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Tip Store: Utilities: Electricity
Save Money on Torch Batteries for Blackouts
We are hearing that this summer we are facing increasing power blackouts. Batteries are now so expensive for torches and candles are not safe with young children and pets. I purchased from Bunnings four single solar garden lights on stakes. I put them in a flower pot on my front porch being charged free from the sun. We had an eight hour blackout a few weeks ago and I was able to bring them inside and we had free lighting. I had 1 for the bathroom, kitchen, lounge and hallway. The children loved carrying their solar torches around the house.
Contributed by Jenny Adams
Contributed by Jenny Adams
Take Out the Batteries
For battery operated gadgets that don't get used all the time - like label makers, can openers, fuzz removers and the like, remove the batteries each time you are finished using the gadget. I keep the batteries nearby to the gadget, but I have found it extends the battery life if they are disconnected from the gadget when not in use.
Contributed by Barb McGovern
Contributed by Barb McGovern
Saving Power on Outdoor Lighting
I was cleaning out our Christmas lights when I came across some clear solar lights we use at Christmas time. I decided to set them up under our pergola. They receive enough light during the day and automatically come on when it starts to get dark. No more having to switch outside lights on so cutting down on electricity costs. They don’t cost very much and were purchased at Bunnings.
Contributed by Maureen Williams
Contributed by Maureen Williams
Sunny Electricity Savings
Because of the expected increased electricity prices I have decided to nip my electricity use and costs in the bud by purchasing solar lights. Charge them up during the day and put them inside at night, perfect and I have lights in the hallway, toilet, and kitchen. In the one room I am using, the bedroom, I use a 100 lumen solar light. Works as a treat....... cannot wait for my next electricity bill.
Contributed by Anita K, 9th January 2018
Contributed by Anita K, 9th January 2018
Winding Up for Light
Instead of turning on lights when I move along the passage, or am just in the room to pick up something, I just use my recycleable torchlight.
It works brilliantly and costs nothing to use.
Contributed by Lesa Macd, 5th June 2016
Editor's note: We have wind-up torches (and a radio too) that we use when we are camping. They cost around $4 each from Kmart a couple of years ago and they are still going strong. Saves us having to remember to check and pack batteries for them too. I've given these as gifts to younger family members and they've been received with much excitement by children and parents alike. Cath
It works brilliantly and costs nothing to use.
Contributed by Lesa Macd, 5th June 2016
Editor's note: We have wind-up torches (and a radio too) that we use when we are camping. They cost around $4 each from Kmart a couple of years ago and they are still going strong. Saves us having to remember to check and pack batteries for them too. I've given these as gifts to younger family members and they've been received with much excitement by children and parents alike. Cath
Electricity Payment Card Helps with Budgeting
I have had a prepayment card for my electricity provider for many years now and by making regular payments into my electricity account I don't have to worry about paying out a large sum of money each electricity bill as I am always in credit, even in winter. Mine is called EasiPay Electricity Payment from Origin Energy and has a name, address and bar code on it. It took a while to build up to being in credit but by making regular affordable payments you will achieve it.
Contributed by Robyn Harrison, 2nd June 2016
Contributed by Robyn Harrison, 2nd June 2016
Save Boiling the Kettle
Rural China is not a place people have a lot of electricity or could afford it if they did. I noticed when travelling there a few years ago that when staying at hostels we were always presented with a large thermos flask (including tap dispenser) full of hot water. This was to make tea or coffee during the day or overnight. We were not provided with kettles. The thermos kept the water very hot for quite some time. I am not a tea or coffee drinker, but I wonder if this would work equally well in Australia to save boiling the kettle during the day. Other than that I know some people only put in the kettle only the amount of water needed for one cup or however many are needed in order to make tea or coffee. You would be surprised at how much quicker the kettle boils.
Contributed by Susan Czermk, 2nd June 2016
Contributed by Susan Czermk, 2nd June 2016
Christmas Lights = Electricity Savings
Approximate $ Savings: $60
After my husband was injured and lost his job money got very tight. To save money I bought solar Christmas lights at a post Christmas sale and solar table lamps at a garage sale. I used these in place of a lamp in lounge room at night and replaced all four night lights in kids' rooms. Saved us heaps and I no longer had to worry about the kids' night lights overheating during the night.
Contributed by Jodie Stafford, 26th March 2014
After my husband was injured and lost his job money got very tight. To save money I bought solar Christmas lights at a post Christmas sale and solar table lamps at a garage sale. I used these in place of a lamp in lounge room at night and replaced all four night lights in kids' rooms. Saved us heaps and I no longer had to worry about the kids' night lights overheating during the night.
Contributed by Jodie Stafford, 26th March 2014
Electricity Savings Using Solar
Approximate $ Savings: $400 a quarter
As a family of 7 our electricity bill used to be around $1,000 a quarter. I invested $40 for a pack of 20 solar lights from the hardware. During the day I leave them in the sun in the slots of up-turned milk crates. Then in the evening I bring the crates in and place the lights throughout the house. These are particularly useful in the hallways and upstairs. We rarely need to turn the lights on. It only takes a few minutes of my time each day. As we are on a smart metre system this saves electricity use during the peak time. By the time the solar lights begin to fade we are all asleep. Also, as we have solar panels on the roof that feed back into the grid to offset our bill, we clean the panels every few months to ensure we get maximum benefits. When the panels build up with dirt they are not as effective. Our bills have decreased to around $600 a quarter and the solar generation has increased.
Contributed by Anne Davis, 25th May 2013
As a family of 7 our electricity bill used to be around $1,000 a quarter. I invested $40 for a pack of 20 solar lights from the hardware. During the day I leave them in the sun in the slots of up-turned milk crates. Then in the evening I bring the crates in and place the lights throughout the house. These are particularly useful in the hallways and upstairs. We rarely need to turn the lights on. It only takes a few minutes of my time each day. As we are on a smart metre system this saves electricity use during the peak time. By the time the solar lights begin to fade we are all asleep. Also, as we have solar panels on the roof that feed back into the grid to offset our bill, we clean the panels every few months to ensure we get maximum benefits. When the panels build up with dirt they are not as effective. Our bills have decreased to around $600 a quarter and the solar generation has increased.
Contributed by Anne Davis, 25th May 2013
Save Electricity by Using Your Elbow Grease
I like to try and cut my electricity bill down as much as possible and my creed is that "every little bit helps". I have an old fashioned egg beater and only use my electric cake mixer when really necessary. I also have a carpet sweeper and use that for quick clean-ups instead getting the big vacuum cleaner out all the time (or the dust buster which I unplugged because of always needing to be re-charged). I am also super-vigilant about lights and TV's etc. being on.
Contributed by Kathereine Scott, 1st March 2013
Contributed by Kathereine Scott, 1st March 2013
Watching Electricity and Gas Bills Go Down!
Approximate $ Savings: $70+ one each bill
After receiving yet another notice that our electricity prices were increasing I prepared to do the ring around. I came across the website for Energy Watch www.energywatch.com.au (phone: 139382). They were able to find an electricity provider that would charge me less and also offer a 30% unconditional discount. On my last bill that would have saved me an additional $76. I currently receive a 10% pay on time discount. Even if I have to break contract with my current provider this will only cost $20, only a third of my saving from one bill. For gas they found a provider who could offer a 14% conditional discount, 8% unconditional, 4% for paying on time and an extra 2% for having my bill direct debited. I currently receive a 7% pay on time discount. They explained all the conditions to me clearly including termination fees etc. and I will still have a 10 day cooling off period after I receive the paper work, just incase I change my mind. Such a great outcome and all I did was fill out an online form, they called the next day.
Contributed by Kellie Davis, 24th January 2013
Website: www.energywatch.com.au
After receiving yet another notice that our electricity prices were increasing I prepared to do the ring around. I came across the website for Energy Watch www.energywatch.com.au (phone: 139382). They were able to find an electricity provider that would charge me less and also offer a 30% unconditional discount. On my last bill that would have saved me an additional $76. I currently receive a 10% pay on time discount. Even if I have to break contract with my current provider this will only cost $20, only a third of my saving from one bill. For gas they found a provider who could offer a 14% conditional discount, 8% unconditional, 4% for paying on time and an extra 2% for having my bill direct debited. I currently receive a 7% pay on time discount. They explained all the conditions to me clearly including termination fees etc. and I will still have a 10 day cooling off period after I receive the paper work, just incase I change my mind. Such a great outcome and all I did was fill out an online form, they called the next day.
