We all know how nerve-wracking it can be when the time comes to open the power bill—it’s a bit like that moment when you draw back the shower curtain and brace yourself for an icy blast of cold air. Only this time, it’s less about the cold air and more about empty wallets and the multitude of zeros at the end of the bill.

Snug and cosy homes are an Australian winter tradition, but this year our heaters' warmth seems to be melting away more than just the chill. According to comparison website Finder, power bills have been surging, leaving a hole of up to $800 in some Aussie households’ pockets.

'Wait, what?' we hear you say, 'That's outrageous!'

Quite right! The majority of us, a whopping 79 per cent, in fact, had planned to cut back on electricity usage during winter to save a few dollars. Yet, Finder’s sobering statistic reveals that many are still being hit with larger bills than they were in the preceding year.

Energy bills are spiking all across the country, causing many to choose between 'heating' and 'eating'. Source: Shutterstock

'Millions of Aussies need a reprieve and are taking matters into their own hands by cutting their usage,' asserts energy expert Mariam Gabaji from Finder. However, relief seems to be scant.

Power retailers aren’t easing the pain. As Gabaji has highlighted, some are even sending out notices about massive increases to their power rates, leaving customers in a state of wide-eyed ‘bill shock’.

This new rate hike epidemic doesn’t discriminate, nor is it isolated to a particular region. South Australians hold the unlucky title of the highest power bill climbers, facing an eye-watering jump of between 22 and 63 per cent on their yearly estimates.

In other parts of the country, New South Wales bills are predicted to rise by 15 to 36 per cent, and our Victorian and Queenslander friends aren’t far behind, facing bill hikes of 22 to 31 per cent and eight to 41 per cent, respectively.

In an attempt to thwart the growing costs, Finder’s survey showed that 56 per cent of us plan to switch off lights and power points when not in use, while 54 per cent of us will adjust the temperature on the heater or air-con. Nine per cent will even forgo working from home, heading back to the office to reduce their energy usage at home.

So, what are our options? Well, Gabaji suggests switching to a cheaper energy plan is one way to safeguard ourselves.

'Make sure you're on one of the cheapest plans and switch again in six to 12 months if you find a better deal,' she advised.

Key Takeaways

• Many Australian households are facing power bill increases of up to $800 as a result of increased energy use in winter.
• A survey from comparison website Finder showed that 79 per cent of Australians plan to reduce electricity usage to manage the higher costs.
• South Australians are expected to see the biggest price rises, with some residential households expecting an increase of between 22 per cent and 63 per cent.
• Options to manage higher utility costs include switching to a cheaper energy plan, negotiating lower rates with current providers, and applying for government bill relief.

She urges us to be proactive and not just settle for the status quo—contact the retailer, negotiate a cheaper deal, and shop around and compare* to see if we can do even better with another provider.

In addition, she recommended checking if you're eligible for government bill relief and, in cases of 'extreme difficulty', reaching out to your retailer about their hardship program. The exact nature of the available concessions will depend on your state, energy provider, and your particular circumstances, but here’s some information to get you started.

Have you got any tips for reducing your energy bill? Share them with us in the comments below.

 

[ToniaKisliakov]

We all know how nerve-wracking it can be when the time comes to open the power bill—it’s a bit like that moment when you draw back the shower curtain and brace yourself for an icy blast of cold air. Only this time, it’s less about the cold air and more about empty wallets and the multitude of zeros at the end of the bill.

Snug and cosy homes are an Australian winter tradition, but this year our heaters' warmth seems to be melting away more than just the chill. According to comparison website Finder, power bills have been surging, leaving a hole of up to $800 in some Aussie households’ pockets.

'Wait, what?' we hear you say, 'That's outrageous!'

Quite right! The majority of us, a whopping 79 per cent, in fact, had planned to cut back on electricity usage during winter to save a few dollars. Yet, Finder’s sobering statistic reveals that many are still being hit with larger bills than they were in the preceding year.

View attachment 26318

Energy bills are spiking all across the country, causing many to choose between 'heating' and 'eating'. Source: Shutterstock

'Millions of Aussies need a reprieve and are taking matters into their own hands by cutting their usage,' asserts energy expert Mariam Gabaji from Finder. However, relief seems to be scant.

Power retailers aren’t easing the pain. As Gabaji has highlighted, some are even sending out notices about massive increases to their power rates, leaving customers in a state of wide-eyed ‘bill shock’.

This new rate hike epidemic doesn’t discriminate, nor is it isolated to a particular region. South Australians hold the unlucky title of the highest power bill climbers, facing an eye-watering jump of between 22 and 63 per cent on their yearly estimates.

In other parts of the country, New South Wales bills are predicted to rise by 15 to 36 per cent, and our Victorian and Queenslander friends aren’t far behind, facing bill hikes of 22 to 31 per cent and eight to 41 per cent, respectively.

In an attempt to thwart the growing costs, Finder’s survey showed that 56 per cent of us plan to switch off lights and power points when not in use, while 54 per cent of us will adjust the temperature on the heater or air-con. Nine per cent will even forgo working from home, heading back to the office to reduce their energy usage at home.

So, what are our options? Well, Gabaji suggests switching to a cheaper energy plan is one way to safeguard ourselves.

'Make sure you're on one of the cheapest plans and switch again in six to 12 months if you find a better deal,' she advised.

