4 Big Tips To Save On Your Electricity Bill

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17 November 2023

Is your electricity bill going up every quarter? The cost of electricity is slowly rising, as is our daily usage. There are some easy ways to limit how much power you use, so here are 4 tips to help you reduce it.

1. Turn Off and Upgrade Your Lights

We all do it; we walk out of a room and forget to switch off the light. That’s wasted energy right there. If you’re not there, the room doesn’t need any illumination, so make it a habit to switch them off every time.

Here’s another lighting tip. Switch to task-lighting. What is that? It’s using lights only when you need them. Here’s a great example: Why have them on when you’re having a binge-fest on Netflix? A darkened room makes it feel more cinema-like.

Are you at home during the day? What’s the best source of free lighting? The sun! Throw open your windows and let those rays inside.

Do these and watch your bill drop next time.

While we’re talking about lights, here’s another suggestion. Upgrade to LEDs. Why? They use 75% less power and last longer than regular bulbs. It’s a win-win-win right there.

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2. Minimise the Use of Power Guzzlers

Four appliances in your house use the most power. They’re the air conditioner, washing machine, clothes dryer, and hot water system. Here are some tips on how you can reduce their consumption.

Air Conditioner

It’s all about the settings. Even one degree can make a massive difference to the amount of electricity that’s required. Yes, summer in Sydney gets hot, but it doesn’t last for 12 months, so don’t switch it on if it’s not needed.

Have you considered using a pedestal fan? It uses far less power, and you can place it right next to you or have a smaller one on your desk: similar results and more savings.

Washing Machine

An appliance that can use a heap of electricity and waste water if not used correctly is your washing machine.

Here’s where it uses the most electricity — heating the water. So why not consider a cold water wash? Cold water removes most stains and doesn’t shrink your clothes like hot does, allowing them to last longer.

A big tip to get the most out of it is to wait until you have a full load of clothes. Washing a few items every day wastes your time and precious resources.

Clothes Dryer

Yes, this handy item is a massive power user. Sure, it’s convenient, and during rainy weather, a must-have. But Sydney gets around 300 sunny or partly cloudy days every year, so why not take advantage of that and hang your clothes out to dry?

Hot Water

Anything that needs to be heated or cooled uses up power. Hot water is necessary, but is it always? When doing the washing up, don’t run the items under the hot tap. Fill the sink, and then only use that water. Running water is wasting water.

Pro tip: Have a cold shower in the morning. Now, hear me out; it’s not as scary as it sounds. Cold water can help you get a jump start on your day. It improves blood circulation and increases your alertness. And you save money on electricity. How is that a bad thing?

3. Improve Your Electricals

Suppose you’re like many Sydneysiders and living in an older house. Chances are the wiring or the switchboard may not be operating at their optimum, using up more electricity than necessary.

Old Wiring

Have you ever looked inside your wall and wondered why all the wires have different colours? They each serve independent purposes and have changed over the years.

Playing around with wires can get complicated if new appliances need to be installed and wiring needs to be connected. You may think it’s just a matter of connecting an old one and reconnecting a new one. If the colours have changed, then you may be putting your life at risk.

Additionally, If your house is over 30 years old and hasn’t had any renos done, your old wiring is draining more power than it should, costing you more in electricity than is necessary.

It’s time to get a professional from North Shore Electricians to take a look and see if your place needs rewiring.

Upgrade Your Switchboard

Our homes are filled with all kinds of modern devices. Each one takes a portion of the electricity provided by the switchboard. The challenge for older homes is that their switchboard wasn’t intended for this level of power consumption.

If your home is over 30 years old, it’s highly likely that your switchboard is under stress and may not be performing as well as it could and wasting more power than necessary.

A switchboard upgrade will bring it into the 21st century, allowing all your devices to operate at their peak and use electricity efficiently, saving you money on your bill.

According to Finder, the average cost per kWh in NSW is approximately 34.91 cents. If your electricity rate is cheaper or more expensive, you can adjust the calculator below to reflect this. This calculator can help you estimate the daily cost of electricity for running various appliances or devices.

Electricity cost calculator

4. Switch to renewable energy

Okay, so this one isn’t a short-term fix, but it’s one for the future. We all know by now that fossil fuels aren’t an infinite resource, and one day they’ll run out.

Sun, wind, and waves, the three most common renewable energy sources, will never run out.

Switching over to solar is becoming more widespread across Sydney, and after the initial investment of installation, it could help reduce your electricity bills by up to 25-30 cents a kWh. Over a year, that’s a significant saving.

Wind power is gaining momentum in Australia, too. While not as common as solar power, it’s an option for the future. Whilst it’s not widespread yet in Sydney, stay tuned.

With just a few tweaks in your daily life, reducing your electricity consumption is easy. Switch off lights when not using them and upgrade them to LEDs. Be wary of the power guzzlers in your home; use them less or more productively.

Older houses may be using more power by having outdated wiring or switchboards. Call the team at North Shore Electricians today, and we can schedule an electrical inspection to help you save on your power bills.