market. You should compare the rates and services of all cheap flights before choosing the best deal for yourself.
To save a lot of time and money, always book your cheap flight tickets online. You will not have to search the entire city for a travel agent and you will get huge discounts on online bookings. Buying the tickets online also costs the travel agent less money, which makes the deal cheaper for you.

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