Electricity Costs

 

Reducing your electricity costs is an effective way to save money. You can do this by:

 

• Turning off appliances at the power point you aren’t using during the day and adjusting their settings to save power

 

This will help you conserve the electricity you need and avoid increasing your bill unnecessarily.

 

• Monitoring the change in season and what this means for how you use electricity

 

During the dry season, you may be able to avoid using appliances such as your dryer by line drying your washing. During the wet season however, you may be more reliant on your dryer. The change in weather can also impact how much time you spend using appliances such as your television, internet modem and air conditioning unit. Being conscious of your behaviors each month and how the weather can impact them will help you understand what is causing spikes in cost.

 

• Doing your research

 

Researching factors such as whether you are receiving the best deal from your energy provider or if your meter is working properly is worth taking the time to do. Being fully informed can prevent you from receiving a bill that is inaccurate due to a fault in your meter, and help you reduce costs by speaking with your provider or looking into other companies.

 

 

Fuel & Transport Costs

 

Commuting to work, school, or places of necessity is inevitable. But with fuel prices adding up, it could be worth exploring certain options or hacks when it comes to transport. These can include:

 

• Reducing the number of trips you take in a week and adjusting your commute schedule

 

Sitting in rush hour traffic where the time it takes for you to get to the office can be longer means that you will inevitably use more petrol. So, changing up your commute to work, either by taking a different route or driving earlier/ later in the day can make small but impactful differences in how much petrol you use.

 

• Sharing the load and reducing the use of petrol whilst driving

 

Organizing a carpool schedule between friends and family can help offload costs but still allow you to meet all of your weekly commitments. Other things you can do within your vehicle are reducing the air conditioning or heating that you use. Alternatively, you can look into public transport in your area and compare whether there are benefits to utilizing these options for trips you may need to take in your city.

 

 

Groceries & Meal Costs

 

To help keep track of your groceries and food for the week here are some tips to stay on budget:

 

• Plan, compare and avoid wasting food as much as you can

 

Buying food in bulk and planning out what meals you are buying for will help you to reduce unneeded extras or spontaneous purchases. Looking into click-and-collect or online supermarket delivery can also help you keep better track of how much your items cost and see whether there are cheaper brands you can select instead.

 

By meal prepping and cooking the majority of your meals, you can avoid buying lunches at work, which can add up week to week. This will help to combat food waste as well, and allow you to have multiple serves ready in your fridge or freezer when you need them.

 

 

Finding ways to reduce costs in your household will be a process unique to your home and way of living. But it can be achieved with the right research, planning and mindset. If you are ready to discuss your plans and financial options when it comes to purchasing or renting a property, we’re here to help you. Get in touch with our team at Absolute Real Estate NT here.