[earthsalt]

Technology has made it possible to embrace prepaid terms even for unconventional services and products. The prepaid electricity meter is now a reality in many parts of the world.
What do you make of this technological trend?

[skpeter]

Not a big fan of prepaid methods personally, but I respect those who are. If you can and want to restrain yourself on what you spend, it makes your life easier.

[Gina145]

The only thing I've ever used prepaid is my cellphone. The reason for that is that I carry it almost exclusively for emergency use, so I'm not prepared to spend a lot of money on a contract. I certainly wouldn't want prepaid electricity.

[peachpurple]

Really, prepaid electricity? What if the amount you had paid is insufficient, does it cut off the power? It is better to have use and pay electricity. Prepaid sim card for phone usage sounds more realistic

[sprite1950]

When I moved into my present house it had a prepaid electricity meter and I can see the attraction for those who struggle to pay large bills. However I found it really annoying if I was running short of electricity and couldn't get out to charge the key. I prefer to pay monthly by direct debit.

Really, prepaid electricity? What if the amount you had paid is insufficient, does it cut off the power? It is better to have use and pay electricity. Prepaid sim card for phone usage sounds more realistic

If you run out it will let you have £5 emergency (my currency) but when you charge the key again it takes off what you used while you were in emergency. If you use all your emergency allowance you get cut off until you charge the key again.

[Angie10]

I guess it must depend on where you live! I remember when we used to receive bills for our electricity in Botswana and it seemed to me that some months they just plucked random figures out of thin air, and you'd have to pay such extortionate sums it was unreal. Now most houses, most new builds come with a pre-paid metre and I LOVE it! Electricity has never been cheaper.

I stick the equivalent of say $100 and I can forget about it for about 5-6 months! I NEVER run out because I prefer to keep a hawk's eye on the metre, and while I see it happen to many people around me, I never get plunged in darkness because I never let my leckie fall below 250 units, which is enough to keep me going for about a week, anyway. You just have to be organised, that's all and it suits me to a T.

[germainebull]

Now most houses, most new builds come with a pre-paid metre and I LOVE it! Electricity has never been cheaper.

I am not sure if the prepaid electricity option is cheaper. I happen to have two electricity meters; a prepaid one for my city house and a postpaid one for a rural house. Every month, the bill amount seems to be similar for these two meters. This is despite that the consumption for my postpaid rural meter is way much less.

[Angie10]

Now most houses, most new builds come with a pre-paid metre and I LOVE it! Electricity has never been cheaper.

I am not sure if the prepaid electricity option is cheaper. I happen to have two electricity meters; a prepaid one for my city house and a postpaid one for a rural house. Every month, the bill amount seems to be similar for these two meters. This is despite that the consumption for my postpaid rural meter is way much less.

Trust me, @germainebull...Speaking from the Botswana perspective, it IS way cheaper to have a pre-paid metre! IDK anything about the situation in your country, but here I used to have to pay hundreds of Pula every single month. Yet fast forward to the pre-paid situation I'm so happy to be in, and all I do every 3 month is stick 500-Pula on my metre and it lasts me another 3 months! Yet I used to have to pay about that amount per month. I kid you not.

The billing system was so convoluted, I could never ever understand it. Neither could our provider for that matter. I stronly felt they may be plucking any old figure out of thin air. Now I also love the fact that I'm in control of how much electricity I consume. A lot of other people are also opting for pre-paid here.