How to Reduce Your Power Bill This Winter — Tips for Australian Retirees
How to Reduce Your Power Bill This Winter — Tips for Australian Retirees
Winter is coming and for many Australian retirees on fixed incomes the spike in electricity bills can be genuinely stressful. Heating your home properly is not a luxury — it’s a health necessity, particularly for older Australians who are more vulnerable to the cold. The good news is there are practical steps you can take right now to stay warm this winter without being hit with a shocking power bill. Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Check Your Eligibility for Energy Concessions
Before doing anything else make sure you’re receiving every energy concession you’re entitled to. Many eligible Australians miss out simply because they don’t know the concessions exist.
Queensland: The Queensland Electricity Concession provides a rebate on electricity bills for eligible concession card holders. The Utility Allowance and the Asset Limit Supplement may also apply depending on your situation.
Contact the Queensland Government concessions hotline or visit qld.gov.au/concessions to check your eligibility.
Other states: Every Australian state offers energy concessions for eligible seniors and pensioners. Search your state name plus “energy concession seniors” to find what you’re entitled to.
What cards make you eligible:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Health Care Card
If you hold any of these cards and aren’t receiving an energy concession contact your state government immediately — you may be owed money.
2. Call Your Energy Provider and Ask for a Better Deal
This is the single most underused money saving strategy available to Australian energy customers. Most energy providers have retention deals and hardship programs that are never advertised — you simply have to ask.
Call your electricity provider and say: “I’m a senior on a fixed income and I’m struggling with my bills. What can you do for me?”
Most providers will offer:
- A discounted rate
- A payment plan
- Access to a hardship program
- Bill smoothing — paying the same amount each fortnight regardless of usage
This one phone call can save hundreds of dollars per year.
3. Compare Energy Providers
If your current provider won’t budge on price it’s worth comparing alternatives. The Australian Energy Regulator’s free comparison website shows every available energy plan in your area:
👉 energymadeeasy.gov.au
This is a free government tool — not a commercial comparison site — so all plans are shown without bias.
Many Australians who switch energy providers save $200 to $500 per year on their bills without changing anything about how they use energy.
4. Heat Smarter Not Harder
Heating is responsible for the majority of winter electricity bills. Small changes to how you heat your home can make a dramatic difference to your bill.
Set your thermostat to 18 to 20 degrees: Every degree above 20 adds approximately 10 percent to your heating bill. Most people heat their homes to 22 or 23 degrees when 18 to 20 is perfectly comfortable with the right clothing.
Only heat the rooms you use: Close doors to unused rooms and only heat the areas where you spend time. Heating an entire house when you’re sitting in one room is expensive and unnecessary.
Use a reverse cycle air conditioner: Reverse cycle air conditioners are by far the most energy efficient way to heat a home — up to three times more efficient than electric heaters. If you have one use it instead of portable heaters.
Avoid portable electric heaters: Portable electric heaters are the most expensive way to heat a room. They use a lot of electricity and heat inefficiently. Use them only as a last resort.
5. Draught Proof Your Home
Up to 25 percent of heat lost from a home escapes through gaps around doors, windows, and floors. Draught proofing is one of the highest return investments you can make for winter comfort and energy savings.
Simple draught proofing measures:
- Fit draught excluders to the bottom of external doors — available from hardware stores for around $10 to $20
- Use heavy curtains or thermal blinds on windows — keeps heat in at night
- Check for gaps around window frames and seal with weatherstripping
- Use a draught stopper or rolled towel at the base of internal doors between heated and unheated rooms
These simple measures cost very little and can reduce heating bills by 10 to 25 percent.
6. Use Your Hot Water System Wisely
Hot water heating is typically the second largest contributor to electricity bills after heating and cooling.
Tips to reduce hot water costs:
- Set your hot water system temperature to 60 degrees — hot enough to be safe but not wasteful
- Take shorter showers — even reducing shower time by two minutes saves significant hot water
- Fix dripping taps immediately — a dripping hot water tap wastes both water and energy
- Wash clothes in cold water — modern detergents work just as well in cold water and the savings are significant
- Run the dishwasher only when full
7. Shift Energy Use to Off Peak Times
Many Australian energy plans charge different rates at different times of day — called time of use tariffs. Electricity is generally cheaper during off peak hours which are typically overnight and on weekends.
If you’re on a time of use tariff shift these activities to off peak times:
- Running the washing machine
- Running the dishwasher
- Charging devices
- Using the oven for batch cooking
Check your electricity bill or call your provider to find out if you’re on a time of use tariff and what your peak and off peak hours are.
8. Check Your Appliances
Old inefficient appliances can add significantly to your electricity bill. The most energy hungry appliances in most homes are:
- Refrigerator — runs 24 hours a day
- Washing machine and dryer
- Dishwasher
- Electric oven
- Television
Quick wins:
- Make sure your fridge seals are tight — a loose seal wastes energy constantly
- Defrost your freezer if ice has built up
- Use the microwave instead of the oven for small meals — uses significantly less energy
- Air dry clothes instead of using the dryer when possible
- Turn appliances off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby
9. Consider Solar Panels
If you own your home solar panels are worth investigating as a longer term investment. Queensland has some of the best solar conditions in the world and government rebates make installation more affordable than many people realise.
The average Queensland household with solar panels saves between $1,000 and $2,000 per year on electricity bills. With current panel prices and rebates the payback period is typically 3 to 5 years — after which the electricity is essentially free.
Contact the Queensland Government’s Energy website or speak with an accredited solar installer for current rebate information.
10. The Winter Health Warning
This is important. Please don’t try to save money by not heating your home adequately in winter.
Older Australians are significantly more vulnerable to hypothermia and cold related health complications than younger people. The health costs of being too cold — including increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and respiratory illness — far outweigh any savings on your electricity bill.
If you’re struggling to afford adequate heating contact:
- National Debt Helpline — 1800 007 007 — free financial counselling
- Services Australia — 13 23 00 — may be able to assist with emergency payments
- Your state government concessions hotline — to check all energy assistance you’re entitled to
Staying warm this winter is not a luxury. It’s a health necessity.
The Bottom Line
Reducing your power bill this winter doesn’t mean being cold. It means being smart about how you use energy — making sure you’re getting every concession you’re entitled to, heating efficiently, and eliminating unnecessary waste.
Start with step one — check your concession eligibility — and work through the list from there. The combined savings from all these measures can easily add up to $500 to $1,000 per year.
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