Yes, there is a way to stop sweating over your Air Con bill this Summer

In the baking heat of the Summer, the size of your power bill can make you reluctant to turn on your air con, so your cosy home ends up turning into an uncomfortable sweat box on a regular basis. 

It just doesn’t seem to matter whether temperatures skyrocket or plummet, power bills seem to only go one way, through the roof!

Seven in 10 Australians believe air conditioning has the largest impact on their power bill, with 62 per cent revealing they cut their usage to save money.

Thanks to switching though, you don’t necessarily have to swelter through another stinking hot Summer. The money you save by changing your Electricity provider could cover the average Summer air con bill.

According to Origin Energy, a small ducted 12kWh air conditioner used for seven hours per day costs the following in each Australian state where electricity switching is possible:

New South Wales: $209 per quarter.

Victoria: $234 per quarter.

South East Queensland: $409 per quarter.

South Australia: $510 per quarter.

But you can save even more than that by switching to a really competitive offer. For example, the FiftyUp Club’s Power Up & Save campaign allows members to access the following savings for switches from Electricity and Gas standing offers:

·    New South Wales: Up to $615.

·    Victoria: Up to $909.

·    South East Queensland: Up to $538 (Electricity only).

·    South Australia: Up to $660.

Here are some other smart ways to keep your air con costs down

·       Set thermostat to the right temperature: Always set your air conditioner to 25 degrees Celsius in summer. Only dial it lower if you need to.

·       Use a fan: A cheaper alternative that only costs two cents per hour to run and cools the temperature by two to three degrees. A fan can also move with you around the house.

·       Buy an energy-efficient air conditioner: Shaun White from Channel 7’s Sunrise program has the following tip. “Look for the energy star rating label as this will have the biggest impact on your bill. The difference between a good and poor rating could be an extra $50-$100 a month on power bills, especially if they are running around the clock.”

·      Turn off your appliances and electronics:  Don’t mistake ‘turned off’ for ‘unplugged’. ‘Vampire’ appliances are anything with a clock or light that’s on when the item is turned off. Also, any kind of plugged-in charger can be a vampire appliance – whether or not it’s charging anything.

·    Make sure you’re not paying too much for electricity: Join the FiftyUp Club to access the exclusive group discount offer.  

Other things to consider when buying air-conditioning

1.     Buy the right size machine, so it works efficiently. Also consider ceiling heights, whether you have insulation and whether the area you are trying to cool faces directly into the sun.

2.     Remember to pull the curtains and don’t crank up your air conditioner – keep the temperature stable. The higher you set the temperature the more you’ll save.

3. Clean the filters regularly.

With Summer on our doorstep, don’t spend the next few months sweating through long hot nights.

Click here to see the special offers, now in their final weeks

Click here to listen to the interview with Kidspot blogger Bek Day about how to save money on your air conditioning unit with some simple tips.