Contributed by Kellie Davis, 24th January 2013
Website: www.energywatch.com.au
Year of Financial Responsibility
Approximate $ Savings: $500 per year
This year is the year of Financial Responsibility for my family and we are really making progress reducing our spending and debt – secretly I'm a little bit proud of us. Last week my focus was on my electricity and gas bills. I set up a simple spreadsheet (but you could use paper, pen and calculator) to understand the components of my bill (KWh (elect), MJ (gas), Supply charges (E&G)). I listed all the rates I was being charged, then used i-select, energy watch and several other providers to find out their “best” rates, which I listed against my current charges. I was surprised that even my current supplier had a better deal going than I was paying! Discounts increased if you paid on time, direct debited, both electricity and gas with same provider etc. I calculated my usage each year (using my bills) and used each supplier's rates to find out my yearly cost. I've now changed providers with one simple phone call and although I have committed to a two year contract, my rates are guaranteed for that period and won't change and I calculated I have saved myself $500 every year just for two hours of my time...totally loving that... secretly ;-)
Contributed by Elise Jones, 19th May 2012
This year is the year of Financial Responsibility for my family and we are really making progress reducing our spending and debt – secretly I'm a little bit proud of us. Last week my focus was on my electricity and gas bills. I set up a simple spreadsheet (but you could use paper, pen and calculator) to understand the components of my bill (KWh (elect), MJ (gas), Supply charges (E&G)). I listed all the rates I was being charged, then used i-select, energy watch and several other providers to find out their “best” rates, which I listed against my current charges. I was surprised that even my current supplier had a better deal going than I was paying! Discounts increased if you paid on time, direct debited, both electricity and gas with same provider etc. I calculated my usage each year (using my bills) and used each supplier's rates to find out my yearly cost. I've now changed providers with one simple phone call and although I have committed to a two year contract, my rates are guaranteed for that period and won't change and I calculated I have saved myself $500 every year just for two hours of my time...totally loving that... secretly ;-)
Contributed by Elise Jones, 19th May 2012
Four Steps to Huge Electricity Savings
Approximate $ Savings: $240 per quarter
Electricity Blues hit once too hard earlier this year and so we HAD to find a way to cut costs. These three things alone cut our ever increasing bill by $240 and it has stayed off. The electricity company suggested we look at our hot water consumption as it can contribute up to 40% of the total bill. This is what we did: 1. Laundry - Discovered my Electrolux WM has a night time button - only one load a night but a full load every night - even if I have to hunt down dirty clothes. Family sorts their dirty clothes into a)towels/sheets, b)whites, c)colours, d)blacks/darks in four baskets in laundry. Each night the largest load is washed. If they are all a bit low then I will wash the bath mats etc. The wash cycle including heating is all done after 10pm on off peak and every morning is a load ready to HANG OUT! For a family of four grown-ups that equals about 11 washes a fortnight - the night/morning without a load is a good time to iron. I keep an inside line available for wet days and this has helped me banish the folding pile as one load every afternoon is not too much to fold and put away (a surprise bonus!) 2. Dishwasher - same thing, it is run at night, every night, before we go to bed. Emptied every morning and then conveniently restacked as we use dishes during the day (benches stay clear). Again another bonus as we wake up to a tidy kitchen each morning (no more yuk blues at breakfast) and this is helping our kids appreciate routines. For all pots and baking dishes they are emptied after cooking and immediately rinsed and scrubbed - OHIO principle (Only Handle It Once) works beautifully - while it is still in your hands is the perfect time to clean and dry and put it away and takes less than a minute usually. I figured out that it is going to be heated again the next time we cook with it so I got over my obsessive 'has to be sparkling and sterile' phase (pre children and back in the heady days of take away most nights, the pots and pans were sparkling and sterile!) 3. Hot Water Tank - I had my husband locate the switch on our power board and now every morning I switch it off and then every evening after 10pm I switch it on again before bed at night - I think I found this in one of your letters Cath :) 4. I know I said three but I have to add that following Cheapskates weekly newsletter keeps me focused on not spending and we are all working on the saving part now. I couldn't separate these tips as they all were implemented at the same time which resulted in the huge saving off of our bill. Contributed by Angie Fimmano, 29th December 2011
Electricity Blues hit once too hard earlier this year and so we HAD to find a way to cut costs. These three things alone cut our ever increasing bill by $240 and it has stayed off. The electricity company suggested we look at our hot water consumption as it can contribute up to 40% of the total bill. This is what we did: 1. Laundry - Discovered my Electrolux WM has a night time button - only one load a night but a full load every night - even if I have to hunt down dirty clothes. Family sorts their dirty clothes into a)towels/sheets, b)whites, c)colours, d)blacks/darks in four baskets in laundry. Each night the largest load is washed. If they are all a bit low then I will wash the bath mats etc. The wash cycle including heating is all done after 10pm on off peak and every morning is a load ready to HANG OUT! For a family of four grown-ups that equals about 11 washes a fortnight - the night/morning without a load is a good time to iron. I keep an inside line available for wet days and this has helped me banish the folding pile as one load every afternoon is not too much to fold and put away (a surprise bonus!) 2. Dishwasher - same thing, it is run at night, every night, before we go to bed. Emptied every morning and then conveniently restacked as we use dishes during the day (benches stay clear). Again another bonus as we wake up to a tidy kitchen each morning (no more yuk blues at breakfast) and this is helping our kids appreciate routines. For all pots and baking dishes they are emptied after cooking and immediately rinsed and scrubbed - OHIO principle (Only Handle It Once) works beautifully - while it is still in your hands is the perfect time to clean and dry and put it away and takes less than a minute usually. I figured out that it is going to be heated again the next time we cook with it so I got over my obsessive 'has to be sparkling and sterile' phase (pre children and back in the heady days of take away most nights, the pots and pans were sparkling and sterile!) 3. Hot Water Tank - I had my husband locate the switch on our power board and now every morning I switch it off and then every evening after 10pm I switch it on again before bed at night - I think I found this in one of your letters Cath :) 4. I know I said three but I have to add that following Cheapskates weekly newsletter keeps me focused on not spending and we are all working on the saving part now. I couldn't separate these tips as they all were implemented at the same time which resulted in the huge saving off of our bill. Contributed by Angie Fimmano, 29th December 2011
Switch it Off During the Day
Approximate $ Savings: $15 a day
I have found living on farm the power costs more so now I turn my water pump off overnight and if we are not home, it saves me around $20 a day. The bigger the pump the more it uses. The same goes for the electric hot water, turn it off on the power box as I found mine runs all the time. First thing I turn it off and late at night it goes back on, when to warm it up is cheaper. It dropped my power bill over $200 in the first quarter and it is so quick and simple and so easy to do.
Contributed by Amy Brady, 15th January 2011
I have found living on farm the power costs more so now I turn my water pump off overnight and if we are not home, it saves me around $20 a day. The bigger the pump the more it uses. The same goes for the electric hot water, turn it off on the power box as I found mine runs all the time. First thing I turn it off and late at night it goes back on, when to warm it up is cheaper. It dropped my power bill over $200 in the first quarter and it is so quick and simple and so easy to do.
Contributed by Amy Brady, 15th January 2011
Save Money, Turn Off Hot Water Storage Unit When You Don't Need Hot Water
Approximate $ Savings: 25%-33% off electricity bill
My tip is for people who have an electric hot water storage unit. When not needed turn it off, otherwise its money down the drain. My two sons have just moved into a rental that has a hot water storage unit. I explained to them that if they both shower at night after work and turned the unit on for half - one hour to heat the water, they could shower and then turn it off until needed the next night. Why have it on heating water for the other twenty-three and a half hours a day, what a waste. When I moved out of the marital home some sixteen years ago I did the same and the savings were incredible, at least 25%-33% off the bill. That's money in my pocket, where I like it to be. My advice to people is do it and prove it to yourself .
Contributed by Sherrie C., 18th July 2010
My tip is for people who have an electric hot water storage unit. When not needed turn it off, otherwise its money down the drain. My two sons have just moved into a rental that has a hot water storage unit. I explained to them that if they both shower at night after work and turned the unit on for half - one hour to heat the water, they could shower and then turn it off until needed the next night. Why have it on heating water for the other twenty-three and a half hours a day, what a waste. When I moved out of the marital home some sixteen years ago I did the same and the savings were incredible, at least 25%-33% off the bill. That's money in my pocket, where I like it to be. My advice to people is do it and prove it to yourself .
Contributed by Sherrie C., 18th July 2010
Electricity Free Night Lights
My kids, 2 and 3, like to have a night light. Unfortunately, we have had many unsuccessful experiences of purchasing a special 'night light' and it not lasting for too long for what ever the reason. They've also required electricity to run. I was recently shopping in Target and looking at a clearance section which included 10 small solar power garden lights at a considerably low cost. Walking away my lights suddenly went on: they'll provide just the right amount of light, will not get hot, would be child safe and most importantly, they don't have to be outside at night. So with that, we now use garden solar power lights as night lights, it's saving electricity, is better on the environment and a great toddler task to make sure they're put out side and brought in each morning and night to get the best possible light!
