It is easy to save energy around the home with a few instant tips from the Savings Room! We live busy lives rushing in and out of our homes straddling bags, tablets, phones, kid’s bags, keys and coffee cups. When we get home we’re tired. We might need to refresh by taking an extra shower and throwing washing on to stay ahead of things. In the process lights get left on and pots boil for longer than they should.
In winter, when it is freezing, most of us would rather spend the money on heating than throw an extra jumper on and battle the cold. When we go to bed we’re still tired. We might not have the energy or headspace to remember to turn appliances off at the power point.
But all these little habits add up over time and it is really just a matter of developing good habits for the purpose of saving big on electricity and gas.
Aussie homes spend roughly 5% of their weekly income on gas and electricity. The ABS Household Energy Consumption Survey states that the average Australian spends an average of $39 on household gas and electricity. In the colder parts of the country the average is higher with Victorians spending $45 and Tasmanians spending $44.
So where exactly are we are spending our money?
We’re spending 38% of that turning on heaters and air conditioners. We are spending 7% on our fridge and 7% on lighting our homes. Cooking takes up 4% of that figure with other appliances taking up 16%. Finally heating water in our homes takes up a whopping 25% of our spend on utilities.
With energy putting such a dent in our coffers, I decided to write a big list on how to save as much energy as possible. I thought it would be handy to have a quick list I could put up somewhere in my home to remind all of us (myself and my family members!) how to save money on electricity and gas.
Need even more motivation for saving energy?
Paste your last gas or electricity bill on the fridge and note on it what you would rather spend that money on! Money is always a great motivator when we see how much we are spending and what we might be missing out on.
There are many big and small actions we can take in terms of electricity and gas. We can dry laundry in already heated rooms instead of turning the dryer on in winter. We can adopt a bedtime energy check and go around the house turning stuff off. I do a security check at night, so I’ve added our energy check to my little list of to-dos. If you live in a dark house, there is always the tendency to turn lights on during the day. Try and avoid this action at all costs. Switching lights on is a habit, so make a habit of switching them off too! Reap the savings!
Drumroll….
Here’s the money-saving list!
Energy | 130+ easy ways to save on electricity and gas
- Add laundry to heated rooms.
- Adopt a bedtime energy check. Turn stuff off.
- Adopt a no lights in the day rule.
- Allow room between items in the fridge.
- Avoid the clothes dryer at all costs.
- Avoid using electronic gates and garage doors.
- Block up chimneys so heat does not escape.
- Boil water before adding food to a pot.
- Buy appliances that fit your needs. Not too big.
- Buy warm sleepwear for winter.
- Change non-reading lights to low watt light bulbs.
- Change your heater to a gas heater.
- Check out evaporative coolers.
- Check power bill and usage always.
- Check electricity tariffs are correct.
- Clean air conditioner coils.
- Clean coils and filters behind the fridge.
- Close blinds and curtains in summer.
- Close off heater vents.
- Compare your power bills with friends’ bills.
- Cook multiple dishes in the oven.
- Cool food down before putting in the fridge.
- Cool yourself down with a spray bottle.
- Cover up pots with lids while cooking.
- Defrost food in the fridge or on the bench.
- Defrost the freezer.
- Do all your ironing at once.
- Do not block off windows with furniture.
- Do not jam clothes into the dryer.
- Do not leave appliances on stand-by.
- Do not leave the fridge door open momentarily.
- Do not over dry clothes.
- Do not wear hot clothes and turn cooling up.
- Dry clothes in ducted heating in winter.
- Dry like items together in the dryer.
- Enjoy a power free night.
- Every time you walk the house, switch lights off.
- Fill up water bottles to avoid washing glasses.
- Finish cooking in the heat of a turned-off oven.
- Fit the pot or pan to the element.
- Fit food to the size of the pot when cooking.
- Get a door sausage.
- Get a shower timer.
- Get an energy audit done on your home.
- Get motion sensor security.
- Get timers for switching appliances on and off.
- Go to the library for free air conditioning.
- Get extra clotheshorses for winter laundry.
- Hang or fold clothes immediately.
- Work at home? Put your desk in natural light.
- Install ceiling fans for cheap cooling.
- Install electrical outlet seals.
- Install extra doors to close off rooms.
- Install fluorescent tubes.
- Install light dimmers to save energy.
- Install solar power.
- Insulate your home.
- Invest in a digital electricity monitor.
- Invest in a fan-force oven.
- Invest in a gas hot water heater.
- Invest in a pressure cooker.
- Invest in high quality power boards.
- Invest in rechargeable batteries.
- Invest in stovetop hotplate reflectors.
- Investigate fridges that use waste heat.
- Investigate gas dryers.
- Keep your fridge out of sunny areas in a room.
- Learn how to multi-task well in the kitchen.
- Leave the house and seek out free air-conditioning.
- Lose the extra fridge.
- Make sure fridge coils are 10cm from the wall.
- Make sure fridge seals work.
- Make sure the lids fit correctly on pots.
- Make sure oven seals are good.
- Make switching lights off a reflex and habit.
- Only do full loads in your washing machine.
- Only light up the room you are in.
- Only run the dishwasher at night.
- Only use the dryer at night.
- Open windows in the evening to cool the house.
- Place lamps in corners. Light reflects off two walls.
- Plant tall trees for shade on your home.
- Pull plugs out to ensure absolute energy savings.
- Put an Emergency Use Only sign on the dryer.
- Put an Only Use After Hours sign on the dryer.
- Put extra clothes on, especially thermals.
- Put the air-conditioner unit in the shade.
- Put your desk under a skylight.
- Relocate the air-conditioner to a shady spot.
- Replace filters on coolers for greater efficiency.
- Replace old electric heaters.
- Sap retail staff for their valued energy knowledge.
- Set heating to 18 degrees. Take the chill off only.
- Set the fridge temp to four degrees.
- Simmer food instead of boiling it.
- Soak clothes instead of doing a pre-wash cycle.
- Spend time on researching energy deals.
- Store batteries in the fridge.
- Switch off your computer at the wall.
- Take less baths. Save on heating extra hot water.
- Train the kids to save energy.
- Turn appliances off at the wall.
- Turn appliances off while on holiday.
- Turn heating off half an hour before leaving home.
- Turn off the party fridge.
- Turn off televisions that are not being watched.
- Turn on ceiling fans to improve the flow of an air conditioner.
- Turn the TV off and reduce heat in a room.
- Turn your air-conditioner to 22 degrees.
- Unplug electronic chargers.
- Upgrade appliances to modern models.
- Use an old-fashioned wheat bag.
- Use a hand fan in the summer.
- Use electric blankets.
- Use free eco-light bulb programs from contractors.
- Use hand-powered gadgets. E.g. Can opener.
- Use light coloured lampshades for better light.
- Use red dot stickers for energy reminders.
- Use smaller appliances instead of the oven.
- Use the dryer only to finish off damp clothes.
- Use the microwave if it is more cost effective.
- Use the oven light instead of opening the door.
- Use thick curtains in winter to keep the heat in.
- Warm plates in an oven you just turned off.
- Wash clothes in cold water.
- Wear a garment twice. Halve your laundry load!
- Wear a hoodie instead of turning the heat up.
- When installing air-cons ventilate well.
- Wind up car windows when the air-con is on.
- Work under a main room light. Avoid extra lamps.