An average Australian home contains 67 household appliances, — for storing food, straightening your hair, checking emails, playing your favourite music, washing clothes, cleaning dishes and the list continues. Which means that the more appliances you use, the more energy you consume, the higher your electricity bills. The best way to start saving on your electricity cost is to get smart with how you use energy. Here are some tips on how you can reduce your energy use on essential household appliances and cut your power bill along the way.

1. Washing Machine

The first step to getting on the right track is to buy the right size of washing machine based on your circumstances. And in order to keep your costs low:

• Instead of hot water, try using cold on wash cycles.
• Always wash a full load because washing one full load uses less energy than washing two smaller loads.
• If you really have to wash a smaller load, adjust the water level (if your machine doesn’t automatically do this).
• Soak stained clothes before washing to remove most of the nasty stains before it goes into the wash to avoid having to wash the items again.
• Regularly clean the washing machine to maintain it in good working condition. To keep the pump and hoses clean, run a mixture of a cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda on a hot cycle from time to time.

2. Fridge

This is generally the most used appliance in your home. So, make sure it’s working efficiently if you want to save.

• Cool down hot foods before placing them in the fridge or freezer.
• Keep the fridge full. An almost empty fridge needs more energy to operate. If your fridge is hardly ever full, then it’s probably too large for your needs.
• Set your fridge temperature to 4 or 5 degrees and your freezer temperature between -15 and -18 degrees Celsius. There’s no need to constantly adjust the temperature.
• Make sure the freezer stands level on the floor so the door closes properly.
• Keep your fridge organised by putting all food and drinks that you regularly reach for in the same place so you don’t have to keep the door open too long. Cold air escapes every time the door is opened, making the fridge work harder and use more energy.
• Keep your fridge clean and the seals mould-free for a more efficient operation.

3. Computer/Laptop

If not programmed to sleep when idle, computers can consume a lot of energy. Consider these energy saving tips for your computer/laptop:

• Adjust the brightness of your computer screen by turning the brightness down to reduce its energy consuming.
• Screen savers aren’t designed to save energy, which means your monitor is still using full power with a screen saver running. So, switch off the monitor when you walk away from your computer.
• Shut your computer down if you’re not using it. This will also give the computer a chance to install any updates when it’s restarted.

4. Dishwasher

Though dishwashers can speed clean-up in the kitchen, you have to be cleaver in order to use them efficiently.

• Only run a full load to save energy and water.
• Use the economy cycle for everyday use. This washes the dishes on a lower temperature and may use less water.
• Scrape excess food scraps into the bin.
• Regularly clean the dishwasher by running an empty machine on a hot cycle using 25 grams of citric acid instead of detergent. This keeps the machine in tip top shape.

5. Kettle

Electric kettle are 50% more efficient than boiling water on the stovetop. Here are some tips to use your kettle efficiently without sacrificing tea/coffee time.

• Don’t overfill the kettle and only fill it with as much water as you need.
• Turn the kettle off the wall when not in use if it uses standby power.
• Clean your kettle every month using a vinegar solution to remove built up limescale.