Contributed by Catherine, Box Hill South, 30th May 2009
Energy Saving
We all know that to save energy we should switch things off when we are not using them! Of course everybody knows that..but did you know that until you turn it off at the plug the current is still active and a small amount of energy is being wasted? Over time this builds up; a little here and a little there so my tip is to actually break the circuit each time you have finished with an item. It can be a pain at first, unplugging and plugging things in but after a while it becomes a habit. What have you got to lose except dollars off your energy bill?
Contributed by Hazel, Pascoe Vale, 13th May 2009
Contributed by Hazel, Pascoe Vale, 13th May 2009
Let the Sun Be the Booster
Approximate $ Savings: $180 a quarter
We are renting, and the house we are in has a solar water heater. I thought this was fantastic, you know, saving money and the environment. Then we got our electricity bill. I couldn't believe it was over $400 but we had had lots of visitors and figured that was why. Talking to my partner one day about the cost and how I thought solar would help keeps costs down, he told me that the solar heater has an ELECTRIC booster in case there isn't enough sun. What we didn't realise was that this was on 24/7! So much for the solar savings! As the switch is in our laundry, I thought I would try leaving it switched off when we didn't need it, such as overnight and on hot days. I did this for three months, then when our latest electricity bill came in - $215! And that was with even more visitors staying and using electricity. And even better, I called the company to check it, and discovered they had been billing us incorrectly for a year and ended up with an $80 credit on our account!
Contributed by Erin, Abernethy, 28th April 2009
We are renting, and the house we are in has a solar water heater. I thought this was fantastic, you know, saving money and the environment. Then we got our electricity bill. I couldn't believe it was over $400 but we had had lots of visitors and figured that was why. Talking to my partner one day about the cost and how I thought solar would help keeps costs down, he told me that the solar heater has an ELECTRIC booster in case there isn't enough sun. What we didn't realise was that this was on 24/7! So much for the solar savings! As the switch is in our laundry, I thought I would try leaving it switched off when we didn't need it, such as overnight and on hot days. I did this for three months, then when our latest electricity bill came in - $215! And that was with even more visitors staying and using electricity. And even better, I called the company to check it, and discovered they had been billing us incorrectly for a year and ended up with an $80 credit on our account!
Contributed by Erin, Abernethy, 28th April 2009
Cutting the Cost on Household Bills
Approximate $ Savings: $300 per quarter
We had noticed our electricity has continued to jump from $300 to $500 and now $700 a quarter. We are also on stage four water restrictions and if we can drop our water consumption a little more our rates decline. In our household one of us is always home caring for our two kids while the other works, so our usage is probably higher than those where everyone leaves each day for work/school etc. So what we have been doing since the last bill of $700 arrived is turning off all appliances at the switch - everything - NO standby is our rule. The kettle, the toaster the washing machine, the computer, the TV, the heaters, the stereos, everything. Standby no longer exists in our house, if the TV is off, it is off at the switch, once we are up for the day, our clock radio is off at the switch, and we only turn it back on when we go to bed, only one of our two baby monitors is on during the day. If we all go out for the day, then before leaving we go through the entire house and turn everything off at the switch. This includes our house phone, if it is urgent everyone calls our mobile so there is no need for it to be on, we even turn it off overnight - for again our mobiles are on during the night. We were surprised just how many power points are always on. We also conserve water by having a fill mark on the bath for the kids to ensure we don't use more water than what is needed each night. Both children are now bathed together which they think is fun. The bath water is then used to water the veggie patch, even our three year old doesn't let anyone pull out the plug now, for he helps empty it onto the plants after bath time. This has dropped us into the cheaper rates for water. And we are all doing our part in green house gas emissions and reduction in water consumption. Our latest electricity bill just arrived, it is down to $300, which included two months of cold weather so the heaters were is use. Our house phone bill has also dropped for we no longer have phone calls to return. While it took a while to get into the habit, and yes it might take a few minutes before leaving the house to check every outlet, but the money you save and the impact to the environment are worth a few minutes of every day in my book.
Contributed by Naomi, Ballarat, 25th November 2008
We had noticed our electricity has continued to jump from $300 to $500 and now $700 a quarter. We are also on stage four water restrictions and if we can drop our water consumption a little more our rates decline. In our household one of us is always home caring for our two kids while the other works, so our usage is probably higher than those where everyone leaves each day for work/school etc. So what we have been doing since the last bill of $700 arrived is turning off all appliances at the switch - everything - NO standby is our rule. The kettle, the toaster the washing machine, the computer, the TV, the heaters, the stereos, everything. Standby no longer exists in our house, if the TV is off, it is off at the switch, once we are up for the day, our clock radio is off at the switch, and we only turn it back on when we go to bed, only one of our two baby monitors is on during the day. If we all go out for the day, then before leaving we go through the entire house and turn everything off at the switch. This includes our house phone, if it is urgent everyone calls our mobile so there is no need for it to be on, we even turn it off overnight - for again our mobiles are on during the night. We were surprised just how many power points are always on. We also conserve water by having a fill mark on the bath for the kids to ensure we don't use more water than what is needed each night. Both children are now bathed together which they think is fun. The bath water is then used to water the veggie patch, even our three year old doesn't let anyone pull out the plug now, for he helps empty it onto the plants after bath time. This has dropped us into the cheaper rates for water. And we are all doing our part in green house gas emissions and reduction in water consumption. Our latest electricity bill just arrived, it is down to $300, which included two months of cold weather so the heaters were is use. Our house phone bill has also dropped for we no longer have phone calls to return. While it took a while to get into the habit, and yes it might take a few minutes before leaving the house to check every outlet, but the money you save and the impact to the environment are worth a few minutes of every day in my book.
Contributed by Naomi, Ballarat, 25th November 2008
Meter Reading Challenge Slashes Power Bill
Approximate $ Savings: $300-$600 Per Year
When we received our electricity bill a year ago I almost fell over, so I thought about how I could reduce it. I already did the normal things like turning lights off etc, so I decided every night I would turn every power point in the house off when I went to bed. I couldn't see if this was helping so I decided I would write down the meter reading every week. At the end of each week I go out to the meter box and write down the reading. I managed to reduce my bill from $700 to $400 in one 3 month block. I found by going out and writing down the reading I was more conscientious about the electricity and would think about whether or not I really needed something on. Now the whole family is involved and wondering how much we have reduced the reading by this week!
Contributed by Hannah, Wyreema, 29th January 2010
When we received our electricity bill a year ago I almost fell over, so I thought about how I could reduce it. I already did the normal things like turning lights off etc, so I decided every night I would turn every power point in the house off when I went to bed. I couldn't see if this was helping so I decided I would write down the meter reading every week. At the end of each week I go out to the meter box and write down the reading. I managed to reduce my bill from $700 to $400 in one 3 month block. I found by going out and writing down the reading I was more conscientious about the electricity and would think about whether or not I really needed something on. Now the whole family is involved and wondering how much we have reduced the reading by this week!
Contributed by Hannah, Wyreema, 29th January 2010
Electricity Tariffs - It Pays to Ask Your Provider for the Cheapest Options
Approximate $ Savings: $23 - $29 per quarter
We recently moved into a new house and the electricity meter has three different readings on it for different times of the day. I noticed that these were all being charged at the same rate. When I enquired I was told I could switch to different rates where there was a lower tariff for off peak (which included weekends and after 10 pm at night with my provider which is Country Energy) but a higher one for peak and shoulder times. It also involved a higher 'service availability ' charge. Based on our last quarterly bill, I calculated that I could have saved $22.97 by making no other changes apart from changing to the different tariffs! It pays to do the calculations! If I make other changes to be sure we are using appliances like dishwashers and washing machines in the low tariff times more consistently, we could potentially save even more. Another thing I have done is to turn off the electric boost on my solar hot water system. We have noticed no change in the amount of hot water available to us (I still shower in the morning) and during the summer months at least we will be saving money. The hot water charge was $5.91 on our last electricity bill. Our next bill should be $0. A small saving, but it all adds up!
Contributed by Tracy, Gunning, 5th January 2010
We recently moved into a new house and the electricity meter has three different readings on it for different times of the day. I noticed that these were all being charged at the same rate. When I enquired I was told I could switch to different rates where there was a lower tariff for off peak (which included weekends and after 10 pm at night with my provider which is Country Energy) but a higher one for peak and shoulder times. It also involved a higher 'service availability ' charge. Based on our last quarterly bill, I calculated that I could have saved $22.97 by making no other changes apart from changing to the different tariffs! It pays to do the calculations! If I make other changes to be sure we are using appliances like dishwashers and washing machines in the low tariff times more consistently, we could potentially save even more. Another thing I have done is to turn off the electric boost on my solar hot water system. We have noticed no change in the amount of hot water available to us (I still shower in the morning) and during the summer months at least we will be saving money. The hot water charge was $5.91 on our last electricity bill. Our next bill should be $0. A small saving, but it all adds up!
