I'm beginning to realise that a technologically enhanced lifestyle doesn't necessarily benefit our electricity bills. And the electricity price changes set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal which came into effect at the beginning of July are not going to help matters.
Given that these changes will see the cost of electricity rise between seven to 13 per cent, it may be worth considering the little alterations that can be made on a day-to-day basis to help reduce the effect that such increases will have on your family's budget.
To begin with, the plasma television is the biggest energy consumer in the home. I know of many households who have the television running much of the day, just to have something on in the background. What they don't realise is how much this can contribute to their energy bill.
Try to get into the habit of turning on the TV only when you are actually watching it. Also, physically switch the television off, rather than just switching it onto standby with the remote control. These changes could contribute to substantial reductions in your monthly bill.
Turning off your lights is another important energy reducing task. According to Cnet Australia, the common household 60W light globe consumes $5.96 worth of electricity per month! If you consider all the light globes that exist in one house, this can add up to quite a significant expense. By simply getting into the habit of turning lights off as you leave a room, and installing dimmer switches to turn them down at night-time, your electricity bills could benefit.
Leaving the household computer on over long periods whilst you're not using it (i.e. when you are at work or asleep), can also unnecessarily add to your bills. You don't have to turn it off; the simple act of activating the automatic sleep mode setting can save you quite a bit of money per year that I bet you didn't even know you were spending.
While these ideas are starting points, there are also many other easy ways to reduce your energy consumption. These reductions don't necessarily require huge sacrifice; they are often just different ways of thinking which could end up saving you a fair bit over a relatively small period of time.