Creative ways Jethro is saving on his electricity bill: ‘Win-win’

From candlelit dinners to pets in the bed, Aussies are finding clever ways to cut down their electricity costs. (Source: Supplied/AAP)

Jethro has had to come up with creative ways to cut back on his energy usage, after his electricity bills skyrocketed.

“My energy bill went up and the previous 20 per cent discount I had ended so I'm worried about the price increase for this month and for the future,” the Sydney resident told Yahoo Finance.

“This is on top of the added pressure with everything else increasing in price too, including other utilities.”

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The 31-year-old has always been energy-conscious but has now made a habit of turning off all his appliances at the wall and charging everything, including his phone, electric toothbrush and vacuum cleaner, during off-peak times.

“We also recently got a coal BBQ, and I’ve been using that instead of our oven to roast bigger joints, slow-cook or make one-pot meals,” Jethro said.

“My mates are also pretty conscious of it, so we’ve started heading to the pub to watch sports, rather than watching the games at home – we get to hang out together too so it’s a win-win.”

The Sydney resident has been looking for new ways to cut back on his energy usage. (Source: Supplied)

Jethro has also been using comparison sites to find better deals on energy, phone, internet and other expenses, making meals in bulk and has stopped eating out.

“I'm going through my budget with a fine-tooth comb and reviewing/cutting things I don't need, such as daily coffees and streaming services and stopped using cars or public transport as often since I purchased my bike,” he said.

Thinking outside the box

Jethro isn’t the only Aussie getting creative to save money. New research by ING found the vast majority of Aussies (93 per cent) were looking for ways to cut back on their energy bills.

Nearly a third of the 1,025 people surveyed said they were having candlelit dinners to avoid using lights, while a similar number are opting for their air fryer over their oven.

Some are going as far as bathing with their partner to save money (17 per cent). Others are letting their pets sleep in the bed to save on heating (16 per cent) and steaming their clothes in the bathroom while they are showering to avoid using the iron (8 per cent).

“It’s encouraging to see so many Aussies prove that saving energy doesn’t need to be a chore,” ING Australia head of daily banking Matt Bowen said.

“From having candlelit dinners to letting their pets sleep in their beds, many are being creative about how they go about being energy-efficient."

Despite this, Aussies admit they are guilty of poor energy-saving habits like leaving electronics on at the switch (44 per cent), boiling more water than needed (39 per cent), leaving their TV or laptop on standby overnight (36 per cent), and showering for more than 10 minutes (34 per cent).

ING currently offers eligible Orange Everyday customers a 1 per cent cashback on eligible gas, electricity and water bill payments.

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