Contributed by Tracy, Gunning, 5th January 2010
3 Simple Steps to Save on Electricity
Approximate $ Savings: $20 per month
If you have dual metered electricity supply (the after hours one being heavily discounted) you can do this: 1. Install a timer on your hot water system and only let it run during the discounted supply time. 2. Similarly use a timer to run your dishwasher during the discounted window. i.e. fully prepare the load, and set the timer to only supply power once the discounted window starts. The cycle will be complete in the morning. 3. If your washing machine has a delayed start function - use it to switch on during the discounted cycle and be ready to hang up/dry the washing the next morning. Alternatively a timer as used in point 2 can achieve the same result. These 3 items contribute the most to a household's electricity bill - this moves their operation to the cheapest possible window. In our household (2 Adults, 1 child) that equates to $20 a month.
Contributed by Richard, Hope Island, 2nd August 2009
If you have dual metered electricity supply (the after hours one being heavily discounted) you can do this: 1. Install a timer on your hot water system and only let it run during the discounted supply time. 2. Similarly use a timer to run your dishwasher during the discounted window. i.e. fully prepare the load, and set the timer to only supply power once the discounted window starts. The cycle will be complete in the morning. 3. If your washing machine has a delayed start function - use it to switch on during the discounted cycle and be ready to hang up/dry the washing the next morning. Alternatively a timer as used in point 2 can achieve the same result. These 3 items contribute the most to a household's electricity bill - this moves their operation to the cheapest possible window. In our household (2 Adults, 1 child) that equates to $20 a month.
Contributed by Richard, Hope Island, 2nd August 2009
Check Your Meter is Programmed for Peak and Off Peak
I used to work for one of the New South Wales electricity suppliers talking to customers about (among other things) their high electricity account. One thing stood out about this weeks tips and that was a couple of people who said that the charges have changed for electricity and it is cheaper outside the 2-8pm time bracket. This is actually true ONLY if your home is fitted with the appropriate metering system. Unless you have the latest meters which have been programmed correctly you will not see the benefits of this saving. Most homes have the older style metering which means that usually the only thing on off peak is the hot water service. Newer homes have the new power saving meters however they may not have been programmed to read peak, off-peak and shoulder. It pays to contact your electricity provider to check how you are being billed. Ask your electricity supplier when you can have your metering upgraded - some companies are doing it for free. Usually the most expensive things in peoples homes are - anything that heats or cools things like the hot water service, heaters, air conditioning, underfloor heating and dishwashers which generally heat their own water. A good resource which most people don't realise is their electricity retailer's website. Energy Australia has a particularly good calculator which walks you through calculating the energy usage of individual appliances and then the total of your home. Once you are aware of where you're spending the most money - then you can make changes!
Contributed by Lynne, Werris Creek, 12th November 2009
Contributed by Lynne, Werris Creek, 12th November 2009
Let the Kids be the Power Police and Watch the Bill Drop
Approximate $ saved: $130 per quarter
My electricity bill every quarter was rising and it didn't help there was a price rise for electricity! I walked around the house with my two children, aged 7 and 4 years and asked them how many things they could find to turn off. It was amazing the little things we found that I didn't think of. My eldest found the washing machine, so now its only turned on for as long as it takes to wash a load of clothes, then its off at the wall. The youngest pointed out the printer and the speakers for the computer. With a little training the kids now make sure that all points that are not needed (except the fridge and freezer) are turned off whenever possible. Just by looking at the little things I saved $130 last quarter on my electricity bill. Good luck.
Contributed by Kristy, Bracken Ridge, 6th November 2009
My electricity bill every quarter was rising and it didn't help there was a price rise for electricity! I walked around the house with my two children, aged 7 and 4 years and asked them how many things they could find to turn off. It was amazing the little things we found that I didn't think of. My eldest found the washing machine, so now its only turned on for as long as it takes to wash a load of clothes, then its off at the wall. The youngest pointed out the printer and the speakers for the computer. With a little training the kids now make sure that all points that are not needed (except the fridge and freezer) are turned off whenever possible. Just by looking at the little things I saved $130 last quarter on my electricity bill. Good luck.
Contributed by Kristy, Bracken Ridge, 6th November 2009
Check for Faulty, Power Sucking Appliances
Try checking your appliances to see if they are faulty. We had an old fridge in the garage that was draining so much electricity so we got rid of it. Maybe you have an old appliance plugged in that is doing the same. Most are energy saving these days but we don't think of the old ones! I didn't!
Contributed by Shelley, Chittaway Bay, 9th November 2009
Turn the Hot Water Service Off
I do as you do to save power, but I also have the hot water system switched off, except for two hours every night, makes a big difference. Check your type of heating, you may have continual water heating and not an off-peak service, also the temperature control may be set too high.
Contributed by Colleen, Margate, 9th November 2009
Contributed by Colleen, Margate, 9th November 2009
Biggest Power Gobbler - Old Fridges!
After an unexpectedly large electricity bill someone said to ring my power supplier. An agent from the company came out and went right through the house with me. Every thing checked out OK till we got to the kitchen. I was gobsmacked at how much power (my older but still ok) fridge used. Also we had an old fridge in the family room for drinks. It was wonderfully restored. Between the two fridges I found out where all our excess power was being used. I was told that if I bought a new ( but not so pricey)energy rated fridge for the kitchen , and if I needed a drinks fridge replaced that as well, I would recoup the cost of the two new fridges in about eighteen months of saved power! I am on a strict budget so we only replaced the kitchen fridge and turned off the other during the week and only switch it on if needed. When we replace that one I will keep that beautiful fridge for other storage that does not need power. I hope this helps. The agent told me that older fridges were the worst power uses of all.. Good luck.
Contributed by Margret, Risdon Park, 8th November 2009
Contributed by Margret, Risdon Park, 8th November 2009
Payment Cards and Regular Payments Keep Bills Under Control
My parents use payment cards for both their electricity and gas accounts. This allows them to pay money off each week, month, etc (whatever you prefer). The amount can be as little or as much as you want to pay and can be paid at the post office. By the time the bill arrives in the mail they usually don't have to pay anything off them. Hope that this idea helps. Good luck with everything!
Contributed by Sheree, Sebastopol, 8th November 2009
Contributed by Sheree, Sebastopol, 8th November 2009
Put a Power Use Reminder on the Fridge
I have found a few useful tips myself which might help. If you have a spare bar fridge running turn that off as it is invariably an older type which draws a lot of electricity. Also if you have a house alarm that runs off the electricity turn that off as well as that also draws electricity as it is on 24/7. A plasma TV also uses a huge amount of electricity to run so turn that off whenever not in use. Ring your electricity company and ask them to send you out a copy off the times off peak and off peak rates and stick it to your fridge so you can see it and refer to it everyday. This will tell you when it is cheapest to run your washing machine, dishwasher etc. This has made me save a lot of money as I run everything on off peak times and sometimes can even do washing at night while it is even cheaper again. Hope this helps we have cut our bill down from nearly $800 per quarter to half.
Contributed by Cara, Aberglasslyn, 8th November 2009
Contributed by Cara, Aberglasslyn, 8th November 2009
Free Home Health Check
You might like to contact Enviro Saver and get what they call a free home health check. It is a government initiative and well worth doing. The number is 1800 813 660. I had this done and they changed all my light bulbs and shower heads for nothing. Another fellow came last week and took measurements of the light in the house, and did a report on how I could reduce my gas, electricity and water bills. I am waiting on the report at present. As I said it is completely free and could save you a great deal of money. Good luck!
Contributed by Jenny, Glen Waverley, 6th November 2009
Contributed by Jenny, Glen Waverley, 6th November 2009
Simple Ways to Reduce Electricity Bills
There are a number of ways you can reduce your bills and energy consumption at the same time. Take short showers as water heating is a large part of your bill. Go for a gas boosted solar hot water system the next time you need to upgrade. Wash clothes in cold water; and if you get solar hot water plumb your washing machine and dishwasher into the hot tap so the units are not using electricity to heat water. Try not to use your dryer if you can help it, as these are a high energy consumer. Reduce standby power loads; turn off appliances such as TV's, microwaves and DVD's at the wall when not in use. You can hire a Powermeter from www.ata.org.au to test how much each appliance is using when not even switched on. This all adds up and standby power cost can be as much as $150 a year on your power bill. Change all your light globes to energy saving ones such as CFL's. If you have halogen downlights they use a lot of energy and get hot, so they can be upgraded to LED's which while a bit pricey will reduce your energy use and last a very long time. A great way to reduce your heating and cooling bills is to seal any gaps in your home with caulking between the skirting and floor, window and door sealing strips around doors and windows. There is also a product like cling film that you use a hairdryer to stretch over your windows, it is called Clear Comfort and is a simple and cheap DIY alternative to double glazing. Add external canvas blinds to your home and make sure you have adequate insulation in your ceiling. Window pelmets and heavy backed curtains will improve winter comfort and make your heating more effective. Install ceiling fans as these use far less energy than air conditioners or buy a standard fan to cool you directly. I fill a spray bottle full of water and sit in front of a standard fan - using that combination works a treat. I also use my mum's trick of putting a wet tea towel, face cloth or similar in the freezer, then once cold I put that around my neck as that area helps to cool the rest of your body down quickly. When all else fails, try to go out to the park, indoor cooled areas like shopping centres or to friends houses a bit over summer, as while you have little kids staying in doors it can increase your energy consumption a fair bit.
