Is it really better to bundle utilities together in order to receive one single bill, or are there advantages to dealing with separate companies for each utility? Whatever the last bill you received was for, the chances are high that it was more than you'd prefer it to have been.
At the moment we're all hunting around for cheaper gas and electricity, the best value broadband packages and the lowest price on all our utilities.
In recent years the recommendation has often been to bundle utilities into one single package that offers cheaper gas and electricity as well as savings on all your other utilities, with just one single bill rather than reams of paperwork everywhere.
Certainly the idea sounds appealing, but what is the reality, and is it the right option for everyone? I've been asking people what their particular bug bears are with regard to utilities in general, and after looking at the responses it seems that there are five main areas which often prove troubling.
The first is the sheer price.
Gas and electricity prices continue to rise, and whilst broadband gets faster every week, the bills seem to be coming in faster too, and with enough zeros after the main balance to make you think it's been written out in binary.
The second issue is call centres - specifically non-UK call centres.
Calling a local or regional telephone number only to be transferred halfway round the world to someone who's about as remote from your problem as it's possible to get is a real problem for many of us.
Thirdly there's the issue of convenience.
It's such a challenge trying to compare half a dozen different utilities such as gas, electricity, broadband, telephone, mobile and such like, and then comparing these against prices and plans from a dozen or more different suppliers.
It can just seem like too much effort for the sake of a few pence or even a few pounds.
Fourthly there's the customer service.
Often it can seem less like 'customer' service and more like 'trying-to-get-customers-off-the-phone-as-quickly-as-possible' service.
They're getting your money each month, what more can you expect? Finally the fifth bug bear also relates to convenience, but with the bills.
Every company calculates bills differently, they all come out at different times and half the time you don't know what to expect, or when.
This can make it very difficult to plan or budget, or even compare how much you're really paying compared to alternative suppliers.
So bearing these five issues in mind, all of which seem to be fairly common problems people are facing, is it better to bundle utilities and receive a single bill, or are we actually better off dealing with separate companies for now? There are several companies offering the chance to bundle utilities into a single bill, with cheaper gas and electricity, best value broadband and a range of benefits.
But comparing these is a good deal easier than comparing dozens of separate utility suppliers.
A few of them have UK call centres, which immediately ticks the box for many people, and there are even one or two which have award winning customer service, which makes a refreshing change.
But perhaps the most telling point is the savings that can be made.
There's no doubt that when you bundle utilities you save money.
After all, there's a good deal less administration involved, and as with many services, the more you sign up for the greater the overall saving.
Often with each utility you bundle the amount you save increases - an option lacking when you have to deal with half a dozen separate companies.
Having one single bill is certainly an advantage for many people, helping them plan and budget more effectively.
Knowing how much you're paying (and how much you're saving) and knowing when to expect your one single bill each month takes a good deal of stress out of trying to balance the books.
So if you're concerned about the prices you're currently paying to separate companies, then bundle your utilities and save.
If it's UK call centres you're after, switch to a UK utilities provider that lets you bundle utilities and speaks the same language you do.
Finally, if you're looking for award winning customer service there's one simple way of testing a company - call them.
How quickly do they answer the phone? How demanding are they, or how friendly and happy to answer your questions are they? Where are they based? How easy can they make it for you to understand how much you could save, and how convenient will they make the switchover for you? Those companies which offer you the chance to bundle utilities and have one single bill have a greater reason to deliver award winning customer service, so try it and see.
You having nothing to lose, but potentially you have a great deal to gain.