How To Reduce Your Electricity Bill This Summer

We all know summer in Australia can be hot (and unfortunately the last couple of years really wet too!) When the heat starts to climb, that’s when we start to find some respite. Billy Explores knows this – he loves the ice-cold feel of an airconditioned room when coming in from outside on a boiling hot day. But, increased temps does mean that electricity bills also tend to rise – something that everyday Aussies definitely want to avoid with the cost of living pressures. Billy has your back , everyday Aussies! Not only can you compare electricity providers and try to get a cheaper deal on your electricity, he’s also prepared this handy how to guide to save money and reduce your electricity bill!

Key tips on how to reduce your electricity bill (all of these are detailed below):

• Know Your Bill
• Save energy around the home
• Find out about energy concessions

Of course the best way to find the cheapest electricity deal for your needs is to compare energy providers through Billy Explores! To get started, all you need to do is click below. Save time and effort, and explore potential savings!

Know Your Bill

Electricity bills from different electricity retailers all look a little bit different, but they all contain the same information. Understanding your electricity bill will help you choose an electricity plan that suits your family’s energy needs. Billy has already done a number of handy guides to help you understand your electricity bill.

Find your account details

• Your name, address, account number and NMI (National Meter Identifier) will be on the front page of your bill.
• You will need your account number if you want to call your retailer to discuss a cheaper electricity plan.

Know what electricity plan you are on

• Look for a heading or section on your bill called Energy Plan, Tariff Type, Current Agreement (or similar).
• If the name of your plan is Standing Offer or Standard Tariff (or similar), it means you are on your electricity retailer’s generic or base plan.
• Standing Offer plans are typically not as competitive as plans that offer discounts.
• Market Offer plans will often include discounts and typically use words like Saver, Discount or Flexi.
• The maximum amount a retailer can charge a customer on a standard retail contract is set by the Australian Energy Regulator each year (known as the Default Market Offer).

Check your electricity bill amount and due date

This part of the electricity bill shows how much you have to pay and by when.

Make sure you take note of your bill due date, as some electricity plans have a fee for late payment.

Understand your electricity usage and charges

• All day electricity usage charge may be referred to on your bill as: Any time usage, Peak Consumption charge or Residential Tariff.
• Your electricity plan might also have a lower price for using electricity at Off-peak times which could be referred to as an Economy Tariff of Controlled Load usage.
• Off-peak is the part of the day when most homes are not using much electricity (e.g. middle of the day or very late at night). Many hot water systems may be on an off-peak or controlled load tariff.
• Electric appliances connected to an economy, off-peak or controlled load tariff are charged a lower fee for using energy outside of peak times.
• The supply charge covers the cost of getting electricity to your house (through the poles and wires) and is not based on how much energy you use. The supply charge could also be referred to as the Daily Supply Charge or Service to Property Charge.
• Your electricity bill will also have a section to show discounts you are entitled to on your plan, Solar feed-in tariff and any rebates or concessions (if eligible). Discounts depend on what type of plan you are on but might include pay-on-time discounts, a percentage discount off your total bill, or discounts for paying by direct debit.
• Most electricity companies also display a graph or image to help you compare your electricity usage to other similar homes in your area.

Economy electricity tariffs

You will need to understand the various tariffs that your energy provider uses. For example this could be economy or off-peak tariffs.

How To Save Energy Around The Home

Conserve energy in your home by using energy-efficient appliances A significant portion of your home’s energy use may be caused by appliances.

Even though buying an energy- or water-efficient refrigerator, washing machine, clothes dryer, or air conditioner may cost a bit more up front, you’ll end up saving money in the long run on maintenance fees.

Look for the energy and water ratings on appliances when you are shopping. This makes it simple to determine which goods are the most cost-effective and efficient to operate.

Energy efficiency

Lowering your energy usage and considering off-peak options (i.e. economy or time-of-use tariffs) are 2 of the cheapest and easiest ways to reduce your electricity bill.

Note: Switching an appliance not already connected to an economy tariff will incur costs for your electrician to install a new meter. Consider the long term benefits of switching to an economy tariff, including the payback period to recover all associated costs.

To make the biggest energy savings, you should focus on how to best use the appliances that use the most energy (e.g. refrigerator, washing machine, clothes dryer, dishwasher, air conditioner).

Here’s some additional tips to help you reduce your energy bill!

Water heating and laundry

• Make sure the tariff for your electric hot water is regulated load (off-peak).
• When doing laundry, use cold water and a suitable cold water detergent.
• To save energy, fully load the washer and select economy wash.
• Don’t combine light and heavy clothing because they dry differently and be sure to clean the lint filter in the dryer after each load.
• Wherever possible, avoid using the dryer. Instead, dry your items indoors on a rack next to a window that gets enough of sunlight.

Air Conditioner

• Keep your temp on 24degs – your power use may rise by roughly 5% to 10% for every additional degree of cooling.
• Use fans to circulate the cool air while opening your windows and doors to produce cross breezes.
• To keep the air inside the space you wish to cool or heat, close your doors, windows, curtains, and blinds.
• Set your air conditioner’s temperature between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius for cooling.
• To guarantee that your air conditioner operates as efficiently as possible, clean the filter twice a year.

Kitchen

• The appliance that consumes the most energy is your refrigerator, which constantly turns on and off.
• Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible to maintain the coldness of the food inside.
• If the freezer’s and refrigerator’s seals are insufficient, clean them and replace them.
• Use the economy setting and fill your dishwasher to the brim.
• When not in use, turn off small appliances at the power outlet.
• When buying, pick appliances that use less energy.

Lighting

• In Queensland houses, lighting costs account for roughly 6% of total electricity costs.
• Replace old light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones like LED or compact fluorescent lamps to save your lighting expenditures by more than 80%. Additionally, these possibilities endure 5 to 10 times longer.
• To prevent lighting up the entire room, place reading lamps next to chairs.
• Use natural light during the day by opening your curtains and blinds.
  entertainment on TV
• When no one is using them, turn off the TV and other entertainment equipment at the wall. Note: Because doing so would interfere with recording programmes you’ve set up, some electronic gadgets cannot be turned off.

Standby continues to draw energy

• As your appliances still require electricity when they are not in use, turn everything off at the wall. Note: Because doing so would interfere with recording programmes you’ve set up, some electronic gadgets cannot be turned off.
• Switch off the standby power on your gaming consoles, phone chargers, and tablet chargers.
• Reducing your consumption also lessens the demand for more infrastructure development, pollution, and glasshouse gas emissions.

The Best Way To Save Money On Your Bill Is To Do An Energy Comparison

Of course, the best way to save money on your energy bill is to see if you can get a better deal. The easiest way to do that is through Billy Explores! You can save time and explore potential savings on your energy bill through Billy Explores. Of course, when you’re thinking about getting the best deal on your energy, why not think about doing a health insurance comparison too! Again, that’s so easy through Billy Explores!

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