BEING savvy and smart with how you use appliances and equipment can bring considerable savings on energy bills. Consider these tips to reduce electricity consumption:
Turn off when not in use
Flicking appliances off at the wall to avoid wasting energy is a good place to start. These ‘vampire appliances’ include gaming consoles, anything with a ‘standby mode’, and phones at full charge.
Laundry
Use cold water in your machine where possible and opt to run your washing machine with a full load to maximise efficiency.
Heating and cooling
Only heat or cool the room/s you are using and use blinds to help control the temperature inside. Blocking draughts will help retain heat inside the house, while running your air conditioner on the energy-efficient setting will cool your home without guzzling power.
Shop around for better deals
Compare energy suppliers to get the best deal. The Government’s Victorian Energy Compare website allows households and businesses to compare electricity, gas and solar savings to ensure they’re not paying too much.
