First, we gave you access to spot prices, and fair, transparent pricing. Now, we’re bringing you a better way to pay for your power! (#winning)

Introducing Bill Smoother (formerly Volt), a clever budgeting tool designed in-house to help you budget and save a little for those times when power bills move upwards. Just what our Flicksters have been asking for!

So, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

What is Bill Smoother?

Bill Smoother’s a tool tucked inside your Flick mobile app and on your web dashboard. It lets you choose a regular amount to contribute each billing period - this is your ‘Contribution Amount’.

When your power bills are less than the Contribution Amount you’ve set, the difference will go into your Bill Smoother account as credit. For power bills that are more than the Contribution Amount you’ve set, your credit will automatically kick in to pay the difference. Seriously smooth!

By paying a bit extra during the summer months – when power usage is typically lower and bills are typically cheaper – you’ll be stashing money away so that when you have a bill that’s higher than normal you can automatically dip into your Bill Smoother stash to help pay for it. And because you’re paying a regular amount on a regular basis, it’s nice and easy to manage your household budget.

We’ve really aimed to make Bill Smoother as user-friendly as possible. As we mentioned above, it’s easy to set-up in your Flick mobile app or on your web dashboard, and you can see when you’ve added to it, and when it’s been used.

Set Bill Smoother up in 2 simple steps:

1 - Crunch the numbers To find the right amount to set for your Contribution Amount, we recommend you use your average bill spend. You can calculate that in a few ways:

• Using your previous bills: Add together all of your bills for the last 12 months then divide this by your billing cycle – for example, dividing by 52 for weekly, 26 for fortnightly, and 12 for monthly. You can find your past Flick bills by heading to the ‘Bills’ tab of your Flick web dashboard or mobile app You can find your past Flick bills by heading to the ‘Bills’ tab of your Flick web dashboard or mobile app. OR
• If you don’t have all your bills: Take one of your previous non-winter bills and add an extra 20% (multiply it by 1.2). OR
• Need help?: If you’re unsure, give us a call and we’ll help you work it out.

2 - Set your Bill Smoother Contribution Amount To set your Contribution Amount, head to the Flick web dashboard or mobile app > Bills > Take a look at Bill Smoother > Setup Bill Smoother and punch in the number!

How do I get my money back?

If you need your Bill Smoother credit refunded to you, you can contact us on 0800 435 425 or hello@flickelectric.co.nz to request a credit refund. We will look at your debt balance, the timing of upcoming bills, and how much is in your Bill Smoother stash, to make a plan with you. If you are leaving Flick, any possible refund will be processed after your final bill is calculated. Check out the Bill Smoother Terms & Conditions for more details.

How long do I have to lock in Bill Smoother for?

You don’t have to lock it in! Like everything with us, you have the power. That means you can open, pause or close your Bill Smoother at any time. And you can change your Contribution Amount in your Flick web dashboard or mobile app any time, and the change will take place after the next Sunday. You’re the boss!

Disclaimer - in July 2021 we changed the name of our tool from Volt to Bill Smoother, to help customers better understand what it does and how to use it.!