8 ways to lower your electricity bill
South African electricity consumers are currently struggling with the cost of electricity. How can you reduce your expenditure on electricity?
In South Africa, electricity prices have increased by over 350% since 2004. And with winter upon us, this statistic doesn’t help the financial situation in many households much.
Between the months of June to August, the country reaches its coldest temperatures, forcing thousands of citizens to increase their use of electric heat.
On average, South African families spend 14% of their total monthly income on energy needs. In fact, 2 out of 3 households use an energy source to heat up spaces and keep warm, while those remaining opt to wear warm clothing and use blankets instead.
While we cannot control the continuous increase in the cost of utilities, there are ways to save on your electricity bill, for instance:
· Switching to LED bulbs
· Don’t boil more water in a kettle than needed
· Consider switching to solar heating
· Changing your power usage behaviour
· Tracking your usage on a daily basis
· Turning off lights in unoccupied rooms
· Making your home more energy efficient
· Only wash a load of clothing when it can fill the washing machine. This saves more energy than washing two half loads
By following these tips, you could save a great deal of money. If you decide to go the route of switching to solar heating, which may involve renovations, make sure to double check your home insurance policy. It’s always important to update your policy whenever something in your home changes so that you don’t have any hassles in the claims process.
To learn more about how you can save energy while staying warm, here’s how to lower your heating bill and save money on insurance.
