Whether you live in Melbourne or anywhere in the world, it is a good idea to learn and know how to reduce your electricity usage. By reducing your usage, you will help save the environment and save on energy. You may have observed that your energy bill is constantly rising, which means now is best time to do something about it. There are some clever tricks you can use to reduce your electricity bills in the long run. Before we discuss these simple tricks, we would like to share the most important tip first that everyone can use to save on energy. 

This tip is as simple as switching off unused PowerPoints that have appliances connected in your home!  

Unplug your Appliances to reduce electricity cost

Almost 80 per cent of the electricity used to power home appliances is consumed while the products are switched off. Why is this? It is because all these electronics have devices which use power even when they seem to be off.  Some of these appliances are a bit more noticeable than others because they contain novelties such as a clock, or a LED that shows the appliance is plugged in. Others have electronic components that are not visually noticeable and  still consume power when the appliance is off. Collectively, in Australia, it sums up to more than $222 million a year of wasted energy.

So, begin by unplugging or switching of PowerPoints of all the electronics you don’t always use. Appliances like gaming consoles, chargers, Apple TV box,TVs, and printers all consume power even when they are off. 

Below is some of the basic and common things you can do reduce your electricity bill even further.

Be Aware of Usage

Always think about what is ON in your house, start being consciously aware when it comes to using electronic appliances. If you are leaving a room for any reason and you will not go back soon then you should switch off whatever you can. By turning off all electronics that don’t need to be ON, you can help save electricity and as a result, reduce your costs. Electronics such as fans, TVs, heaters, and things like lights can be turned off safely when not required.

Buy Smart

You have to be smart when buying electronics. For example, you can save energy cost just by buying and replacing bulbs to LED. Although these bulbs are a little more expensive to buy than incandescent bulbs, they quickly make up for their cost in energy savings and low long-term costs. 

Use Home Electronics the Right Way

The number of electronics you have in your home can affect your power usage, but it is more how you use them that can tremendously increase your power bill.

So how can you save on your usage? Try these tips:

  • Whenever you want to use your washing machine always put a load on but do it when you have a full load and the smallest heat required to get a clean wash.
  • Use the heater for the shortest amount of time possible and to temperature that is manageable. 
  • Turn your Air Conditioner up to the temperature that you can stand comfortably. This way you are not just keeping the room cool enough or warm enough, but you are saving significant usage of power as well.
  • If you have a computer, always turn off the monitor when you are not using it. And when not in use simple switch your computer off. This will also help you a lot in the unlikely event of a power surge which can damage your PC, Hard Disk and lead to massive data recovery costs.

In a nutshell, by applying these tips continually, you can develop a constructive habit to not only cut down your power bill but to help save the environment!