Are "Free Hours of Power" a Honey Pot or a Bear Trap? The I.T. Bear Investigates.
Spring is in the air! The days are getting longer, the lambs are frolicking, but that doesn't mean our power bills are taking a holiday. In the hunt for savings, you've probably seen the ads: "FREE hour of power!", "FREE power from 9pm to midnight!". It sounds like a sweet deal, a real honey pot for the savvy consumer. But is it all it's cracked up to be, or is it a cleverly disguised bear trap?
As The I.T. Bear, my job is to sniff out the tech and tricks that save you money. I see it all the time with my Buzz-Switch service. For just $49, my team and I act as your personal consultant, doing the hard work of finding you the absolute best power deal. Considering not switching costs the average Kiwi between $600 and $900 a year, it's a real honey of a deal. We make the switch seamless – no hassle, no lost internet, and definitely no bill shock. And believe me, we've seen first-hand how these "free power" deals can play out in very different ways.
The Sweet Lure of "Free" Power
The idea is simple and powerfully tempting. You get a dedicated period every day—maybe an hour during the day, or three hours in the evening—where your electricity is completely free. The power companies know we're all looking to hibernate from high costs, so they dangle this juicy offer in front of us.
And for some, it can be a roaring success. If you're a night owl, or you have a modern home with appliances you can time, you can shift your big power-guzzling tasks into these free periods. Think about it:
Running the dishwasher and washing machine.
Charging your electric vehicle.
Heating your hot water cylinder.
Even baking a late-night batch of honey cakes.
By cramming all this activity into your free hours, you can make some serious savings. Especially with those glorious three-hour blocks in the evening, you can get a lot of chores done without spending a cent on the electricity used. It’s a great feeling, like finding a secret stash of berries.
The Un-bear-able Truth: When "Free" Costs You More
So, where's the catch? Well, nothing in life is truly free, and that includes power. To make up for that "free" period, the power companies often charge a significantly higher rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) during the other21 or 23 hours of the day. And this is where many well-intentioned Kiwis get stung.
Think of it like this: you get a free lunch, but your breakfast and dinner now cost 25% more. If you're not disciplined, you'll end up spending more, not less. Here’s where it can go wrong:
The "Just a quick cuppa" trap: You forget it's not your free hour and flick the kettle on. That quick cuppa is now costing you a premium.
The "Kids are home" chaos: If you've got a busy family home, with kids using devices, the TV on, and lights being flicked on and off all day, you're paying a higher rate for all that unpredictable usage.
The "Set and forget" slip-up: You have the best intentions of using your free hour, but life gets in the way. You forget to set the timer on the dishwasher, or you're too tired to wait until 9 pm to do the laundry.
Suddenly, that "free" hour is a distant memory, and you're left with a power bill that's bigger than before. You've fallen right into the marketing trap, and it's a grizzly feeling.
Tales from the Den: How Buzz-Switch Helped Two Kiwis
Don't just take my word for it. Let's look at two real-world examples from the Buzz-Switch files.
Erica's story: Erica was on an 'hour of power' plan with her family, thinking she was saving a bundle. But with a busy household, most of their power use was happening outside the free period, at a much higher rate. She used our Buzz-Switch service, and we ran the numbers on her actual usage. The result? We found a standard plan that was a much better fit. By ditching her 'hour of power', Erica is on track to save over $500 this year.
Nicki's story: On the other paw, there's Nicki. She's super-organised and had her home habits dialled in. By using her fireplace for the bulk of her heating, her main electricity usage was predictable. She diligently scheduled her largest power draw—heating her hot water cylinder—to run during her three free hours every night. She was pretty sure she was on a great deal but wanted an expert opinion. We analysed her bills and confirmed it: she was a master of the free hours and was already on the absolute best plan for her lifestyle. As promised, because we couldn't find her a better deal, we happily refunded her $49 Buzz-Switch fee.
Do you want to see what you could save? Check out the Buzz savings calculator powered by the Grizzly AI engine here: https://www.theitbear.nz/your-buzz-switch-saving
The I.T. Bear's Checklist: Is a "Free Hour" Plan Right for Your Den?
Before you leap into one of these plans, take a moment to paws and reflect. Ask yourself these questions:
Are you a disciplined energy user? Be honest. Are you a "Nicki," who will religiously set timers and schedule your power usage? Or are you an "Erica," with a busy life that makes concentrating power use difficult?
What does your daily routine look like? If you work from home and use power consistently throughout the day, a "free hour" plan might not be for you. If you're out all day and can concentrate your usage in the evening, it could be a winner.
Do you have modern, programmable appliances? A delay-start function on your dishwasher, washing machine, and hot water cylinder is your best friend with these plans.
Have you done the maths on your usage? Don't just look at the promise of "free". You need to compare the total cost, including the higher rates, against a standard plan based on how you use power.
The Verdict: A Tool, Not a Magic Wand
"Free hour of power" deals aren't a scam, but they are a specialised tool. For the right household, they can be a fantastic way to save money. But for many others, they're a marketing ploy that can lead to higher bills.
The key is to go in with your eyes wide open. Understand your own habits, do your homework, and don't be swayed by the promise of "free" without understanding the true cost.
The I.T. Bear can help you navigate this tricky forest. My Buzz-Switch service takes the guesswork out of it. For a small $49 fee, we'll tell you definitively if you're on the right plan, like Nicki, or find you a better one and save you hundreds, like Erica. It's the easiest way to make sure you're getting the sweetest deal paws-sible. Stay savvy!