Money & Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Brought to you by Legrand.

Winter can cause a steep increase to electricity bills due to the growing reliance on appliances to heat the home.

With the cost of living steadily rising across Australia, there’s no time like the present to invest in ways to save energy.

Reducing energy costs is a sure-fire way to save money. Check out these tips for reducing energy costs and saving money for fun things like renovating or revamping your home.

15 Money and Energy Saving Tips for Winter

1. Keep draughts out of the home by sealing gaps under doors to stop warm air from escaping and keep cold air out.

2. Only heat rooms you spend the most time in.

3. When you turn the heating on in your home, keep the thermostat between 18-20 degrees Celsius. This can save up to 10% of your energy use which will be reflected in your electricity bill.

4. Install smart lights that can be controlled from a smart device for quick and convenient control around the home. Products like the HPM Smart Downlights allow you to be in control of energy light usage via an app or remote. The timer function is also great for automating your lights, so you can schedule them to turn off when you know you won’t be in the room. The HPM Smart Downlights also have a dimming function that helps reduce energy consumption.

5. Make it a rule to only do full loads of washing and full loads in the dryer when washing and drying clothes and linens.

6. Invest in wool dryer balls. They can reduce the drying time of your clothes in the dryer, saving money on your energy bill.

7. Set consistent habits to turn off appliances on standby throughout the home when not in use. If you want to save your sanity and time, purchase an HPM Analogue timer with 24-hour offsets. It will magically turn appliances off or on automatically for energy-saving convenience. Not only are these budget-friendly, but their unique shape also won’t block the adjacent power outlet!

8. Use a slow cooker for dinner. You can choose lesser-cut meats to tenderise (which are kinder to the grocery budget!), and the heat from the appliance can add warmth to the home. Plus, being prepared earlier in the day for dinner can save on ordering take-out if it’s been a busy day.

9. Hot water bottles and heated wheat bags can warm your bed without relying on electric blankets and heaters.

10. Utilise the BBQ during winter to save on electricity costs to cook dinner.

11. Long hot showers can be so tempting and indulgent in winter, but shorter showers use less hot water and, therefore, reduce the energy to heat up the hot water unit when it refills.

12. Turn the tap off when washing hands, brushing teeth or shaving.

13. Install an HPM Fanlight in the bathroom. When the coldest room in the house can also be the most humid room after a hot shower, it requires an energy-efficient exhaust heat lamp to remove condensation and keep heat in the room through energy-efficient LED lights. Heat lamps can be 250w, and the HPM Ducted Exhaust and Light totals 113w for both energy using components of the unit, using less than half the energy of most heat lamps.

14. Furnish your windows. If you have bare windows, invest in shutters, curtains or blinds and keep them shut during winter to stop heat from escaping your home. This is also important to do when using the heater as it will prevent warm air from escaping the home.

15. Invest in UGGs/slippers and an OODIE or warm comfortable jumper. The more layers, the less reliance on energy-zapping appliances to warm your home. Don’t underestimate the cost per wear of quality slippers and a fleecy gown to keep you toasty warm through winter.