10 clever ways to cut costs on your power bill

Temperatures are (eventually) expected to cool as we officially welcome autumn but some of us may still be feeling the gut punch from our last few electricity bills.

If you’re sick of power bill shock, there are a number of clever things you can be doing to conserve power all year round that you may not have realised.

1. Cold wash

It might not sound like an effective way to wash your clothes but the fact of the matter is that it is much more efficient to cold wash. Many clothes fare better this way, which saves on potential laundry mishaps like mould, shrinking and more.

You can even take it a step further and cold wash without the washing machine. All you have to do is have a tub of water, pour some washing detergent and fabric softener in and scrub your clothes in the fragrant water. Leave it in there for an hour or two to soak, wash off excess soapy water and hang to dry!

2. Check your fridge and freezer temperature

Make sure your fridge and freezer aren’t working overtime. They should be on these temperatures:

• Fridge: between 2ºC and 6ºC
• Freezer: between -11ºC and -23ºC

3. Use the microwave instead

Cook with a microwave as often as you can. They’re inexpensive and use up to 30 per cent less energy than a traditional oven. Plus, they don’t generate heat in the kitchen, so in turn you won’t have to turn on the fan or crank the air con.

4. Candles in bathroom

Use a candle in the bathroom to reduce your need for lighting and electrically-powered fragrance emitters both at nighttime and during the day. It also makes a pleasant smell to hide odours.

5. PowerPoint timers

You can buy remote controlled power outlets which encourage you to turn on/off hard to reach power outlets at Bunnings, as well as an eco switch that will automatically turn appliances on or off in 1/2, 1, 3, or 6 hour interval options. And don’t forget the air conditioner’s timer!

6. Change the setting on your fan

Some ceiling fans have a setting and if you use it right, you can save a lot of money. All you need to do is grab a ladder or chair (be careful!) and switch your fan from the winter setting to summer. The fan will now cool the room much better than it does in winter, and save you money on air conditioning.

7. Turn the lights off

Some people believe you should leave the lights on because it takes more energy to turn them back on than you’ll save by turning them off, but this is false.

Consumer Energy Center found fluorescent lights do take a small surge of power when turned on, but this is significantly smaller than the amount saved by turning them off. It used to be that starting them shortened their life, but again this is not significant. It’s always better to turn off modern lights if leaving the room for more than a minute.

8. Only have a bath as a special treat

Showering uses less energy than taking a bath, so always opt for the shower and stick a little 4-minute timer in there to conserve water and energy.

10. Seal up leaks/cracks

When you add up all the small leaks in your home, it has the effect of leaving a window open all year long. To save money on your power bill, you can use inexpensive expanding foam or caulk available at your local hardware store to seal cracks around windows and doors, on the floor (particularly on older wooden floors) and where pipes go into the house. These cracks may look small but are letting out your air conditioning and letting hot air, ants and mould in.

11. Organise your fridge and freezer

A crowded fridge prevents air from circulating. The harder it works, the more electricity it is consuming. But your freezer is the other way around: the fuller your freezer, the more efficiently it works.