Contributed by Olivia, Montmorency, 6th November 2009
Website: www.ata.org.au
Contributed by Olivia, Montmorency, 6th November 2009
Website: www.ata.org.au
Check the Accuracy of Your Bill
Contact your electricity supplier and query your account. Make a note of the readout on your electricity meter and ring them to check they are actually reading your meter and not estimating your account! If it's correct, look for an alternative competitive supplier!
Contributed by Liza, New Zealand, 6th November 2009
Contributed by Liza, New Zealand, 6th November 2009
Lots of Little Ways to Save Electricity
Keep your curtains closed on a hot day. Do your washing at night or early in the morning, this way you will use off peak rates. Cook at night or in the morning using the off peak rates. Check seals around windows and use door snakes to keep warm/cold air inside. Also Google cheap electricity/gas and you can enter your last bill details, it will come up with what energy provider is cheaper in your area, some will even give you a discount from 2 to 7% just by paying your bill on time. Also unplug appliances, such as the TV etc at the wall. Energy saving globes also can affect your bill making it cheaper! Contributed by Domenica, Silvan, 6th November 2009
Useful Information to Make Your House More Energy Efficient
The best way is to make your house more energy efficient. There is heaps of useful information available. Try the following websites: Living Greener (http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/be-informed/saving-energy/), ANZ Solar Energy Society http://www.anzses.org/index.php?q=node/17), Alternative Technology Association (http://www.ata.org.au) and your State/Territory environment department, as well as numerous other sites.
Contributed by G King, 6th November 2009
Websites: http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/be-informed/saving-energy/
http://www.anzses.org/index.php?q=node/17
http://www.ata.org.au
Contributed by G King, 6th November 2009
Websites: http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/be-informed/saving-energy/
http://www.anzses.org/index.php?q=node/17
http://www.ata.org.au
Find Out Where You are Spending Electricity
The first thing you should do to cut power bills is find out where you are using your electricity. Most libraries or councils will have a meter you can borrow which you can programme to look at your electricity use (free!). If you have lots of appliances and gadgets do not leave them plugged in. All those little blue and red lights and phone chargers etc. use energy while you are sleeping. They all add up. You might have to spend to save regarding the use of air conditioning. The installation of ceiling fans and blinds to shut out the sun will work wonders in keeping the house cooler. Planting shrubs or climbers on west facing windows will help to filter the intensity of the sun and be more pleasant to look at. The biggest consumption is your water heater if it is electric so look at replacing with a solar one now while the rebates are still in place. Hope some of this helps.
Contributed by Meryl, Tighes Hill, 6th November 2009
Contributed by Meryl, Tighes Hill, 6th November 2009
Track the Cost of Electric Appliances
I bought a "centameter" from my local electrician, it has more than paid for itself in the first year. It cost about $300 installed, but I have since seen them at Aldi for under $100. It shows how many cents worth of electricity you are using in real time. We learnt that by tuning the TV/VCR off at the wall we save nearly $100 a year. By making everyone's toast at once we save 30c each morning (toasters and kettles use heaps). Also the bill went down another 20c an hour after we got the air conditioner serviced and $200 over the whole winter bill by getting the heater serviced. This meter beeps when we are using too much power and every night I check the meter before bed to make sure everything has been turned off (if it's showing over 5c an hour, I turn more things off at the wall.)
Contributed by Karyn, Wangaratta, 6th November 2009
Contributed by Karyn, Wangaratta, 6th November 2009
Change of Habits Leads to Off-peak Savings
Did you know that the cost of electricity changed a few months back? It now costs more between the hours of 2pm and 8pm! I stick little notes next to buttons of big appliances (dryers, dishwashers etc) to remind me not to use between those times. It is also a good idea to get into the habit of cooking your dinners early in day (stews etc) to avoid those times.
Contributed by Mandy, Hornsby, 6th November 2009
Contributed by Mandy, Hornsby, 6th November 2009
Think Before Using and Slash the Bill
Approximate $ Savings: $30 a quarter
We have found that we can cut our electricity bill by not only turning things off at the wall but really thinking if we need to use it at all. We don't have a clothes dryer, if we cant dry our clothes outside we use indoor clothes racks might take longer but no extra electricity is used. Also be aware that if you turn items off at the wall and they are plugged into a surge protector the protector isn't working as there is no power to it so you are better unplugging the appliance to be save.
Contributed by Jodie, Annerley, 6th November 2009
We have found that we can cut our electricity bill by not only turning things off at the wall but really thinking if we need to use it at all. We don't have a clothes dryer, if we cant dry our clothes outside we use indoor clothes racks might take longer but no extra electricity is used. Also be aware that if you turn items off at the wall and they are plugged into a surge protector the protector isn't working as there is no power to it so you are better unplugging the appliance to be save.
Contributed by Jodie, Annerley, 6th November 2009
Cut Electricity Costs By One Third
Approximate $ Savings: $20.00 per week
As each electricity bill was spiralling past $800, I decided to study my account a bit closer. Using electricity during off peak times would cost me a THIRD of the peak hour rate. Having four children I find myself doing at least 2 loads of washing a day, not to mention a load in the dishwasher and some tumble drying of necessities in winter. All these jobs I now do after 11pm or before 7am, and the electricity is being used as we sleep. Any extra washing such as bedding or woollens I leave until the weekend, when it is also off peak. It is worth checking your bill to see what hours are offered at a cheaper rate.
Contributed by Jillian, Drysdale, 24th September 2009
As each electricity bill was spiralling past $800, I decided to study my account a bit closer. Using electricity during off peak times would cost me a THIRD of the peak hour rate. Having four children I find myself doing at least 2 loads of washing a day, not to mention a load in the dishwasher and some tumble drying of necessities in winter. All these jobs I now do after 11pm or before 7am, and the electricity is being used as we sleep. Any extra washing such as bedding or woollens I leave until the weekend, when it is also off peak. It is worth checking your bill to see what hours are offered at a cheaper rate.
Contributed by Jillian, Drysdale, 24th September 2009
Winter Warmth with Style
To keep warm on these winter evenings without turning the heat on or putting up with the nuisance of a blanket, I found a large, thick acrylic pile blanket at the thrift shop for $6. First I cut it in half, then I cut a slit in the middle of each piece, and then zigzagged along all the cut edges to prevent fraying. Voila, I had two big warm ponchos for my DH and me! We wear them all evening for TV watching or whatever else we want to do. The beauty of a poncho is it keeps your whole body warm, doesn't slip off every time you stand up, and gives you the choice of having your arms and hands inside or out. I can do my cross stitching, and my DH can practice on his saxophone. We've hardly had to turn the heating on at all this winter, so we're looking forward to our next electricity bill being much lower than last winter's bill.
Contributed by Linda, Nairne, 3rd August 2009
Contributed by Linda, Nairne, 3rd August 2009
Plug the Powerpoints and Keep Your Home Warm
Try this, you won't believe it. Put your hand across a powerpoint and you will soon realise how much cold air enters your home. How do you stop this cold air from coming into your home from the power points? Simply insert a powerpoint protector into the powerpoint. These are plastic inserts that are used as safety devices to stop children from inserting things into the powerpoint, a very dangerous thing to do. We had a consultant come and talk to us about how we could make our home more environmentally friendly and reduce our power costs. On the day the consultant came, it was quite cold and windy at our place and when he asked us to feel the cold air coming in from the powerpoints, we just couldn't believe it. We now have plastic inserts in all the powerpoints that are not used and a tad warmer home.
Contributed by Antoinette, Romsey, 12th June 2009
Contributed by Antoinette, Romsey, 12th June 2009
Turn the Cold Water Down!
We all know what its like to run out of hot water and we all like to be as conscious of water restrictions as possible. With this hint you can save water, and save on your electricity bill all without changing the temperature of your 4 minute shower. All you have to do is remember that when you want the shower slightly hotter towards the end, turn the COLD WATER TAP DOWN instead of turning the hot water tap up. You save water with exactly the same effect and spend less money heating your hot water system!
Contributed by Shannon, Wellington Point, 28th March 2009
Contributed by Shannon, Wellington Point, 28th March 2009
Let the Sun Light Up Your Night
Approximate $ Savings: Maybe negligible to your power bill, but adding up environmentally!
Instead of using a night-light plugged in to a power point, or leaving a light on all night, I use the top part of a garden solar light to light the house at night. I power it up each day in the sun and bring it in at nightfall - placing it in the hall to give enough light to see clearly during the various nocturnal ramblings that young children - in our case 4 - will often make.
