How to Save Money on Electricity by Making Smarter Choices

Lucy Bennett
By Lucy Bennett - Contributing Editor
How to Save Money on Electricity by Making Smarter Choices

The costs of living are rising, and electricity bills are causing a lot of the hip pocket pain. We all need to use it, so how can we get more bang for our buck? In this guide, we’ll show you how you can save money on electricity by making smarter choices. Some of them you can put into practice while reading this guide! All these tips are here to ensure you can have more money in your wallet without freezing through winter or sweltering through summer.

Turn things off!

Though it may seem obvious, turning things off if you aren’t using them can starve “energy vampires” from draining your bank account with passive “standby” modes. Sometimes, leaving appliances on standby consumes more electricity than some appliances in use. You can reduce standby use by using foot switch power boards or automate when some appliances are switched on at the wall by using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled power points.

How to Save Money on Electricity by Making Smarter Choices

Invest in power saving appliances

“Smart” appliances are all the rage these days, and for good reason. They are usually much better at using energy efficiently. For example, smart light bulbs use LED technology and can be turned on and off according to a schedule, which means no more lights left on when you aren’t using them. LEDs also use a fraction of the power of incandescent or halogen bulbs, saving a lot of money over time. Look into other energy efficient appliances such as front-loading washers, dishwashers, microwaves, fridges, and even TVs.

Change electricity retailers

If you haven’t changed electricity retailers in at least 12 months, you may be missing out on big savings or default state offers. To make sure you’re not paying more for your energy than you otherwise should be, you should compare plans as soon as you can. Some plans may have cheaper electricity for “off-peak” usage, which you can take advantage of by running high-energy appliances at night, such as dishwashers or washing machines. This can all contribute to saving money on electricity.

Increase insulation and roller shutters

If your house is draughty and in need of better insulation, look to install it as soon as possible – if you are able. This can save heaps of money on power and gas bills during winter and summer. During the summer months, installing roller shutters, double-glazed windows, and/or heavy-duty blinds can also keep out the heat which means less stress on your air conditioner; and saving you money in the process.

Solar power options

One of the best ways to save on electricity bills is to convert your home to solar power. This can be a costly upfront outlay, but the system will literally pay for itself in reduced power bills; or even pay you for supplying electricity to the grid.

If you can’t afford or aren’t able to install solar power at your residence, you may opt for using solar power banks or solar appliances to reduce your dependency on grid electricity.

iLounge author Lucy Bennett
By Lucy Bennett Contributing Editor
Lucy Bennett is a Contributing Editor at iLounge. She has been writing about Apple and technology for over six years. Prior to joining iLounge, Lucy worked as a writer for several online publications.