The simple hack one Aussie mum uses ‘to save so much money’ on her family’s power bills

Power bills continue to loom ominously over households across the country with the rise in electricity expenses becoming a persistent matter of concern for many families.

However, in the midst of these mounting challenges, one Aussie mum has revealed a remarkably simple yet effective hack that is now the talk of the town for tackling escalating power costs.

Savvy TikTok user, Amber Paul, recently shared her money-saving trick with her followers, explaining how she’s been cutting costs by running her appliances during specific times of the day known as off-peak hours. These are times when electricity prices are lower because fewer people are using electricity.

“Maybe this is really obvious to everybody but me, but I have just discovered a way to save so much money on our electricity bill,” Paul began.

“If you look at your bill, you will have a peak charge and an off-peak charge. So, what it doesn’t tell you on the bill is that peak is between the hours of 3:00pm and 9:00pm seven days a week. During that six-hour peak period, electricity costs double what it costs at any other time of day.

“So, now my way to save electricity is I’m making sure I do any washing and drying during the day, and also with the dishwasher, making sure I don’t turn it on until 9:00pm at night.”

@amberpaul.3How to save money on your electricity bill.♬ original sound – Amber Paul

Paul’s innovative approach left many users astounded, their grateful comments pouring in as they realised the potential to ease their own financial burdens with this simple yet effective method.

“I didn’t know that thank you for that information,’ one user wrote.

“What!? How did I not know this was a thing.”

“Wow what?! I had no idea! Thanks for the info xx,” commented another.

“Great tip! thank you.”

While some users were grateful for Paul’s advice, others mentioned they’d been using similar tricks for years and joined in to share their own money-saving tips on electricity bills.

“I work in an energy company and the amount of people that don’t know this is crazy. Also make sure you pool pump/spa, anything else that consumes,” one person wrote.

“Try hanging your cloths instead of using a dryer and you will more than half your bill regardless. Can’t believe people still use dryers!!”

“I also got a clothesline installed so I can use my dryer during the day instead,” another shared.

“Our parents have been doing this our whole lives.”

While timing your electricity usage is undoubtedly effective for reducing power bills, there are plenty of other smart methods to save money on your next bill.

To make sure you don’t pay a dollar more than you should for power, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) highly recommends calling your energy provider and asking the following simple questions:

• How does my current plan compare with the ‘reference’ price? (a higher percentage off the reference price will usually be a better deal).
• Do you have a better deal at the moment? (Don’t forget to ask how long a deal lasts).
• Are there any conditional discounts on your plans? (Check if you could save more by paying on time or setting up a direct debit).

In addition to asking the right questions, minor adjustments to how you consume energy could also make a major difference to that monthly budget.

Previous research by Finder.com.au found that consumers could save hundreds of dollars simply by changing their energy habits.

Switching to cold water clothes washes, using the abundant Australian sun to dry your washing, reducing shower time, and switching off unnecessary lights and appliances are all quick and easy ways to reduce energy usage.