The days are shorter, the nights are crisp and baby cuddles feel extra good – winter is on its way. We’re all looking for ways to stay cosy without running the heater 24 hours a day, so we’ve gathered a few simple tweaks to keep families warm and the bank balance looking healthy.
It’s as simple as taking a walk through the house and looking for the sneaky ways that heat (and money) are escaping your nest. Are you drawing the curtains early, do you really need the microwave to cook dinner tonight, and are the kids doing their bit to keep the temperature up and the cost down?
Here are 8 savvy ways to save energy (and money) during winter.
Around the house
Plug the draught: A cheap and easy way to keep the house cosy is to make sure warm air isn’t escaping. Get the kids to go on a draught hunt – searching for any places that cold air is getting in – like under doors and around windows. Reseal gaps using foam strips, and grab a few sausage-shaped draught stoppers for under doors.
Check your plan: Give your energy plan a once-over. It’s such a simple thing to do, but can save heaps on your bills and takes no time at all – make a cuppa, put your feet up and compare your energy plan online.
A simple switch: Ditch energy-guzzling electric blankets for hot water bottles or wheat bags.
Check the kitchen
Turn the microwave off: Did you know that your microwave uses more energy powering its clock, than actually heating up food over the course of a year? Just flick the switch at the wall and it won’t be sucking on energy while in standby mode. In fact, do this for all of your appliances and you’ll save a tidy little sum on your energy bill.
Use a slow cooker: A slow cooker uses only a smidge more energy than a traditional light bulb, and winter is the perfect time to dust it off and get those soups and stews cooking throughout the day. Even better – you can whip up cakes and bread in a slow cooker – no need to turn on the oven.
Check the living room
Lower the thermostat: You’ll be able to shave a little off the family budget just by dropping the heating thermostat down. Drop the thermostat to between 18–20°C if you’re in a coolish part of Australia (we promise you’ll still be toasty). For every degree you pump up the heating, you’re pushing up your energy use by five to 10 per cent.
Hold out on the heater: Have a think about other ways to get warm, before turning on the heater. Hold a family scavenger hunt, build a cosy blanket fort for movie night or have a hot curry night! Close the curtains in the early evening to keep in the warmth from the day (and to get the kids ready for bed earlier – winning!).
Switch off or unplug: Our final money saving tip – get the kids to switch off their video consoles at the wall. If they’re left on for 24 hours a day it can bump up your energy bill by almost $200 a year! That’s a whole lot of V-Bucks.
Easy, right? Put our money saving tips to the test and see what a few small changes does to your energy bills this winter.
(This is article is sponsored by Amaysim)
