There are few things in life that compare to the joy of having a new baby. Having said that, while the joy doubles, so do the expenses, and your electricity bill is no exception! But fret not, for we have some great tips to help you save on your electricity bill!
Growing Family, Growing Needs
You might have been too caught up with the arrival of your bundle of joy to notice, but sooner or later, you will be raising an eyebrow over your rapidly increasingly electricity bill.
Firstly, a new baby means that everyone is going to be staying at home a lot more. Given our climate, that also means that your fans and air-conditioners will be working overdrive. Depending on your baby’s needs, you might also be using air purifiers or humidifiers – all of which consume a significant amount of electricity.
Furthermore, cooking baby food involves slow cookers or steamers. Some of the meals may even require a few hours of cooking time. This, in addition to the use of UV sterilisers for your baby bottles, utensils, breast pumps and all manner of things, inevitably lead to higher electricity consumption.
As such, perhaps it is time to put some serious thought into how you can save on your electricity bill!
6 Hacks To Save On Your Electricity Bill
1.Switch to Save over $700!
Did you know that since the 2018 launch of the Open Electricity Market, over 40% of households have switched from the SP Group to an electricity retailer such as iSwitch?
iSwitch is an electricity retailer licensed by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) that provides sustainable, green-certified energy at no extra cost! While SP supplies energy from the national grid, you have the added choice of buying it from iSwitch and enjoying up to 30% electricity savings!
Making the switch helps you to save on your electricity bill. You can choose between a fixed rate plan that locks in a fixed electricity rate throughout the contract duration or a discount off tariff price plan that guarantees you a fixed percentage discount off the regulated tariff.
For example, if you live in a condominium and sign up for a 2-year plan, you can save over $700. That means more money for diapers or milk powder or better yet, spare cash to deposit into that new savings account for your baby!
Visit the website to find out more about the flexible plans available or use the iSwitch plan calculator to calculate exactly how much you can save. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the latest promotions for additional rebates.
Rates are accurate as of publishing date.
2.Wash Cooler & Skip the Dryer
A simple yet effective way to save on your electricity bill is to wash your baby’s clothes constantly, at a lower temperature. A smaller load uses less energy and turning down the washing temperature on your machine from 40° to 30°C uses around 40% less electricity over a year1!
Also, you might want to choose the conventional but reliable washing line over a dryer. Dryers are infamous for consuming huge amounts of energy. A 5000kW dryer, based on average power costs, will cost you $1.04 a day for an hour of use2. So in the long run, it really does add up.
3.‘Ghost’ Mode, No Thanks!
Did you know that leaving plugs in the socket, even if switched off, still drains energy? This is due to a phenomenon known as ‘standby power’ or ‘ghost’ mode.
If you prefer numbers – standby power is costing you as much as $100 a year3. So unplugging your devices is definitely a great hack to save on your electricity bill. Furthermore, it is a safety measure in a household with young children!
4.Let’s Play, Spot the Switch
Here’s a fun way to save on your electricity bill. If you have older children at home, you can challenge them to spot if mum and dad are wasting electricity. With a thousand other things on our minds, it’s hardly surprising that we dozed off with the lights still switched on, or left the television entertaining absolutely no one all afternoon.
5.Use Natural Light
Where possible, open the windows, draw the curtains and make use of nature’s best gift – sunlight. Unless the skies are overcast or there are parts of your house that just don’t get the sunshine, there is really no need to switch on the lights all the time. Opening the windows also means better ventilation so why not?
6.Use A Fan Instead of AC
Back in the day, many of us grew up in households that did not even have air-conditioning. Granted, climate change and all, the weather is unbearable at times, but use the fan as an alternative every now and then. On average, the running cost of air-conditioning is $200 a month in Singapore. Running a ceiling fan costs just $125. I’m sure you are also all too familiar with other costs such as maintenance of the air-conditioner that increases with increased usage.
Needless to say, using less air-conditioning is also more environmentally friendly. So why not save the environment while you save on your electricity bill? It’s a win-win situation.
There you go, mums and dads – six incredibly easy yet effective ways to save on your electricity bill. If your family is growing, it’s the best time to start relooking where your money is really going. All the little savings can add up to a much more significant amount than you think.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out the iSwitch website and learn how it can help you to save on your electricity bill. It only takes a couple of minutes to sign up so you’ll be saving in no time!
References:
- https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-4117458/How-energy-save-washing-clothes-30-degrees.html
- www.enjoythesmart.life/article/clothes-dryers-should-you-get-one-and-our-review-of-the-rinnai-rd-600cg-gas-dryer#:~:text=%2C%20etc.).-,As%20of%20October%202017%2C%20gas%20in%20Singapore%20is%2018.92%20cents,dry%20for%20your%20electric%20dryer.
- https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/9-practical-ways-save-money-your-electricity-bill-singapore-and-save-earth-same-time
- blog.moneysmart.sg/budgeting/accidentally-left-your-lights-on-heres-how-much-electricity-will-cost-singaporeans-in-2016/
- https://iswitch.com.sg/aircon-vs-fan/