Contributed by Deb, Rye, 13th January2009
Instead of using a night-light plugged in to a power point, or leaving a light on all night, I use the top part of a garden solar light to light the house at night. I power it up each day in the sun and bring it in at nightfall - placing it in the hall to give enough light to see clearly during the various nocturnal ramblings that young children - in our case 4 - will often make.
Contributed by Deb, Rye, 13th January2009
Good Window Furnishings Save 20% on Energy Bills
Approximate $ Savings: $200
You can save 20% of energy costs when full length, dark curtains and foam filled pelmets are used against windows which works out to be every fifth month free. A further 4% is saved when double glazing is used in combination. Please factor in the term you plan to spend in the house against the cost and saving of these addition. There are also certain government rebates for environmental saving products.
Contributed by Tom, Carlton, 8th November 2008
You can save 20% of energy costs when full length, dark curtains and foam filled pelmets are used against windows which works out to be every fifth month free. A further 4% is saved when double glazing is used in combination. Please factor in the term you plan to spend in the house against the cost and saving of these addition. There are also certain government rebates for environmental saving products.
Contributed by Tom, Carlton, 8th November 2008
Plan Power Use to Take Advantage of Off Peak Rates
When washing clothes or using a more than usual electricity supply do it in the night time the electricity company discount the rate at night because not that much electricity is used because everyone is asleep.
Contributed by Pofita, Enfield, 15th November 2008
Contributed by Pofita, Enfield, 15th November 2008
Electricity Rebate for Essential Health Equipment
Approximate $ Savings: $10 per quarter
If you, your husband or anyone else in your household has a CPAP breathing machine for use at night, contact your electricity provider and enquire about their rebate. As these machines are a necessary health item, most providers offer a small rebate per day, around the 10 cent mark, which adds up to about $10 per quarter, or $40 per year. Maybe only a small amount, but better off in your pocket than theirs!
Contributed by Erin, Abernethy, 8th August 2008
If you, your husband or anyone else in your household has a CPAP breathing machine for use at night, contact your electricity provider and enquire about their rebate. As these machines are a necessary health item, most providers offer a small rebate per day, around the 10 cent mark, which adds up to about $10 per quarter, or $40 per year. Maybe only a small amount, but better off in your pocket than theirs!
Contributed by Erin, Abernethy, 8th August 2008
Time Your Hot Water to Save Power and Money
Approximate $ Savings: Not sure but substantial, our bills have dropped $40/month
We monitor our own nightstore hot water. Six months ago I moved into an old cottage until a new house would be built. I was appalled by the first electric bill so phoned the utility company and asked to go on nightstore hot water. Their representative said it would cost $90 to get a chip changed and suggested I turn the hot water cylinder on and off myself. I use a timer for 2.5 hours every afternoon. That is more than enough for showers for two adults, washing up and hand dishwashing. Due to multiple power metres and other power saving measures I haven't figured out exactly how much saving there has been but our bills have dropped by $40 to $50 a month.
Contributed by Clare, Greymouth, 19th September 2008
We monitor our own nightstore hot water. Six months ago I moved into an old cottage until a new house would be built. I was appalled by the first electric bill so phoned the utility company and asked to go on nightstore hot water. Their representative said it would cost $90 to get a chip changed and suggested I turn the hot water cylinder on and off myself. I use a timer for 2.5 hours every afternoon. That is more than enough for showers for two adults, washing up and hand dishwashing. Due to multiple power metres and other power saving measures I haven't figured out exactly how much saving there has been but our bills have dropped by $40 to $50 a month.
Contributed by Clare, Greymouth, 19th September 2008
Free Wood, a Nice Fire and a Warm House Save $150
Approximate $ Savings: $150 per quarter
After being at home on maternity leave, our electricity bill had increased dramatically. Our bill for the March-May 08 period jumped to $554 after using the reverse cycle heating/air con unit daily and the oil heater in the bedroom. After the shock of that bill, I decided to use the wood heater every day instead of the other 2 heaters, which also heated the whole house instead of just the living room. I was pleasantly surprised in September when the winter electricity bill came in at only $400 - a saving of $150 for the quarter which is normally the most expensive time of year! The wood didn't cost us anything either as we often collect it from the side of the road in the country and we have a few year's worth saved up already. It was much nicer to spend winter in a warm house and have an extra $150 in my pocket!
Contributed by Nicole, Broadford, 16th September 2008
After being at home on maternity leave, our electricity bill had increased dramatically. Our bill for the March-May 08 period jumped to $554 after using the reverse cycle heating/air con unit daily and the oil heater in the bedroom. After the shock of that bill, I decided to use the wood heater every day instead of the other 2 heaters, which also heated the whole house instead of just the living room. I was pleasantly surprised in September when the winter electricity bill came in at only $400 - a saving of $150 for the quarter which is normally the most expensive time of year! The wood didn't cost us anything either as we often collect it from the side of the road in the country and we have a few year's worth saved up already. It was much nicer to spend winter in a warm house and have an extra $150 in my pocket!
Contributed by Nicole, Broadford, 16th September 2008
Watt Savings
Approximate $ Savings: $150 quarterly
I was sick of getting massive electricity bills in a house with two people (by massive I mean $300 plus). So I got wise. I started turning off all the power points off at the wall for those things I didn't need on i.e. the lamps, the TV in the bedroom, the washing machine, even the microwave. You'd be surprised at how much power the microwave uses just sitting there displaying the time. I also switched to energy saver globes, but make sure you buy them from The Warehouse (used to be Crazy Clints) as they are usually around about 2-3 dollars in there rather than $5 or more from the supermarket. The energy saver globes last heaps longer too, which saves money, as you don't have to keep replacing them. By doing all these things I have halved our electricity bill...down from around $300 to about $150 per quarter...more money for me..yay. Happy saving!!!
Contributed by Lisa, Frankston, 7th June 2008
I was sick of getting massive electricity bills in a house with two people (by massive I mean $300 plus). So I got wise. I started turning off all the power points off at the wall for those things I didn't need on i.e. the lamps, the TV in the bedroom, the washing machine, even the microwave. You'd be surprised at how much power the microwave uses just sitting there displaying the time. I also switched to energy saver globes, but make sure you buy them from The Warehouse (used to be Crazy Clints) as they are usually around about 2-3 dollars in there rather than $5 or more from the supermarket. The energy saver globes last heaps longer too, which saves money, as you don't have to keep replacing them. By doing all these things I have halved our electricity bill...down from around $300 to about $150 per quarter...more money for me..yay. Happy saving!!!
Contributed by Lisa, Frankston, 7th June 2008
Enviro Saver
Approximate $ Savings: $510 -- with no outlay!
Hey there In these days of trying to be both budget conscious and wary of our carbon footprints... Just thought you might be interested in the following service .... The new light bulbs are quite expensive to replace and lots of people have suggested that to cut down costs you should just replace your old light bulbs one at a time -- when they've had it. However, we have found a service that will replace all of your light bulbs for FREE!!!! Enviro Saver is an organization set up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by going to people's homes and replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs. Apparently the cost of the project is borne by businesses who buy carbon credits to meet their greenhouse gas targets. They estimate that an average house with 30 incandescent bulbs can save up to $300 per year from electricity bills alone... not to mention the savings from the FREE light bulbs. All you have to do is phone Enviro Saver on 1800 368 476. They make an appointment time and a bloke comes to your home and replaces all your old light bulbs with new ones! Beauty! You can check them out on the web: www.envirosaver.com.au We had 42 light bulbs in our house, so for the first year alone I estimate we will save about $510 -- 42 light bulbs at $5.00 each and $300 from saved electricity -- and we didn't have to spend any money to save that outlay.
Contributed by Patricia, Holland Park,18th July 2008
Hey there In these days of trying to be both budget conscious and wary of our carbon footprints... Just thought you might be interested in the following service .... The new light bulbs are quite expensive to replace and lots of people have suggested that to cut down costs you should just replace your old light bulbs one at a time -- when they've had it. However, we have found a service that will replace all of your light bulbs for FREE!!!! Enviro Saver is an organization set up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by going to people's homes and replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs. Apparently the cost of the project is borne by businesses who buy carbon credits to meet their greenhouse gas targets. They estimate that an average house with 30 incandescent bulbs can save up to $300 per year from electricity bills alone... not to mention the savings from the FREE light bulbs. All you have to do is phone Enviro Saver on 1800 368 476. They make an appointment time and a bloke comes to your home and replaces all your old light bulbs with new ones! Beauty! You can check them out on the web: www.envirosaver.com.au We had 42 light bulbs in our house, so for the first year alone I estimate we will save about $510 -- 42 light bulbs at $5.00 each and $300 from saved electricity -- and we didn't have to spend any money to save that outlay.
Contributed by Patricia, Holland Park,18th July 2008
Free Light Globes
Approximate $ Savings: $15.00
I found a website that gives out free energy saving light globes. The site is http://greenenergywatch.com.au/freelightbulbs.php It will send out 2 per household. Not often you get a freebie!
