Top 10 Tips To Save On Your Electricity Bill

Every month your bills keep piling up. Finding ways to reduce your costs, trying to understand the jargon, and dealing with the life admin can leave you feeling stressed. To make things harder, electricity prices across Australia are at an all-time high. Making sense of your bill, and then what to do about it, can sometimes feel like “mission impossible”.

At iSelect, we’re here to help! In this article, you’ll learn 10 tips for saving money on your electricity bill. They’re practical tips that almost anyone can benefit from. Let’s dive in!

1. It’s All About The Lighting

As a child, did your parents ever ask you to turn off the light when you left the room? They knew it was a simple way to reduce unnecessary use of energy, and save money on their electricity bill. Better still, aside from turning off the light, consider switching to energy efficient LED bulbs.

According to Energy Rating¹, LED bulbs:

• Use 75 per cent less energy
• Last significantly longer than incandescent and halogen bulbs
• Produce better light

A small change by swapping out ten halogen light bulbs can lead to savings of up to $650 over ten years¹.

Also, instead of having the lights on all the time, try task lighting. For example, if you’re working from your desk, try a desk lamp. And if you’re binge-watching the latest Netflix show, turn off the lights. It’ll create a more cinematic atmosphere anyway.

2. Cook Up Savings In The Kitchen

With so much happening in the kitchen, it’s one of the main electrical hubs in your home. And there’s a couple of simple ways you can reduce your electricity use in this space, which could amount to real savings.

Fridge

Your fridge is running 24 hours a day and uses significant electricity. Check that the seal is airtight. A leaky seal lets cold air escape and results in an increase in energy usage, and therefore a higher electricity bill.

Next, make sure you set the temperature to between 4 to 5 degrees for the fridge, and the freezer is between minus 15 to minus 18 degrees, for optimal performance.

Cooking

Each morning, put any frozen food in your fridge which you plan on cooking in the evening. This may result in a reduced cooking time and a greater savings on your bill.

Use a microwave oven, electric fry pan, or a pressure cooker instead of a traditional electric oven – simply because they require less energy².

3. Check Your Thermostat

Your thermostat functions as the heart of your home – your personalised weather centre. Most people just set it and forget it. If you don’t have your settings optimised, it can end up costing you money. Ideally, you should set your thermostat between 18 and 21 degrees. Also, every degree lower may reduce running costs by up to 10%³.

4. Upgrade Your Powerboard

If you’re using a regular powerboard to connect all of your devices, then it’s most likely wasting energy. Consider replacing your old powerboards with new smart docking stations, as they help to reduce wasted energy while your devices are on standby.

As standby mode uses energy, you should turn off your appliances before you go to sleep for higher savings.

5. Change How You Wash And Dry Your Clothes

By using cold water to wash clothes, you may be able to save on your electricity bill. Also, be sure to select the shortest washing cycle possible, and wait until you have a full load before doing a wash.

Clothes dryers are one of the biggest electricity users in the home. Just by using your clothes line instead of the clothes dryer once a week, you could save up to $79 per year ⁴.

6. Open Curtains & Close Doors

If it’s sunny outside, turn off the lights, open your curtains and let some natural sunlight inside! Keep doors closed to rooms which you’re using, and only heat or cool rooms where you spend the most time.

● During Winter – make sure your windows are sealed properly to keep in heat.
● During Summer – keep curtains closed throughout the day for a cooler house.

7. Get An In-Home Energy Assessment

The most effective way to determine what appliances in your home are contributing to high energy bills is by getting an in-home energy assessment.

Find out how to easily save energy in your home, as well as saving on your bills with a home sustainability assessment⁵.

8. Install Roof Insulation

Heat escapes through the roof, making your heater have to work overtime, and increasing the price of your electricity bill.

Having an insulated ceiling helps retain the heat. It can also have a big difference on your electricity bill, by saving you up to 20% on your heating and cooling expenses per year⁶.

9. Compare electricity plans

A quick way to save on your electricity bill, without changing your habits is to compare the cost of offers from electricity providers. You can compare electricity plans online from iSelect’s range of providers*, where you’ll be able to clearly see different plans side by side. Or you can call us on 13 19 20 to speak with one of our trained consultants.

10. Save Money Using Solar Energy

While there is an initial upfront cost associated with solar energy, in the long run, it can end up saving you money on your electricity bill. Using solar electricity lets you avoid buying energy directly from a retailer⁷.

Ready to see if you can save money on your electricity?

Organise your electricity the easy way. Compare electricity plans online with iSelect, or feel free to give us a call on 13 19 20. We can help you compare plans from our range of providers*, as well as help with the time-consuming admin of switching for you.

*We don’t compare all energy providers or plans in the market. The availability of plans will change from time to time. Not all plans available from our providers are compared by iSelect and due to commercial arrangements or availability, not all products compared by iSelect will be available to all customers. Some plans are available only from our call centre and others are available only from our website. Energy plans are available only for properties located in eligible areas of Victoria, New South Wales, South East Queensland, South Australia and ACT. Click here to view our range of providers.

Sources:
1. http://www.energyrating.gov.au/products/lighting
2. http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/energy/appliances-equipment/energy-efficient-appliances/cook-efficiently
3. https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/using-saving-energy/heating
4. http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/guides/reduce-your-energy-bills?page=3
5. http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/guides/reduce-your-energy-bills?page=3
6. https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/You-and-Your-Home/Building-and-renovating/Insulation
7. https://www.victorianenergysaver.vic.gov.au/save-energy-and-money/saving-with-solar