Some ways to save money in winter

For many households, winter can be an expensive time of the year.

Unlike summer, you can’t cool down at beaches or local swimming pools, and you can only put on so many layers of clothes when temperatures tumble.

Energy prices in Australia have surged in recent years, and the Australian Energy Market Commission predicts that prices in most states will rise strongly over the next two years.¹

While we can’t control future price rises, there are plenty of things we can do to cut our winter costs.

Examine your bills

Knowing how you are charged and how much energy you use is vital to working out ways to save money. There is plenty of helpful free online information, including a Federal Government fact sheet.² Some energy costs might simply be cut by phoning your provider and asking for a better deal, or switching to a new provider with a better offer.

 Keep the heat in

A few practical steps can potentially cut your energy usage and how much you pay. Trap heat where you need it by keeping windows and doors shut but opening curtains when the sun is shining, using door snakes to stop draughts, and only heating the living spaces you need. Many experts recommend setting an air-conditioner thermostat at 18-20 degrees during winter – every degree higher can add extra dollars to your bill.

Indoor Activities

Rather than spend big bucks surfing Netflix or downloading the latest movies, take a trip back in time and revisit board games that have entertained families for decades. If you are buying entertainment, wait six or 12 months for prices to drop – there are probably plenty of good films you’ve missed as new releases.

 Use appliances wisely

The Federal Government website, yourenergysavings.gov.au, says water heating is potentially the biggest source of energy use in your home, so wash clothes in cold water and only use dishwashers when they are full.³ Avoid clothes dryers where possible – a freestanding rack in a well ventilated room will do the trick. Turn off unused appliances at the wall to potentially cut your energy usage by 10 per cent.

Home cooking

Visiting a restaurant may be less appealing when it is cold and raining outside, so use winter weather as an excuse to cook some healthy, cheaper meals. Apart from saving money, your oven will serve as a second room heater while being used.

1 Australian Energy Market Commission; 2016 Residential Electricity Price Trends report; 14 December 2016 www.aemc.gov.au/getattachment/b5b073b9-6b12-48bc-aa6b-ca6b931cbfa9/National-fact-pack-and-media-release.aspx
2 Department of Industry, Innovation and Science: Australian Government; Fact sheet 2 Understand your electricity bill and manage your usage; March 2016 www.industry.gov.au/Energy/EnergyMarkets/Documents/Factsheet2-UnderstandYourElectricity%20BillAndManageYourUsage-01.pdf
3 Australia Government: Your Energy Saving – Reduce your energy bills; accessed May 2017 www.yourenergysavings.gov.au/guides/reduce-your-energy-bills