Smooth your bill payments
To help keep your bill payments smooth all year, pay a bit extra during the summer months – when power usage is typically lower and bills are typically cheaper – to build up credit in your Bill Smoother account. When winter hits and bills rise, you can use that credit to help cover the costs. It’s an easy way to keep your payments steady!
When you set up your Bill Smoother, you’ll choose a regular amount to contribute each billing period. This is your ‘Contribution Amount’.
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 this in a few ways:
Using your previous bills: Add up all your bills for the last 12 months, then divide the total by your billing cycle – for example, divide 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. 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!
You can set up your Contribution Amount at any time, but doing it in the warmer months when your power bills are cheaper means you'll have time to build up credit before those high winter bills come knocking.
You can edit your Contribution Amount whenever you want – to make sure the change shows on your upcoming bill, edit your Contribution Amount before Sunday.
Watch Bill Smoother do its thing
Setting up your Bill Smoother? Tino pai! Here's how Bill Smoother does its thing:
For power bills that are less than the Contribution Amount you've set, the difference will go into your Bill Smoother account as credit.
For example:
Your Contribution Amount is set to $40.
Your power bill is $30.
We take payment of $30 to pay your bill, and $10 goes into your Bill Smoother credit.
For power bills that are more than the Contribution Amount you've set, we'll dip into your Bill Smoother credit to pay the difference. Seriously smooth!
For example:
Your Contribution Amount is set to $40.
Your power bill is $50.
We take payment of $40, and use $10 of your Bill Smoother credit to pay the rest of your power bill.
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FAQs
How do I set up my Bill Smoother account?
Go to the Bills tab in your Flick web dashboard or mobile app and click 'Setup Bill Smoother'. After you set your Contribution Amount, your Bill Smoother account will be activated for the next week starting on Monday.
How do I change my Bill Smoother Contribution Amount?
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.
If you want to pause your Bill Smoother for the week that we're in or you want to take your entire bill using your Bill Smoother stash, you'll need to give us a call.
Can I add a lump sum to Bill Smoother?
The way to do this is to add how much you want to put in to your Contribution Amount, and then change it back.
So if your Contribution Amount is $30 and you want to add $100, then make your Contribution Amount $130 for one week (before Sunday) and then change it back after the payment is taken on Thursday (but before Sunday).
Will I ever pay more than the amount I set my Bill Smoother Contribution Amount to?
Possibly, it depends on what you set your Contribution Amount to. Remember, you have all the control! Here are the things that could happen…
If your bill is lower than the Contribution Amount you’ve set: The difference goes into your Bill Smoother stash.
If your bill is higher than the Contribution Amount you’ve set: You will be charged the amount your Bill Smoother Contribution Amount is set to, and any outstanding balance will be covered by your Bill Smoother stash.
If your bill is higher than the amount your Contribution Amount is set to but there isn’t quite enough stashed in your Bill Smoother account: You will be charged the amount your Contribution Amount is set to, your Bill Smoother stash will be emptied, and we will take payment for any outstanding balance from your bank account or credit card.
How do I pause my Bill Smoother?
Head to the Bills tab and click ‘Your Bill Smoother Details’ and then ‘Your Bill Smoother Settings’, from there you should see the ‘Pause?’ option. Just a heads up – pausing might not take effect right away. If your next billing cycle starts on Tuesday, make sure to pause Bill Smoother before Sunday to see the changes on your upcoming bill!
When your Bill Smoother is paused, you’ll go back to paying the same amount as your bill on Thursday. If you have any Bill Smoother credit available at the time your Bill Smoother account is paused, we’ll continue to apply that credit to the portion of your upcoming bills that exceeds your Contribution Amount until it’s used up.
When you reactivate your Bill Smoother account, the Contribution Amount you’ve set will start again on the next Thursday cycle.
Remember you can always reduce your Contribution Amount if you find you're paying too much or need to reduce your outgoings.
Is there a limit to how much I can have in my Bill Smoother?
You can have up to $500 credit in your Bill Smoother account. If you reach this threshold, we'll automatically stop your contributions.
Can I get my credit 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.