Want to save money on electrical appliances? You don’t need to give up the TV or the dryer. Most savings come from a few small habits and a bit of smart shopping. Appliances sit behind your power bill every day, and while each one uses far less than heating, cooling or hot water, they add up when everything is on at once.
Most homes now have more than one TV, a few chargers going, a gaming console and a laptop or two. Here are practical ways to bring the running costs down.
How to Save Money on Electrical Appliances: Three Simple Steps
Start with these three:
- Choose energy-efficient appliances when it is time to replace something
- Use appliances less, and for shorter periods
- Ask your energy retailer if you have an off-peak or time-of-use tariff, and run suitable appliances (a pool pump, for example) at cheaper times
Heating, cooling and hot water usually cost the most in a home, so appliance savings sit on top of whatever you do there. They still count, because they happen every single day. The tips below cover specific appliances.
Save money on laundry
Clothes dryers are among the most power-hungry appliances in the house. If you can skip the dryer, you’ll notice it on your bill. On a dry day, hang washing outside. When it rains, use a clothes airer indoors with a window open or a fan going.
For the washing machine, wash full loads and use cold water where you can. If you do use the dryer, let the clothes dry on the line first and finish them off in the dryer for a short time. Clean the lint filter every time. A blocked filter makes the dryer work harder.
Save money on electrical appliances in the kitchen
The same idea applies to the whole house: a few minutes of thought before you press start. Ask yourself whether the appliance needs to run now, whether it is full, and whether a lower setting will do the job. Those three questions save more than most gadgets ever will.
The kitchen is full of small savings. Run the dishwasher only when it is full and use the eco setting if it has one. Only boil as much water as you need in the kettle. Microwaves, toaster ovens and slow cookers can often cook a meal for less than a full-size oven, though it depends on the size and how long you use them.
Check the fridge door seal while you’re in there. If it is loose or cracked, the fridge works harder. Keep the fridge at the temperature in the manual, and leave a little space around it so it can breathe. And yes, a wooden spoon does the same job as electric beaters for most cakes.
Spend less in living spaces
Just because you spend a lot of time in the lounge or home office doesn’t mean everything needs to be on. Turn the TV off if no one is watching it, and switch off gaming consoles, chargers and other gear at the wall when you’re done. Many devices keep drawing a little power in standby, and a power board with a switch makes turning a whole set-up off easy.
Laptops generally use less power than desktop computers. A smaller screen generally uses less than a big one too, so consider that when you next buy a TV.
Chargers are another quiet drain. Once a phone or laptop is full, unplug it. Some TVs and streaming boxes have a quick-start or instant-on mode that keeps them drawing power all day, so check the settings and turn it off if you can live with a slightly slower start.
A quick safety note: don’t plug power boards into other power boards, and don’t overload a single point. If you keep running out of outlets, that’s a job for a licensed electrician. Our power point installation team can add more points where you need them. If an appliance keeps tripping your safety switch, stop using it and have it checked.
Check your appliances and know your running costs
Before you replace anything, ask if it still works well. A tired fridge or an old heater that runs all day can cost more to run than a newer, efficient model. But a perfectly good appliance is not always worth swapping just for the label.
Look at the Energy Rating label when you shop. More stars generally means lower running costs for similar appliances, but check the label to compare like with like. For the appliances you already own, check the manual or the label for power use, and think about how many hours a day each one runs.
A simple home energy check is a good next step. Walk around and note which appliances run longest, which run on standby and which are old. Your retailer’s bill or app may show usage over time, and that helps you see what changes make a difference. When you do buy, pick the right size. A fridge, TV or air conditioner that is bigger than you need costs more to run every day. Swapping out an old, inefficient appliance can pay off over time, but costs vary, so compare before you buy.
Contact us for more tips at home, or call Olympic Electrical on 02 8999 3691 for a free quote.
