We are all looking to save money on our power. So, here are 10 ideas that will help you start saving today.
1 – Have shorter showers
Hot water is one of the biggest uses of power in the house, so finding ways to have shorter showers and using the cold tap for washing hands can help significantly.
2 – Cooking
Cooking dinner tonight? If you can, cook more for more than one night at a time, cook other things at the same time or use a microwave. Baking, heating up meals for tonight (when you are cooking for the next night) or things like that all help! Using the oven for shorter periods on the majority of days will help to reduce it as well rather than cooking things for a long period each day.
3 – Switch off appliances
Turn appliances off at the wall that you don’t use often. If they are warm it means they are using a reasonable amount!
4 – Smaller baths for kids
Do you have kids to bath? Then a flexitub (60L works best for a 3 to 5-year-old, but smaller ones work great when they are younger) from somewhere like The Warehouse. They use less water and still let them have their bath time. You can even bath newborns in the smaller ones!
5 – Reduce heating costs
These ideas (MT BLOG – Save money on Heating (WIP)), for making sure your house is dry so you can use your power more effectively.
6 – Wrap your hot water cylinder
Wrap your hot water cylinder – ask your landlord first and try places like TradeMe too – they aren’t always on there… they’ve been bought for $1 at times!
7 – Use the hot tap as little as possible
Use the hot tap as little as possible and save hot water from the jug in a thermos if you boil it often. Hot water = Heating the hot water cylinder = using power. The exception being if you use gas of course.
8 – Turn of the lights
Lights get left on all over the house? Or do you just need them in the main living areas? Do you use a light in the toilet as a kids nightlight? Switch the most used light bulbs to energy saver or LED to save that cost. You don’t have to do them all, though doing them all will save in the long run. Just do it as you can!
9 – Find a cheaper power company
Check if there is a cheaper power company – if you are a stay at home parent, Electric Kiwi could be best if you make use of their free hour or power effectively. There are several comparison tools available, we have some listed here: https://www.moneytalks.co.nz/who-is-the-cheapest-power-company/