Top 5 quirkiest deals you can get with your energy

Once upon a time all it took to win the hearts and wallets of an energy customer was a good discount and low, low prices. But now, with the market more competitive than ever and rules around fairer, transparent pricing, it seems that retailers are doing more than just offering cheaper rates to Aussies.

And that’s where any value-add incentive can really make a difference. From movie tickets to yearly zoo passes and even a cheeky free feed or two, power providers are getting creative with their electricity offerings. Though price will generally have the biggest influence on your decision, we’ve hunted down some of the quirkiest deals you can find alongside your energy plan. Perfect if you’re chasing that little something extra to sweeten the deal.

If there’s one that tickles your fancy, feel free to skip ahead by clicking on the link below.

Top 5 Quirkiest Energy Deals

1. Kayo Basic Subscription: Alinta Energy (NSW, VIC, QLD and SA)
2. Taronga Zoo Pass: Red Energy (NSW)
3. Vrewards Points for Village Cinemas: Simply Energy (VIC)
4. IdeaSave Membership: GloBird Energy (VIC)
5. Menulog Vouchers: 1st Energy (VIC)

1. Kayo Basic Subscription – Alinta Energy (NSW, VIC, QLD and SA)

Fancy yourself a bit of a sports fanatic? Alinta Energy has you covered with an eye-watering yearly subscription to Kayo. In partnership with the sports streaming service, Alinta Energy offers customers who sign up to its ‘Sports Pack’ electricity deal, access to over 50 sports through the ‘Kayo Basic’ package, normally priced at $25 per month.

In addition to pocketing around $300 in savings for the subscription, Alinta Energy’s Sports Pack also offers low, competitive variable rates on an ongoing contract. This offer is available to customers in New South Wales, Victoria, south-east Queensland and South Australia. Natural gas customers in Western Australia can also catch this deal.

Sports Pack  – Alinta Energy

See how Alinta’s Sports Pack deal compares to its flagship offer – Home Deal. Keep in mind that Home Deal does not include a 12-month Kayo Basic subscription.

2. Taronga Zoo Pass – Red Energy (NSW)

For a particularly emu-sing perk on your energy plan, you’ll want to scope out Red Energy’s ‘Red Taronga Flex’ deal, which comes with – you guessed it – a 12-month membership to Taronga Zoo. Exclusive to residents in NSW, this plan includes a Taronga ‘Zoo Friends Family Flex’ membership which is valid for one adult and any children under the age of 16 in the same residing household.

The membership allows for 365 days of unlimited access to Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. It also comes with discounts off food, drinks, cafes and eateries within the zoo and rewards customers with a second pass after a year.

Red Taronga Flex offers variable rates on an ongoing contract with no exit fees. This deal is only valid for electricity and natural gas customers in NSW, however, Red Energy also services QLD, SA and Victoria where it offers a product in partnership with Qantas.

Red Taronga Flex  – Red Energy

Here is Red Energy’s plan on our database for NSW. This is a product from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

3. Vrewards Points for Village Cinemas – Simply Energy (VIC)

Family movie night just got a whole lot cheaper thanks to Simply Energy! Partnering with Village Cinemas, Victorians can claim up to 24,000 Vrewards points a year when signing up to the ‘Simply Movie Perks’ deal.

Available as both an electricity and natural gas plan in Victoria, Simply Movie Perks rewards customers with 1,000 Vrewards points per month, per fuel type (meaning there’s up to 2,000 points a month when you take out both electricity and gas with Simply Energy). These points can then be redeemed for movie tickets, Gold Class upgrades or to purchase treats from the Candy Bar whilst visiting a participating Village Cinemas venue.

Simply Movie Perks is exclusive to Victorian customers, and offers variable rates with a guaranteed discount and no lock in contracts or exit fees. Residents can also opt in to carbon neutral energy for no extra cost.

Simply Movie Perks  – Simply Energy

Here is Simply Energy’s plan on our database for VIC. This is a product from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

4. Small Ideas Membership – GloBird Energy (VIC)

Keen to score discounts and coupons for some of Australia’s top family attractions and venues? Then you’ll want to nab yourself a Small Ideas membership, which Aussie-owned provider GloBird Energy just so happens to be handing out!

Teaming up with online discount service, Small Ideas, GloBird Energy offers bill-payers in Melbourne a discounted membership, typically worth $38.45 a year through its ‘IdeaSave’ plan. Under this offer, the provider offsets $33 of the membership costs, as a loyalty credit, which means Victorians get a 12-month Small Ideas membership for only $5.45.

Some of the top benefits from a Small Ideas membership include discounted entry to Luna Park, Melbourne Museum, Dinosaur World and interstate travel attractions such as Dreamworld and White Water World. It also offers discounts at a variety of family-friendly food venues such as Burgatory and The Pancake Parlour.

In addition to the membership, GloBird’s IdeaSave also has competitive variable rates on an ongoing contract and a small discount for customers who pay via direct debit. This offer is exclusive to Victorians; however, GloBird Energy does operate in NSW, QLD and SA as well.

IdeaSave – GloBird Energy

Here is GloBird Energy’s plan on our database for VIC. This is a product from a referral partner†. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

5. Menulog Vouchers – 1st Energy (VIC)

If it’s a free meal (or two) that you’ve been craving, then look no further than 1st Energy. This Australian-owned retailer dishes out $200 worth of Menulog vouchers to new customers who sign up to its latest offering, ‘1st Super Saver Menulog’.

Bill-payers on this plan will receive 10 x $20 Menulog vouchers, which can be accessed via the Menulog app. In addition to a free feed, this plan also comes with competitive variable rates on an ongoing contract term and rewards customers with $60 in bill credit, paid over $30 increments on your fifth and eleventh bill with the provider. This deal is only currently available in Victoria but 1st Energy does also operate in NSW, SA and QLD, so perhaps other states could count on a bite soon…

1st Super Saver Menulog – 1st Energy

Here is 1st Energy’s plan on our database for VIC. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Are these types of deals and incentives worth signing up to?

These types of sign-up incentives can provide a clear point of difference for Aussies comparing energy providers on more than just price explained Canstar Blue’s Energy Editor, Jared Mullane.

“When searching for the best deals, price is usually a good starting point, but when prices are evenly matched, it may pay to see what else is on offer from retailers, such as free movie tickets or frequent flyer points,” he said.

“Just be sure to check the rates as well as the energy fact sheet before signing up, as this way you’ll have an idea of what you’re in for. Remember, you may end up paying a little more than you would with one provider, but it’s also about finding the best value in a plan suitable to your circumstances. So if you’re a sports fan, then Alinta’s Kayo deal is hard to pass up, but these types of perks are only going to benefit you if you actually use them.”

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