"Sometimes you just can't help comparing" - Do you agree? What do you compare? You could win £250 by sharing your thoughts with E.ON NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Inspired by the new E.ON comparison tool, they have asked us to find out your views on comparing - not just energy consumption but in other aspects of your family life too.

E.ON says "How does your energy use stack up compared to other E.ON customers in your area? Now, if you manage your E.ON account online, you can find out with the Saving Energy Toolkit our new energy comparison tool to help you use no more than you need."

So, if you are an E.ON customer and manage your account online, check out the comparison tool and let us know how your energy use compares to similar E.ON customers homes near you. Has knowing this prompted you to make some changes to how you use energy in your home? If so, what sort of changes do you think you could make? What quick fixes could you make? What could you plan for the future?

If you're not an E.ON customer (or don't manage your account online) please share what sort of things you compare with other people or with things you read or see in your own life: does this make you ever change your own behaviour? For example: do you compare your child's lunchbox with his/her friends and get ideas for your own? Or do you ask friends what books they've enjoyed and then go onto buy/ borrow them yourself?

Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 voucher (a "Compliments voucher" (a multi-store gift voucher that can be spent at 130 retailers and 450 independent stores making up over 20,000 outlets nationwide).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ
For prize draw terms and conditions please click here - by posting on the thread you are agreeing to these terms

I tend to compare recipes with other people. I always come back from visiting friends with plenty of ideas for meals for my family.

Currently looking to reduce petrol costs, so I compare cars and their fuel economy with everyone. Still not found any car big enough that won't cost a fortune!

I compare many things
trying to live on a budget and at the same time buy for Christmas.
I look on price comparison websites and use blogs ect for best prices or deals.
I am currently looking for a decent food processor for mum for xmas present and doing all the shopping around at present and comparing prices.
Also keep an eye on petrol prices at all the stations near me to get cheapest.

I compare lots of things.

Prices on the Internet of most things I buy, especially high value items.

Electricity, gas, cars, supermarkets, holiday resorts.

I compare the price of more or less everything I buy. Drives DH mad when he's about to buy something and I say "I can get two of those for that price in Home Bargains elsewhere, put it back."

I do find energy price comparisons baffling though. So complicated and so many permutations, I just trust the comparison sites to do the maths for me.

I compare the prices of most things I buy by searching online or using mysupermarket for groceries, comparing petrol pump prices etc, but I've never done a comparison for utilities providers. I feel like I should, but we're serial short-medium term renters and have very little idea of what kind of usage we have.
It's not just prices I compare. If I'm looking for a new product, I'll seek advice from friend and online to compare the different options available to get the most suitable one for us and the best value for money.

"• The names of the winners can be obtained by writing to Matt Francis, Digital Team, E.ON Energy Solutions Limited, Newstead Court, Little Oak Drive, Sherwood"

The above is part of the terms and conditions of this particular competition. Could you tell us whether our real names are divulged to whomever asks to know, or just our screen nn? I know it's unlikely many people would bother to write in and ask, but it might make us traceable if we win.

Thanks.

I think comparisons are, and have always been, a part of everyday life. Is the weather today better or worse than yesterday? How does it compare with the forecast? Which would be cheaper for a holiday - France or Italy, cottage or caravan? Who is going to win the game / championship / competition? Why?

How are my children doing at school? Are they better than others? As good? Struggling?

Does my bum / tum / cankle look big in this? Too big? Anything like the model in the photo? Could I get away with that look / those trousers / that hair do at my age? Ever? Why not? Can she?

And then came the internet....and we can do it with everything: restaurants, books, films, prices, bargains, celebrity disgraces, grumpy looking cats, music......even mortgages and electricity and plane tickets and the price of a tin of beans.

I am not sure how I could get through a day without making some kind of comparison. Maybe I should give it a try...

I compare the idea of living on a desert island and living off of the land like the Swiss Family Robinson, as opposed to paying silly rising gas and leccy prices.

I compare recipes and shopping prices with friends.

I compare most things - I'm not obsessed but I think it's quite natural to compare little things with other people. I do compare bills especially - takes ages to choose home/car insurance as I make sure I've compared all possible options to make sure I'm getting a good deal. I also compare my gas/electric regularly and switch whenever I can get a better deal. I am happy to say I have no loyalty to any company for anything! :)

I also compare the price of EVERYTHING as I am always really skint. I also compare my breasts with my colleagues

I try not to compare my kids as it is not a productive exercise and only makes everyone feel bad

I compare the price of big ticket items online, and try and get a price match if I can.
I compare my parenting with the way my parents did things. For example the way I treat my son or the family outings we have. I have some lovely memories of being a kid and I want the same for my boy.

New swimming costume this weekend, too low cut for my taste and too late to change (online purchase!!) I spent a few minutes comparing cleavage (a largely reassuring exercise :))before remembering that it was none of their business or mine!

I already use very little energy (£50 a month DD dual fuel based on regular readings), but I research deals on pretty much everything, I can usually find a cashback or discount voucher for things I'm buying.
Last month I got my home & contents down by £40, plus £60 cashback, plus £2 for using a comparison site (even though I didn't buy through them).
I love knowing that I've got a good deal, and the money I save goes towards reducing the mortgage, this saving even more in the long run.

I compare energy bills not easy in NI as we have limited places to compare

I also compare all my previous bills so even though E.ON isn't in NI if you provide an ongoing 'compare your usage' I love that kind of service assuming your builders/landlord/energy company hasn't labelled your meter as you neighbours

Nothing like spending over 5yrs being careful with your leccy only to find you were paying your neighbours bill & vice versa

Other than that my main treat spend is eating out - so restaurant get a lot of comparing in our house!

I tend not to compare things with other people.

I'm a data, rather than an anecdote person for most purposes. If I want to know the fuel efficiency of something I'll look up stats, online. If our neighbours have brand x, their experience isn't going to help us work out whether brand y is any good for us, after all.

I compare prices in the supermarket. Not always easy. If there is a bag of apples marked by price each, I will weigh the bag to compare with the one which is priced per KG.

And very often I find that the ones on "offer" are NOT the cheapest

I have just started online shopping for food and use a comparison site... It can be quite confusing but I need to be more careful where my money is going.

I rarely venture into real live shops, and especially this time of year, spend all day peruse the bargain threads and then all the code sites before reaching for my credit card.

and yes, I do compare my dd's class results with her best friend's

I compare a lot of things, like the cost of large items I am going to buy and value for money. But, I also compare silly things, like does my sister have a nicer kettle than I do or more interesting food in her fridge! She shops at Waitrose and I shop at the Co-op - she has more interesting cheese than I do....the list is endless! I compare my husband with my sisters other half - is he more generous/fitter/helpful around the house? The list of comparisons is endless!

As I'm not the tallest person ever, at a mighty 5ft nothing, I compare my height with others on a regular basis.
Comparing with adults I fairly much always come off worse, so I've taken to comparing my height against that of children.
Sadly that means I now know I'm shorter than some 9 year olds.
I'm sure they didn't make children that big before.