Summer is officially over which means it’s the time of the year when hot showers get longer, heaters get turned on and lights get turned on earlier due to daylight savings and all of these habits can add stacks to our electricity bills.

“Winter is traditionally when people use the most power, but the amount people spend depends very much on the size of the home, how well-insulated it is, the quality of the curtains and the type of heating they use,” says Bay Financial Mentors manager Shirley McCombe.  

“Because of this, we often suggest people put a little extra aside during the summer to reduce the burden during the colder months. 

“As well as heating, dryers are very expensive to run and the long hot showers we enjoy on cold days also add to the power bill,” says Shirley.

Energy Mate tips to save money this winter:

These tips for appliances can save up to $277 a year

• You can save up to $100 a year by switching off your appliances at the wall when you’re not using them
• You can save up to $52 a year if you dry your clothes outside or on a drying rack inside
• You can save up to $25 a year by only boiling the amount of water in the kettle that you need
• You can save up to $100 a year by switching your lightbulbs to LED bulbs

These are some tips to keep your home warm without breaking the bank

• 18-22 degrees is the best temperature range to set your heaters to in order to keep your home warm, healthy and energy efficient
• Use a heat pump, they’re 3x more efficient than electric heaters
• Only heat the rooms that you are using, close the doors between rooms and close the curtains in the evening to keep the heat in
• Block the gaps around the doors and windows and make your own draught stoppers using socks

These tips on water heating can save you up to $610 a year

• Check your shower flow. If it fills a 10-litre bucket in under a minute. It wastes water. Use a flow restrictor to save water and save up to $80 a year
• Take shorter showers, a family of four can save up to $450 a year but cutting down their daily showers by 5 minutes
• Save up to $80 a year by using cold water for laundry. Using cold water for laundry can save energy. Reserve hot water for tough stains only
• A dripping hot tap is pouring money down the drain. Be sure to fix dripping taps

By following these easy tips you could save a lot of money that can go towards other things, like a vacation or a new car.

Be smart this winter and save your money for better things.