Dollar Saver tip #45
Save: $149.20
Tip overview:
Electricity bills are skyrocketing. But there are a few incredibly easy lifestyle changes you can make to help offset some of this pain.
Rising electricity bills are putting pressure on household budgets.
If you haven't received your power bill yet, you might be in for a shock.
As of 1 July the "default market offer" went up by at least 20%, although it can be more depending on which state you live in.
Did you know?
Finder's research shows the average electricity bill is $373 a quarter. Meanwhile 29% of Australians say their energy bill was one of their 3 most stressful expenses last month.
So what can you do about this?
The first thing you can do is unplug your appliances at the wall.
The Department of the Environment and Energy says appliances that aren't switched off, so are on standby, add 3% to your power bills.
Energy Australia puts this estimate closer to 10%.
So if you take the average of $373 a quarter ($1,492 a year), you're actually giving your electricity provider between $44.76 to $149.20 per year, just because you leave your devices plugged in when you aren't using them.
Here are a few lifestyle changes you can make to lower your power bills:
- Make sure you unplug devices from the powerpoint. The easiest way to see if your device is using a little bit of electricity is to check for a light. Anything with a light should be switched off when you aren't using it.
- Use your appliances during off-peak times. If you're on a time of use tariff, take advantage of it by running heavy appliances such as your washing machine during the day when less people are on the network.
- Hang your clothes. Unfortunately, clothes dryers use a lot of energy. If you can, hang clothes outside or use a fan to help them indoors.