Beyond switching retailers or plans, actual usage reduction is the other lever households have over their energy bills. This page is general information only.
Heating and cooling
Heating and cooling typically make up the largest share of household energy use in most of Australia — adjusting thermostat settings by even a degree or two, using ceiling fans alongside air conditioning, and improving draught-proofing and insulation can all meaningfully reduce this.
Hot water
Hot water is often the next largest usage category — shorter showers, fixing dripping hot taps, and considering a solar or heat pump hot water system over time can all reduce this cost.
Appliances and standby power
Older appliances, particularly fridges and old air conditioners, can use significantly more energy than efficient modern equivalents — checking the energy rating label when replacing an appliance, and switching off devices at the wall rather than leaving them on standby, both help at the margins.
Key takeaways
Usage reduction tends to compound with switching to a better plan or retailer — doing both generally produces a bigger combined saving than either alone.