Over 16 million Australians striving to slash winter energy bills
Energy customers are taking matters into their own hands to reduce the cost of their bills in time for winter, according to new research from Finder.
The new nationally representative survey of 1,000 respondents found a whopping 85% of Australians will take specific action to save money on energy costs this winter.
The survey reveals switching off the lights more often (56%) is the number one way customers plan to save money.
Wearing extra clothes (49%), switching off unused appliances (48%) and only heating the room in use (40%) round out the top four most popular tactics.
Interestingly, more women (55%) than men (40%) are planning to save money by switching off unused appliances.
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Graham Cooke, energy specialist at Finder, said that Australians can take steps to warm up without blowing the budget.
"Colder weather can really heat up your energy bill if you're not careful.
"Running the thermostat at full temperature for hours on end is going to push up the cost of your quarterly power bill, and no one wants to pay more than necessary," he said.
Finder analysis shows heaters cost the average household almost $300 to run per month.
Taking a shorter shower (32%), using an electric blanket instead of a heater (16%) and switching energy providers (13%) are further tactics customers are planning to use to cut back on costs.
Cooke said the trick to saving money is to be strategic about how you heat your home.
"Maintain your heater at the optimal temperature – usually 22–23 degrees – and only heat the rooms you'll be using. Every degree or two could save you 10% on your costs.
"Otherwise, rug up in an extra layer of clothing, drape a doona or electric blanket over the couch or snuggle up with a hot water bottle.
"If your workplace has implemented a blended return to work, consider heading into the office on extra cold days to make the most of the heating there," Cooke said.
When it came to how long Australians plan to use their heater for each day during winter, Finder's research found the average length was 4 hours and 35 minutes.
Millennials are set to be hit with the highest energy bill during the cooler months, with the smashed avo loving generation planning to have their heater turned on the longest (5 hours and 35 minutes per day) compared to gen X (4 hours and 40 minutes) and gen Z (4 hours and 25 minutes).
Baby boomers are planning to use their heaters the least, at just 3.5 hours per day.
| What do you plan to do to save money on energy this winter? | |
|---|---|
| Switch off the lights more | 56% |
| Wear extra clothes | 49% |
| Switch off unused appliances | 48% |
| Only heat the room I'm using | 40% |
| Take shorter showers | 32% |
| Use an electric blanket instead of a heater | 16% |
| Nothing | 15% |
| Switch energy providers | 13% |