Most Aussies are blissfully ignorant of the huge savings they could make if they just made a few very simple changes to their routines. BIBO has found six easy ways to slash those pesky bills
1. ditch the kettle
This may seem a radical move, but let’s consider the evidence. Firstly, have you ever worked out just how long you spend waiting for the damn thing to boil each year? You could binge watch Bridgerton in all the time you save! Plus, you always end up heating more water than you actually need, which is very wasteful.
A BIBO² water bar delivers instant boiling water 24 hours a day, leaving you ample time to keep up with the Duke of Hastings' latest shenanigans. It’s also a massive 25 per cheaper to run than a kettle.
If you’re still not convinced then, how about this: 12 times as many bacteria live on a kettle handle than you'll find on a toilet seat.
Enough said.
2. hang out washing
Yes, we know this takes up more valuable Hastings viewing time than simply bundling it into a tumble dryer, but at what cost?
Each time you take the easy route, it costs around $1. So, if there are four loads a week, that’s over $200 a year – enough for a Netflix subscription! Australia invented the Hills Hoist, so let’s at least use it!
And, if the weather means pegging out undies isn’t an option, at least buy a condenser dryer next time to halve the bills. Or get some wool dryer balls that ingeniously reduce both tumbling times and creases.
READ MORE: A million plastic bottles bought every minute
3. turn it up! (or down)
No one wants their teeth chattering as they sit down for dinner, or to wake up in the night sweating like a pig in a sauna, but cranking your thermostat to extremes will be costing you more than you might think.
In the depths of winter, set the heating to between 18 and 20 degrees. Every degree over 20 adds 10 per cent to your bill. Then, on sweltering summer days, turn it to around 25 or 26 degrees. That might sound hot, but it’s really not. Again, every degree cooler adds 10 per cent. And don’t burn money heating or cooling rooms you’re not even using.
Most importantly, keep a special look out for teenagers either wearing shorts and t-shirts in a room that feels like a tropical rainforest, or rugged up in chunky knits with the air conditioner sounding like its about to have a hernia.
4. don’t be a drip
There are tonnes of ways to save water. The most critical can be to fix a dripping tap, as you could be losing 20 litres a day. Next, fit an aerator to your faucets to use 30 per cent less water with no loss of pressure.
Kids can be H2O-wasting machines so make sure they clean their teeth using water in a cup and get their chilled drinks from the BIBO water bar instead of running the tap for ages until it’s cold.
5. have a light bulb moment
LEDs are the way to go here. They cost more, but will last way longer and use up less electricity. Most Australian states have schemes offering heavily discounted or even free light bulbs to replace the energy-gobbling, old fashioned ones. In Victoria alone, households and businesses have saved $500 million in under three years by switching over..
READ MORE: How BIBO saves you money
6. save cash in your attic
Your loft isn’t always your friend. In winter, a lot of the heat you’re paying for wafts upwards through your ceiling into the roof cavity before drifting off into the sky. Then in summer, the oppressing heat from the sun penetrates your roof and seeps into your bedrooms and sitting rooms.
So some decent insulation will stop the sneaky loft in its tracks, and cut your bills by around 45 per cent all year round.
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