We get that lockdowns aren't easy, whether you're busy trying to make work happen, wrangling kids or pets, or wondering what to do with your time.

Being at home all day can also mean you're using more power, so we've put together some quick tips that will help you keep a lid on your power bills, while keeping you warm and comfortable at home.

Check your hot water use

Around 30% of the energy used by the average household is from hot water. So one of the easiest ways to lower your energy bill is to cut back on any hot water you don't need to use, freeing up more cash for heating and other things.

  1. Use the cold water wash cycle when you wash clothes, unless you have a particularly dirty load. A hot water wash can use 10 times more electricity than a cold wash, and modern washing machines and detergents clean well using cold water.
  2. Cut down the long showers to save money. Reducing your shower time just a bit could save up to $900 a year for a family of four – a 15-minute shower costs about $1, while a 5-minute shower costs about 33c.
  3. If you own a dishwasher, wait until it's fully loaded to run it – and put it on 'eco' wash setting if available. If you rinse your dishes before loading the dishwater, use cold water.

Get smart with your heating

Keeping your heating on but using it more efficiently is a great way to manage your power bills, and keep your home warm and healthy.

  1. Only heat the rooms you need to, say your home office or living space. If you have a heat pump, make sure the filter is clean, and set it to "heat", not "auto", so it's not wasting energy switching from hot to cold.
  2. For a healthy living environment, set your heater thermostat for between 18 to 20˚C (if you have kids or older people at home, if might need to be a little higher).
  3. When it starts to get cooler in the evenings, close your doors and pull your curtains across. You can also use a draught stopper (or get creative with cushions or blankets) to keep the heat in.

Read more about heating your home

Switch off lights or switch to LEDs

While you're at home, you'll need some lighting on — particularly in the evenings — but there are still ways to save energy.

  1. It's a little thing, but switching your lights off when you're not using them will save you a bit off your energy bill.
  2. Think about switching to energy efficient LEDs, even just in the rooms you're using the most. LEDs can cost a bit more upfront, but they use up to 85% less electricity than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs, and could save you around $100 a year on electricity. They can also last 15 times longer. You can order LEDs online to be delivered by most hardware stores or supermarkets.

Get more home energy efficiency tips

  • Make your heat pump work smarter, not harder

    Heat pumps are a low-cost and efficient way to heat your home. But are you getting the most out of yours? Check out our tips on ways to make sure your heat pump is working as smartly as possible.