We’re about to enter the peak period of the dreaded winter energy bill shock
As if getting out of bed in winter wasn’t already hard enough.
All of our costly winter habits that make the life worth living, like using the heater, those longer, hotter showers and the constant boiling of the kettle, sadly, all add up.
Some families are even actively spending less on groceries in a bid to prepare for the size of their winter energy bill.
But this method is really just a band-aid solution, what we need is real long-term energy saving tips and advice.
Laura Crowden, an iSelect Energy spokesperson told us exactly how we can beat winter energy bill shock by reducing our household energy costs.
Don’t cut, switch!
The best way to save money is to make sure you are on the best value plan available.
With multiple providers vying for your business, some are offering generous introductory offers and rebates out there to entice new customers. This can come in the form of free or discounted energy for the first month or more, or a credit towards your account.
Pay on time and save
Moving to a ‘pay on time’ energy plan could save you up 30 per cent on each bill. However, if you often pay your bills late, you could end up paying a lot more than you expected.
Match your bills to your budget
It’s important to match your billing cycle with your household budget or pay-day cycles.
Many plans give you the opportunity to pay your bills weekly, fortnightly or monthly which can help families who struggle to pay larger quarterly bills.
Some providers will also offer bill smoothing which will divide your annual usage into even monthly installments, which gives you valuable predictability into energy costs.
Don’t DIY
With so many options and offers currently available finding the best deal yourself can be overwhelming.
Families can save time and money by speaking to an energy expert and discussing your budget and energy usage patterns. They can talk you through the overwhelming variety of choices and find the most cost-effective plan to suit your needs.
Wasting energy is wasting money
Even if you are on the best deal there are still some energy saving tactics families can implement to keep warm economically.
For example, set the heater’s thermostat to 20 degrees Celsius or less as every extra degree can increase costs by 10 per cent.
Closing doors and use door snakes to stop draughts can also help trap in heat and reduce the workload on your heater.
For more information head to the iSelect website.
