But, this article isn’t about that. It’s about how we, as consumers, can practice these everyday habits that can help reduce your electricity bills.
Yes, there are residential consumers discounts under the government’s economic stimulus package that you can take advantage of, where you can enjoy tiered discounts up to 50% from April to September 2020.
For example, users with monthly consumptions below 200kWh will receive a 50% discount, while usage from 201kWh to 300kWh will get a 25% discount. Meanwhile, for monthly consumption between 301kWh and 600kWh will receive 15% off, and 2% discount for usage above 601kWh.
This means you’ll still need to monitor your consumption to make the most of the discounts given. Here are ways you can reduce your monthly electric consumption.
1. Use your electrical appliances correctly
To ensure the least waste of electricity, electrical appliances should be used correctly as specified.
For example, if your washing machine has a capacity of 10kg, then make sure the weight of the clothes you want to wash does not exceed that weight to avoid high power consumption.
Even refrigerators, if opened and closed too often (don’t say you never do this because you’re bored), will also cause wasting energy. Similarly, if the refrigerator is stuffed with too much stuff until it is almost full, it will also lead to increased energy consumption.
2. Look for 5 Stars Electrical Appliances
Whether you’re shopping for a refrigerator, fan, television or air conditioner, DO opt the ones with the energy efficiency labels (like the picture above). Okay, maybe the price of the item can be a little bit pricey compared to conventional appliances which will make you think more than twice to purchase it. BUT, be assured that you’ll save more monies in the long run.
It will show you the estimated energy consumption of electrical equipment based on a star rating system - 5 star means the most efficient. With this, you can estimate how much electricity the appliance consumes.
Image source: bseep.gov.my
3. Only wash with a full load
This rule applies to wash in a dishwasher and your washing machine because your washer will use about the same amount of energy no matter the size of the load. So, why not make the most out of it? Fill it up. Not only will you save water and electricity, but this will also help towards reducing wear and tear on your machines. That said, don’t forget about point #1.
Another tip would be to soak heavily soiled items before washing. There's nothing worse than having to repeat a wash because stains didn't come out - which means double energy consumption!
4. Unplug, unplug, unplug!
Most of us never realised that unplugging things can save you a lot. Even when electronic devices like TV, blender, game console etc. are turned off, they’re still pulling enough electricity - it has a name - phantom energy - like vampire lah.
And, it turns out that this is not a myth but it’s proven to be effective in saving your monthly electricity bill. Just take a look at the netizen who shared how much she saved just by making this little adjustment in her daily life.
ALSO READ: Expensive Electric Bill? Start Calculating Your Electricity Cost to Save Monies
5. Take care of your refrigerator
This is the appliance that you will switch on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and throughout the year! So you have to make sure that it doesn’t cost you more money later. And, getting a fridge with the ‘energy star’ label won’t just cut it.
According to TNB, if you want your fridge to run efficiently and consume less energy, make sure the space between the wall and fridge is 10cm apart and away from the warm areas like the stove.
You might also want to get in the habit of NOT overloading your fridge. It’s understandable, groceries shopping can quite exciting. This will cause your fridge’s motor to work overtime leading to excessive wearing and tearing. And, in the process of all this, it could consume more electricity than usual.
6. Set your aircon between 23°C to 25°C degrees
Aside from keeping your aircon filter clean and maintaining regularly, you should set your aircon temperature a little lower - 23°C to 25°C to ensure maximum energy efficiency since we're living in a country with warmer climates. This may seem like a minor thing to consider, but it can make changes to your electricity cost. How? Well, the harder your air conditioner has to work, the more electricity it will consume. That means the lower you set the temperature when cooling, the more you’re adding to your power bill.
One more thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the cooling capacity of your aircon is suitable for the size of your room. If the aircon cooling capacity is low, it may not be enough to cool your room, it'll work harder to reach the desired temperature and also raise electricity consumption. Acson (an aircon brand) shared that for most rooms, aircon between 1.0HP and 2.0HP cooling capacity is sufficient. Other than that, you might want to also consider the height of the ceiling, sunlight and the number of occupants in the room.
There you have it! Remember, it’s the combination of a lot of small adjustments that will make a change in your bill. If you have any other tips, don't forget to share at the comment section of our FB post.
*The above article is intended for informational purposes only. Loanstreet accepts no responsibility for loss that may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.
