Tag: Electrical Tips

How Power Saving can help you save money on your Electricity

Power bills will be higher than ever this winter. Not only are electricity prices going up, but from October there’ll be an increase in GST. But most of us are not being paid more, so we need to reduce the amount of electricity we use.

But how? No doubt you already turn off appliances at the wall. If you do that for every one which has an LED light, you could be saving 10 percent on your power bill.

But, what else can you do? Here are 5 further ways to save on your power bill:

Shop around. Is your power company the cheapest? Don’t know? Visit the Consumer Power Switch website (www.consumer.org.nz/powerswitch) and see if you’re paying more than you need to. However, before you move companies just be sure no penalties will be applied.

Be miserly. Our parents taught us to close doors when we left a room, to keep the heat in, and to turn out lights that weren’t needed. Heed their advice. Wash your clothes in cold water. Plenty of washing powders today are designed specifically for cold washes. Buy energy efficient light bulbs. And, here’s a biggie: only fill the kettle with as much water as you need for your cuppa. We waste a lot of power boiling water we don’t use.

Buy cleverly. When choosing new appliances, check their energy efficiency rating. The higher the rating, the more money you save. When buying a new heater, check that it is the most economical available. For instance, gas will be much cheaper to run than an oil-filled electric heater.

Shower quickly. Did you know that heating water is a major part of your power bill? Long showers and deep baths use up lots of hot water. Keep showers short and baths shallow. Using a low-flow shower head also saves on hot water use.

Use the sun. Keep curtains open during the day to let in the warmth, and close them at dusk to keep it in. If trees shade your house, cut them back. The difference in warmth will astound you.