It’s 2019! We live in a time where words like “inflation” and “expensive” are common terms and play havoc in our daily lives. From food to transport, everything comes with a hefty price tag. As an extension, our electricity bills have also soared, creating a significant dent in our pockets. The ever-increasing volatile price of natural gas and natural fuels does nothing to ease the burden.
The question of the day is ‘What can a common man can do to save on their electricity bills?’.
We live in a world where almost everything is dependent on electricity to run. In this articles, we will show you some methods that can help us minimise your energy consumption, resulting in a lower electricity bill.
Do not run after cheaper items
When purchasing electrical appliances, do not run after those with cheaper price tags. This is because cheaper appliances might incur extra cost as they might last shorter, or need repairs and maintenance. Make purchasing these appliances a one-time investment, so spend your money wisely. These cheaper items might also not be environmentally friendly and energy efficient, for example models of vacuum cleaners which needs disposable bags. They contribute to more waste at the end of the day.
Avoid keeping the appliances on standby
Don’t be amused. Your appliances consume energy even when they are at not used and are on standby mode. Common appliances that consume a significant amount of energy when on standby mode includes the television and computer.
If you are wondering how this can be harmful, use a little mathematics and multiply the small amount of electricity consumed by the standby appliances with the number of appliances. You are. You are sure to get some shocking data. Hence, it is always wise to switch off the items when not in use. This will help you save big time on your electricity bills.
One simple way to save on energy is by turning these unused appliances at night and unplugging them from the socket.
If you are lazy, another method is to buy ‘smart power strips’ which automatically switches off all connected appliances at one go. With this, you would not have to routinely got to multiple devices and switch off and unplug every night.
Go for energy saving appliances
It would be better to select any appliance based on its energy conservation and efficiency rather than their attractive prices. The National Environment Agency (NEA) Singapore has implemented the tick rating systems for common appliances such as air-conditioners, refrigerators, clothe dryers, televisions and lamps. The higher the rating, the more energy efficient they are, meaning they consume less energy in the long run.
The NEA recommends buying appliances within the 4- and 5-tick bands as it assures higher cost and energy savings. It may costs more due to the more complex machinery needed to consume less energy for the same actions but it will be worth it in the long run.
The green tick label is easily identifiable when you are shopping at a department or furniture store as it is plastered at the front of the concerned electrical appliance.
We should try to conserve energy not only because it is easy on our pockets, but also because more energy saved equals less trouble on the planet. As responsible human beings, we should develop more ways to work towards a healthy planet.
Still interested to know more on how you can do?
Explore the different plans offered in the Open Electricity market if you are keen to save more in Singapore by reducing your electricity bill.
