We’re officially out of winter and summer is well on the way! Like it or not, when the mercury rises, so do our power bills. It’s not just because of running the air con day in, day out (though it certainly contributes); according to the Australia Institute power bills have risen 183% in the last two decades. [https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/the-real-reasons-why-our-power-prices-are-going-up/news-story/c61b12ecd56001bfbcd2b9f45c581d7b]

So what can you do to keep energy bills down during the summer months? Here are some tips to make sure your summer is free of bill shock.

If you’re not using it, turn it off

This might seem obvious to some people, but it bears repeating – if you aren’t using a TV, lamp, light, computer – anything that draws power; turn it off! This also means items on standby. Some estimates that standby power – also known as “vampire power” can consume 10% of a household’s energy usage. One tip is to connect your “standby” units such as TVs and lamps to a footswitch operated power board, so you can turn everything off in one action. Other ways to save on energy around the home is hand washing dishes instead of using the dishwasher and thawing frozen food in the fridge overnight instead of using an oven or microwave.

Keep the heat out

Keeping the heat out of your home is paramount to keeping power bills down. You can achieve this by closing curtains, windows, and doors during the day, so your home’s temperature doesn’t rise during the day. This can help delay turning on the air conditioning. One idea is to invest in roller shutters; these can block out all of the light and heat from the outside and keep your inside cooler for much longer. Installing insulation can also help keep out the heat (and keep in the warmth over winter!)

Switch to LEDs

If you have a lot of lights around the house, it’s well worth looking into buying LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights to replace halogen or fluorescent bulbs around the home. While traditional halogen or incandescent bulbs use 40 watts at the minimum, an LED bulb will draw about 15% of that – 6 to 8 watts. LEDs also last much longer at 50,000 hours. They are a bit pricier but are definitely an investment that will pay off.

Compare energy plans

Did you know 27% of all Australian households have never switched energy plans? The over 55s are the least likely to switch energy providers, though there’s no reward for their loyalty. Quite the opposite – those who leave their energy plans to chance are usually missing out on savings from competing plans. [https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/the-hidden-cost-of-energy-retailer-loyalty-can-bite-your-budget/news-story/95d3ee5a38f9c588d7215419a5fa5657]

One surefire way to reduce your energy bills is to compare electricity plans with various retailers. Instead of looking at each individual retailer, you can use an online comparison service like EConnex to help you make an informed decision. Just by giving EConnex your postcode, you’ll be able to see all the available electricity plans in your area. EConnex gives you results in real dollar terms, so there’s no fiddling about trying to figure out discounts and other marketing spin. Best of all it’s 100% independent so results speak for themselves. It’s secure and free to use. Click here to compare and save.

Install solar panels

Though it is a substantial investment, you can save money on power bills by installing solar panels on to your home. Over time, the savings from generating your own electricity will not only pay off your system but even make money from feed-in tariffs. You should contact an authorised provider for more information.