Contributed by Julie, Mallala, 2nd July 2008
I found a website that gives out free energy saving light globes. The site is http://greenenergywatch.com.au/freelightbulbs.php It will send out 2 per household. Not often you get a freebie!
Contributed by Julie, Mallala, 2nd July 2008
Camp Shower in Summer to Save Electricity
Turn off hot water system and use a black camping shower bag instead. Fill bag with water and leave in sun during the day. In the evening you have hot water for approx. three showers. If additional hot water required for cleaning etc. Boil the jug, use cold water detergents in washing machine. Contributed by Alan, Beenleigh, 24th March 2008
Light on Freebies
Approximate $ Savings: $15
I received an email the other day from a friend and thought I'd share. Just by going to greenenergywatch.com.au and entering your details they will send you out two free energy saving light bulbs!! I thought that was pretty cool. I LOVE freebies!
Contributed by Jaquara, Tongala, 5th June 2008
I received an email the other day from a friend and thought I'd share. Just by going to greenenergywatch.com.au and entering your details they will send you out two free energy saving light bulbs!! I thought that was pretty cool. I LOVE freebies!
Contributed by Jaquara, Tongala, 5th June 2008
Better Budgeting for Utilities
This is not a tip to save money but more of a budgeting tip to ensure your water, electricity, phone and rates are paid. Each company supplying the above have on their website an option to have the bills taken out by direct debit either on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. A small amount of money for all my bills comes out fortnightly, for me, it is on pay day, that way, when the bill comes in it has already been paid and more often than not it is in credit. It is such a good feeling not having to worry where I'm going to get the money to pay for the whole bill in one go and there is no longer any interest or late fees charged (yayyyyy). Paying my bills this way means that any money left over in my pay packet is mine to spend on groceries and anything else I so desire.
Contributed by Elizabeth, Warragamba, 29th March 2008
Contributed by Elizabeth, Warragamba, 29th March 2008
Water and Electricity Savings
Approximate $ Savings: $150
I managed to reuse my hot water several times. I have a shower first at night, with the plug in. The length of my shower is determined by the amount of water(two inches) left in the bottom of the bath. Next my two toddlers have a bath, in that water and finally when they are finished the water is let out onto the fruit trees. The grey water hose (about $20) is simply connected to the waste water pipe and directed around the yard as needed.
Contributed by Amanda, Kingaroy, 23rd May 2008
I managed to reuse my hot water several times. I have a shower first at night, with the plug in. The length of my shower is determined by the amount of water(two inches) left in the bottom of the bath. Next my two toddlers have a bath, in that water and finally when they are finished the water is let out onto the fruit trees. The grey water hose (about $20) is simply connected to the waste water pipe and directed around the yard as needed.
Contributed by Amanda, Kingaroy, 23rd May 2008
Free Energy Saving Light Globes
Approximate $ Savings: Minimum $40 for a house with 10 lights
There is currently a service called EnviroSaver operating in New South Wales and Queensland to come to your house and replace all of your ordinary (incandescent) light globes and replace them with energy-saving globes.... FREE!!! All you have to do is call or book online. They also will supply and replace old, water wasteful shower heads with water-efficient showerheads FREE. This not only will save you heaps of money for the cost of the globes and showerheads, but the savings are huge and ongoing because the globes are 11 watt instead of the 40 or 60 watt globes that are common in households. You can choose either warm white or cool white globes to suit ambience and work areas. For anyone living outside EnviroSaver's current service area - they tell me that they are working on getting to more locations. Best of all, this is helping our environment by using less energy! I have had the service and the technician was very professional and helpful and I didn't have to pay a cent! Call EnviroSaver 1800 368 476 or check it out on www.envirosaver.com.au
Contributed by Susanne, Nerang, 13th May 2008
There is currently a service called EnviroSaver operating in New South Wales and Queensland to come to your house and replace all of your ordinary (incandescent) light globes and replace them with energy-saving globes.... FREE!!! All you have to do is call or book online. They also will supply and replace old, water wasteful shower heads with water-efficient showerheads FREE. This not only will save you heaps of money for the cost of the globes and showerheads, but the savings are huge and ongoing because the globes are 11 watt instead of the 40 or 60 watt globes that are common in households. You can choose either warm white or cool white globes to suit ambience and work areas. For anyone living outside EnviroSaver's current service area - they tell me that they are working on getting to more locations. Best of all, this is helping our environment by using less energy! I have had the service and the technician was very professional and helpful and I didn't have to pay a cent! Call EnviroSaver 1800 368 476 or check it out on www.envirosaver.com.au
Contributed by Susanne, Nerang, 13th May 2008
Flexible Floorplan Saves on Heating Costs
Approximate $ Savings: $50 approx.
We have saved a fortune on our electricity account by not using our oil heaters. We have one small reverse cycle air-conditioner in our sleepout (its enclosed) where our two youngest sleep (2 and 3) so we moved our furniture and our baby's in there and made our room their toy room for the winter. The kids think that its great and its a bit of fun. We have the furniture set up so we also have privacy if we need it.... and its only until it gets warmer.
Contributed by Tracey, Gympie, 13th July 2007
We have saved a fortune on our electricity account by not using our oil heaters. We have one small reverse cycle air-conditioner in our sleepout (its enclosed) where our two youngest sleep (2 and 3) so we moved our furniture and our baby's in there and made our room their toy room for the winter. The kids think that its great and its a bit of fun. We have the furniture set up so we also have privacy if we need it.... and its only until it gets warmer.
Contributed by Tracey, Gympie, 13th July 2007
Warmer Winter Cheaper
Approximate $ Savings: At least $50 per year
We all like to be warm when the weather turns cold but get into the habit of turning your heater down a degree, notch or setting this winter and save money. You will hardly notice the difference...until you get a smaller winter utility bill. Ours was at least $50 less last year by doing this. An extra jumper or layer is a simple way to keep extra warm.
Contributed by Jackie, Pascoe Vale, 7th June 2007
We all like to be warm when the weather turns cold but get into the habit of turning your heater down a degree, notch or setting this winter and save money. You will hardly notice the difference...until you get a smaller winter utility bill. Ours was at least $50 less last year by doing this. An extra jumper or layer is a simple way to keep extra warm.
Contributed by Jackie, Pascoe Vale, 7th June 2007
Instant Hot Water All Day
Instead of boiling the kettle every time you want a cup of tea or coffee, boil the kettle once in the morning, fill a thermos and have instant hot water all day. Any left over hot water can be added to the sink for washing up . Saves time and money!
Contributed by Margaret, Adelaide, 24th June 2007
Contributed by Margaret, Adelaide, 24th June 2007
Easy Electricity Saving
Approximate $ Savings: Many $
If you have the older fluorescent lights at home or work try removing one of the tubes if they are twin lights. The lighting will probably be the same and you can watch your electricity bill shrink. You can even buy stickers to alert others that the tubes have been removed to save energy.
Contributed by Roslyn, 19th March 2007
If you have the older fluorescent lights at home or work try removing one of the tubes if they are twin lights. The lighting will probably be the same and you can watch your electricity bill shrink. You can even buy stickers to alert others that the tubes have been removed to save energy.
Contributed by Roslyn, 19th March 2007
Off Peak Metres Pay for Themselves
When building or moving into a new home ask for an Off Peak meter to be installed. Costs several hundred dollars extra to install, but saves our household at least 1/3 of the normal charge. The meter calculates usage after hours i.e. from midnight to 7 am, therefore your freezer, electric blankets, lights left on for the kids etc are charged at a cheaper rate. I have a timer on my washing machine to start after midnight to take advantage of this.
Contributed by Teena, Heathmont, May 11th 2005
Contributed by Teena, Heathmont, May 11th 2005
Turning off at the Wall
With power bills so high turning off power points when appliances are not in use saves heaps of money on your power bill as you are still using power as long as the power point switched on even if the appliance not being used
Contributed by Leeza, Kapunda, April 26th 2005
Contributed by Leeza, Kapunda, April 26th 2005
Save The Planet (& Money!)
When you are cooking something in a saucepan, turn down the heat once the water begins to boil. The temperature of gently boiling water is exactly the same as that of vigorously boiling water. This greatly reduces fuel costs and reduces carbon dioxide emission.