Key Takeaways

• Many Australian households are facing power bill increases of up to $800 as a result of increased energy use in winter.
• A survey from comparison website Finder showed that 79 per cent of Australians plan to reduce electricity usage to manage the higher costs.
• South Australians are expected to see the biggest price rises, with some residential households expecting an increase of between 22 per cent and 63 per cent.
• Options to manage higher utility costs include switching to a cheaper energy plan, negotiating lower rates with current providers, and applying for government bill relief.

She urges us to be proactive and not just settle for the status quo—contact the retailer, negotiate a cheaper deal, and shop around and compare* to see if we can do even better with another provider.

In addition, she recommended checking if you're eligible for government bill relief and, in cases of 'extreme difficulty', reaching out to your retailer about their hardship program. The exact nature of the available concessions will depend on your state, energy provider, and your particular circumstances, but here’s some information to get you started.

Have you got any tips for reducing your energy bill? Share them with us in the comments below.

 

[ToniaKisliakov]

When you contact a power supplier they will help you as much as possible
However as it all depends on the "package deal" for the time, sometimes the new "cheaper " deal becomes more expensive. Could SDC consider helping here? Many providers cannot explain why this is so? We are being told on the news power bills are coming down but... never see this. Perhaps SDC can lobby the greens party and labour who are the main instigators of the "green" revolution to figure out a reliable solution. I am all for cheaper power of course however I do believe Australia is not ready yet to depend entirely on renewables either, there has to be coal power too until renewables can take over 100% for much cheaper power. I am all for solar power too, but even if cheaper, the power companies do confuse people as to what is really happening, basically its another form of scams. Let's get Australia moving by having nuclear power, coal powered electricity, renewables etc

 

[suec7]

We all know how nerve-wracking it can be when the time comes to open the power bill—it’s a bit like that moment when you draw back the shower curtain and brace yourself for an icy blast of cold air. Only this time, it’s less about the cold air and more about empty wallets and the multitude of zeros at the end of the bill.

Snug and cosy homes are an Australian winter tradition, but this year our heaters' warmth seems to be melting away more than just the chill. According to comparison website Finder, power bills have been surging, leaving a hole of up to $800 in some Aussie households’ pockets.

'Wait, what?' we hear you say, 'That's outrageous!'

Quite right! The majority of us, a whopping 79 per cent, in fact, had planned to cut back on electricity usage during winter to save a few dollars. Yet, Finder’s sobering statistic reveals that many are still being hit with larger bills than they were in the preceding year.

View attachment 26318

Energy bills are spiking all across the country, causing many to choose between 'heating' and 'eating'. Source: Shutterstock

'Millions of Aussies need a reprieve and are taking matters into their own hands by cutting their usage,' asserts energy expert Mariam Gabaji from Finder. However, relief seems to be scant.

Power retailers aren’t easing the pain. As Gabaji has highlighted, some are even sending out notices about massive increases to their power rates, leaving customers in a state of wide-eyed ‘bill shock’.

This new rate hike epidemic doesn’t discriminate, nor is it isolated to a particular region. South Australians hold the unlucky title of the highest power bill climbers, facing an eye-watering jump of between 22 and 63 per cent on their yearly estimates.

In other parts of the country, New South Wales bills are predicted to rise by 15 to 36 per cent, and our Victorian and Queenslander friends aren’t far behind, facing bill hikes of 22 to 31 per cent and eight to 41 per cent, respectively.

In an attempt to thwart the growing costs, Finder’s survey showed that 56 per cent of us plan to switch off lights and power points when not in use, while 54 per cent of us will adjust the temperature on the heater or air-con. Nine per cent will even forgo working from home, heading back to the office to reduce their energy usage at home.

So, what are our options? Well, Gabaji suggests switching to a cheaper energy plan is one way to safeguard ourselves.

'Make sure you're on one of the cheapest plans and switch again in six to 12 months if you find a better deal,' she advised.

Key Takeaways

• Many Australian households are facing power bill increases of up to $800 as a result of increased energy use in winter.
• A survey from comparison website Finder showed that 79 per cent of Australians plan to reduce electricity usage to manage the higher costs.
• South Australians are expected to see the biggest price rises, with some residential households expecting an increase of between 22 per cent and 63 per cent.
• Options to manage higher utility costs include switching to a cheaper energy plan, negotiating lower rates with current providers, and applying for government bill relief.

She urges us to be proactive and not just settle for the status quo—contact the retailer, negotiate a cheaper deal, and shop around and compare* to see if we can do even better with another provider.

In addition, she recommended checking if you're eligible for government bill relief and, in cases of 'extreme difficulty', reaching out to your retailer about their hardship program. The exact nature of the available concessions will depend on your state, energy provider, and your particular circumstances, but here’s some information to get you started.

Have you got any tips for reducing your energy bill? Share them with us in the comments below.

It's disgusting how high the power bills have gone. I've been to scared to put a heater on and instead have been rugging up or going to bed early because it's warmer

 

[Cheezil]

Just feels like we have to put up with them! Been doing all the suggestions for yrs, decades even, there is always a breaking point & it's quite close here i feel. Can i survive without electricity? Contemplating it a lot but the arseh*les want to take gas away from us & force us into even higher energy bills with no alternatives it seems! Gggrrr

 

[Simon]

I have switched to another energy supplier after receiving a letter that my energy consumption cost would go up by $820 (42%) next year. I live in a rural residential area without a gas connection. And we have floor heating as well. The previous supplier has been good over the last 3 years. The one I chose will keep my bills at the same level as last year. We are delighted with that one starting on 01-08-2023 and escaping the $820 increase.