Yesterday was one of those nights when insomnia sets in in the middle of the night. During such moments, I like to revisit phenomena that I have found challenging to understand before. Usually, these are the kind things that I believe should be easy to understand, but which I have found challenging to wrap my mind around.
Now I have a tendency to quantify everything, a habit that might seem like an obsession to some, but which is understandable given that I have a science background. Despite being a quantifying freak, there are two items that I have found very challenging: determining how much I pay for water and electricity (pre-paid meter). Admittedly, this situation is quite embarrassing. However, I realized that I had no hopes of establishing how much I pay for electricity, not because I used to avoid mathematics classes, but because the pre-paid meter tariff scheme is too convoluted to carry in the head. Now think about paying KSh 2.00 per Unit for 0 - 50 Units bought; KSh 8.10 per Unit for 51-1,500 Units bought; and KSh 18.57 per Unit for Units bought above 1,500.Not very friendly to someone who needs a minute or so to calculate his age.
This predicament prompted me to come up with a scheme that will ensure that I do not pay more than I should for electricity. For simplicity, we are going to call it The Golden Meter Rule which states: To avoid paying more for power, time your power purchases such that you have almost zero units left at the end of the month. Now I will not go into explanations, just trust me as you trusted Newton with his law of gravity and recite the rule in the same breathe as you would his laws of motion. It will save you a few shillings after all.
Hizo monthly standing charges ndio sielewangi.i think the best technique ni kununua 200 at the begining of the month to settle the standing charge. Then buy 50 units at the rate youve mentioned.
I see am not alone, been doing that for months now.Tried to explain to wife why I was buying units worth 200 bob when it nears month end, she couldn’t grasp.I gave up and continued doing my thing.
Am kwa ile monthly billing na I think the guys are still thievy there. Why is it that even after stupid KP engineers said fuel bill must drop to zero by now imeendelea kupanda.
If i buy 50 units at the price of KSh 2.00 per Unit on 28th february and use the units until 5th April will I pay standing charge ya march pamoja na ya April if i buy more units on 6th April?
For those who wonder why is it that when you top up more than once a month the units tend to reduce with each top up. Here is why:
The first time in the month you buy a token, you are charged monthly standing fee plus other charges (Fuel, Forex, Inflation, REP, ERC, and VAT). Any other time you buy tokens within the same month, you will not be charged the standing fee but the top ups will attract VAT charges.
Tax is a mandatory on any top up so, limit the top ups you make in a month
If you exceed 50 units in a month, you will be charged at a much higher rate of sh. 8.1 per unit other than the usual sh.2
If you have units that run over to the following month and you do not purchase any token for let’s say three months, be ready for a huge debt in the name of accrued monthly standing fee unpaid for the three months.