Contributed by Byron, Werribee, November 24th 2006
Contributed by Byron, Werribee, November 24th 2006
Safe and Economical Emergency Lighting
One of my brother's, his wife and family have saved thousands during power cuts thanks to solar garden lights. Living in Cairns for the past 13 years, they have agonized every year about what to do during power cuts and have considered very seriously buying a standby electricity generator. Now with the threat of Cyclone Ingrid (category 5) hovering over them, they finally called in an electrician to discuss the options. Just to install a 'switchover' would cost them $300. Then there was the cost of the generator, which ranges from $900 to $4000! The electrician persuaded them against it. He said that they would only lose power for one day. 'Just use candles or oil lamps and don't open your freezer' was his advice. Stories of house fires and accidents caused by candles and overturned oil lamps surfaced on their mind. Then, after the electrician had left, they happened to be looking at a catalogue advertising solar garden lights. A light bulb came on in their head. They rushed out and bought a set of 4 solar garden lights ($24.99), a bag of washed sand ($7.00) and 4 x 180mm aluminium decorator buckets $24.00 a set. Now, they "plant" the solar lights in the garden and bring them in when there is power failure. The solar garden lights are safe, always recharged and ready for use, there is no maintenance and they don't even have to press a start button. They just stick them into the buckets and bring them in. The stainless steel look with the aluminium buckets look very decorative and for less than $60 they are able to light the house for any emergency!
Contributed by Kaye, Dianella, March 21st 2005
Contributed by Kaye, Dianella, March 21st 2005
Saving of $200 on the Electricity Bill in Just 3 Months
We are on water tanks so every time we pump water from our tanks we are also using our electric pump. Our electricity bill was going up every month. By chance my dishwasher broke down. After cleaning it out and making a decision not to get it fixed straight away, I started washing by hand carefully rinsing dishes in a second sink (a bowl can be used) and putting the anything that didn't fit in the drainer on a tea towel, once a day. No need to towel dry this way. I still haven't got the dishwasher fixed. I also decided to wash clothes, sheets, towels only once a week and make sure that my washing machine was full before doing the wash. Any uniforms that I needed to wash I washed by hand every day in the laundry tub. We have a tank that pumps out all our grey water, toilets included. This pump uses electricity to pump. In order to save water and electricity, I have set up a connection from the washing machine to a hose let the washing machine grey water run to my fruit trees. I have paper, mulch and old tyres around these trees so the water filters down to the roots and doesn't go straight onto the trees. I also move the hose to different trees after every load. This has the double benefit of the greywater tank not using electrity to pump out the water and I'm conserving water from our tanks. You should not use phosphate powders if you recycle your greywater and you will need to check that you can do it in your area. Other smaller but useful energy saving practices are to turn off televisions and computers when not in use and not let them stay on standby. We are also currently replacing most of our light bulbs with the more energy efficient fluorescent tubes. You can now get fluorescent bulbs that fit into your normal light fittings. With just these few changes I have managed to save $200 on our last electricity bill. Yeah! Although I had the dishwasher and washing machine on economy, there is no doubt in my mind these devices still guzzle electricity and water regardless of whether you use tank water or town water. There is a definite saving of both electricity and water by making these changes, which is something positive that can be done in our current climate.
Contributed by Rainy, Brisbane, November 8th 2006
Contributed by Rainy, Brisbane, November 8th 2006
Saving Fuel, Electricity and Gas
The easiest way I find to save money to 'reduce' my heating/fuel/water bills. Three times a week I have a shower at the gym, (seeing as I'm already a paid member snf have hot water available). I wash and dry my hair at this time also. I also leave this trip to the gym to do any shopping on the way, hence saving petrol. When I arrive home I'm warm and relaxed after a warm shower, so don't turn the heating on, just unpack shopping and read a book in bed........aaahhhhhh! If you are a member of a gym, as well as doing something really positive for your body, you can also reduce your fuel bills considerably each bill if you do just this one thing!
Contributed by Theresa, Dromana, September 1st 2006
Contributed by Theresa, Dromana, September 1st 2006
Hot Water
The most expensive part of your electricity bill is hot water. Check your hot water system to make sure it isn't leaking. Get Off Peak by talking to your electricity company. You can cut the hot water part of your bill by two-thirds. If you have a continuous hot water system, turn it off yourself each night after everyone has finished showering or bathing, then turn it on again first thing in the morning. It won't take long to reheat. Make sure none of the hot water taps are dripping. Lower the temperature control, which is better for the children anyway. Fill your jug and saucepans from the cold tap. In fact, only turn on the hot tap for washing up, showers and baths. Always wash clothes in cold water.
Contributed by Jennifer, Cooranbong, September 30th, 2004
Contributed by Jennifer, Cooranbong, September 30th, 2004
Tariffs
What kind of tariff do you have your hot water on cause I know hot water can make the power bill skyrocket? Also I have taken do doing my washing after 9 p.m. which is not peak electricity time.
Contributed by Glenyss, Worongary, September 29, 2004
Check Running Costs
To save money on electricity and gas phone or check the website of your utilities provider for running costs of appliances. For example, although using lower wattage globes saves money, only having one fridge would save a lot more money for example. I've heard of people using air conditioners in the dark, when their air conditioner would be costing more money to run.
Contributed by Emma, May 12th, 2004
Contributed by Emma, May 12th, 2004
Insulate Walls
Our house used to have asbestos cladding - when we replaced it we took the opportunity to put insulation bats in the walls. It made a HUGE difference. Our column heater used to do absolutely nothing, now we boil in a few minutes.
Contributed by Gerard Banner, June 16th, 2004
Contributed by Gerard Banner, June 16th, 2004
Insulate
Depending on your heating and cooling expenses, it may be cost-effective to add insulation to your ceiling, walls, and floors. Get a professional house audit, or ask an energy expert.
More Efficient A/C
A simple overhang made of metal or other material shading an air conditioner, at least 2 feet over it, can reduce AC costs up to 10%. You can also save water by channeling the AC condensation water to your plants or a container for watering.
Close Rooms Off
Close off unused rooms. If you currently heat and cool several seldom-used rooms in your home, you are wasting energy and money. Consider closing the air ducts and doors in rooms used mostly for storage and occasionally for guests. Closing unused rooms may reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent, depending on the proportion of your home's total square footage the closed rooms comprise. Check with the dealer of the heating and cooling system in your home to determine whether closing off rooms has the potential to harm the system.
Cold Wash, Good Washing Powder
I saved heaps on my electricity bill by washing in cold water but using a good washing powder. The clothes come out smelling and looking as clean as hot water washing. Also I pay my electricity bill each week. I don't miss the $20 or so each week and never get a big bill to pay. My last bill was for 5c. (It cost them more to send it to me than what the bill was worth).
Contributed by Jackie, Leichardt, Queensland, September 30th, 2004
Contributed by Jackie, Leichardt, Queensland, September 30th, 2004
Energy Saver Light Bulbs
I have been using the energy saver light bulbs and believe me they work. My bill has dropped and even though they only use 80% of the normal power they are every bit as bright. Another thing is to turn off lights that aren't in use - offer to pay the kids a 10c fee if they have to turn off a light another child has left on in an empty room - believe me they will stop leaving the lights on really quickly. Contributed by Annette, Raceview, September 30th, 2004
ALWAYS Check ALL the Details on Your Bill
First - ALWAYS check ALL the details on your bill!!!!! My last electricity bill was higher than I'd expected (and hoped!) and as I checked over it I found that they hadn't charged any of the power at off-peak - ALL of it was at PEAK rates! I also saw that they had charged me nearly $20 as a 'new customer' - so when I rang them about the peak rate, I said I'd also been charged as a new customer, even though I had gas with them for years! I was prepared to say I'd change to another provider, but they immediately cancelled that charge! In the end they recalculated my bill, cancelled the charge and now I'm in credit! Secondly, some electricity companies have times of day when it's peak and off-peak - it's worth ringing or checking their website to find out! Thirdly, particularly in summer, having thick, light blocking curtains keeps the house cooler for longer, and using fans (particularly at night) helps you feel cooler and pushes the air-con'd air around (so you can have the air-con on a lower setting and for less time). Hope this helps!!
Contributed by Kellie, Glen Waverley, October 1st, 2004
Contributed by Kellie, Glen Waverley, October 1st, 2004
Identify Where the Greatest Savings Can be Achieved
I think you are doing a wonderful job in keeping your electricity bill so low. We are also a family of five (plus friends) and I would be glad to swap our $800 per quarter electricity bill for yours. Look elsewhere for savings as you are doing OK with your electricity bill and any savings would be marginal compared to their lifestyle impact. Putting effort in to saving say $130 per quarter is only $10 per week and this effort could probably generate greater savings in other areas. I suppose what I am trying to say is do not become fixated about a particular bill but identify where the greatest savings can be achieved in dollar terms for the effort required and focus on those. The big picture is total $IN compared to total $OUT, not whether you have the cheapest electricity bill.
Contributed by Robert, Cowes, October 4th, 2004
Contributed by Robert, Cowes, October 4th, 2004
Don't Wait Until It's Hot to Cool the House
It's a big mistake to wait until the room temperature is 32. Then your air conditioner has to work overtime to cool it down which sends your bill through the roof. If there is going to be consecutive heat for days at a time, put the air conditioner on low (recommended 21 degrees) and leave it on, then it doesn't have to work so hard to cool the room.
Contributed by Kristine, 9th November 2009
Contributed by Kristine, 9th November 2009