Energy usage is one of those things most of us don’t really consider from a daily perspective. The bill comes in, you groan about it, you shell out the money, life continues unchanged and .
But you should care, folks, because you could actually be saving a heap of cash money just by implementing some small changes in your house or routine. Not only that, you’d be doing the environment a massive solid by cutting down on carbon emissions. You don’t hate Mother Earth, do you?
Here’s some things you should consider.
Don’t compare discounts
Some energy providers will try and lure you in with delicious look discounts, but beware. It might look good on paper, but the plans will often hide some jacked up rates served up on a lock-in contract. Gross.
Instead, compare the actual rates to see who’s offering the best for your circumstances.
Use energy-efficient lightbulbs
Lights are one of the essential power-driven utilities in our homes. We use them pretty much everyday and life would be pretty dark without them. I make no apologies for that disgusting pun.
Energy-efficient bulbs not only save power, they last longer, too. They’re usually pretty cheap to get a hold of and according to Victorian Energy Saver, it could save you up to $19 per globe per year on your bill. Definitely worth the effort.
And of course, switch the dang lights off when you’re not using them.
Put a pool in your house
No, we’re not joking. Summer’s almost here, so get a tiny blowup pool or one of those hectic plastic clam pools direct from your childhood and just whack it inside. Chuck the cricket on and relax in front of the TV in cool comfort.
Water getting too warm? Just add some ice mate. But if you absolutely must blast some aircon…
Be smart about your heating/cooling
It goes without saying, but watching how you heat or cool your home can save you tons of money. I’m not saying you should suffer through summer or winter without, rather, get clever with how you approach it.
Heating your home in winter can account for more than 30 percent of your energy bill, so when it’s cold, try to layer up instead of relying on your heater. You can still run it, but you should set it between 18 and 20 degrees, as every degree over 20 can add 10 percent to the cost of heating your home.
So if you can get away with throwing a warm jumper on instead of blasting a heater, you absolutely should.
On the other hand, if you’re cooling your home in summer, closing all the doors, windows and blinds will help to keep the cool air in and the hot stuff out. And if you can, try to keep the thermostat set to 26 degrees or above.
Wash your clothes in cold water
Heating water can get pretty pricey, so if you don’t have to do it, just don’t. One such place is in your washing machine. Victorian Energy Saver says washing your clothes in cold water can save you about $115 every year.
You should also choose the shortest washing cycle you can, but make sure it’s still appropriate for what you’re washing. And obviously, wait until you have a full load before you wash.
Have fun in your mind
Look, we’re not trying to be your dad or anything, but nothing chews up power like a big fat tele or computer monitor, so get creative about your entertainment. Instead of watching Netflix, have fun with your own ~imagination~.
Pretend you’re a snake and do things around the house without walking or using your arms. Or narrate everything your housemate’s do in a John Malkovich voice. Those are just examples, but we reckon you can think up something pretty good.
Use smart home tech
There’s some relatively cheap gadgets around now that can make your home way more energy-efficient, even if you’re renting.
For example, using smart plugs will not only allow you to turn things on or off remotely via your smartphone, they’re also more energy-efficient and will often give you an indication of how much power you’re drawing from the outlet.
Believe it or not, you can also get yourself some smart lightbulbs that let you set them on timers or automatically turn on when you enter a room via associated sensors.
Use Powershop
Unlike traditional energy retailers, Powershop make it easy to track your usage and pay the right amount for it. They show you how much energy you use daily, monthly or yearly and put it into terms you can actually understand – the bloody dollar amount.
Powershop works on what they call Powerpacks – options that cater to your past, present and future usage. For example, the Bulk Pack allows you to buy your energy in advance to save cash and the Your Community Energy pack allows you to support community energy projects.
This all boils down to massive flexibility in how you use and pay for your energy. There’s a ton of options and daily monitoring will help you change your habits and get smarter about your usage.
