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Here are some very
simple ideas to save money on your bills.
Energy
- Save $300 by hanging up your laundry outside
Your dryer is the least efficient household appliance
and hence can save you lots of money on your bill even if you only hang up half
the amounts of washing you have.
- Save 30% off your lighting bill by changing your down lights with an IRC lamp
IRC lamps save 30% on your energy consumption and are
available here at EnviroShop for
$11.95.
- Save $125 by changing all old-style incandescent light
globes to low energy bulbs
Next time a globe needs replacing, consider a longer life low energy alternative.
- Save $110 by turning off the TV and computer when not
in use
The Future Switch could help you do this if you have trouble
remembering yourself, or else just keep at it and make it a habit.
- Save $55 by setting the air conditioner at 27 degrees
in summer or 18 degrees in winter
Remember to close doors to rooms not being used.
- Save $30 by washing your laundry in cold water
The benefits of this and other green laundry hints can
be found at Wash Wise here.
- Seal up the draughts
and gaps in your home
Make an old-fashioned draught snake using recycled fabrics from
home, or follow this Bunnings guide
to installing weather stripping.
- Get your entire family to switch off the lights when leaving the room at all times and you
can save $85 a year on your
energy bill.
Water
- Save $128 by installing aerators or water flow
controllers on taps
These handy water saving devices can be purchased at your
local hardware store and can be easily installed.
- Save $121 by not running the
tap when brushing your teeth
Use a cup to rinse.
- Save $30 by using a water efficient showerhead
Exchange your inefficient shower head for free! Click here to go to City West Water to find out more.
- Save $35 by keeping my showers to less than 4 minutes
For older model showerheads, cutting shower time
from seven to four minutes will save around between 27 - 42 L/person/day, depending on your
showerhead.
- Save 3L/flush by installing a Cistern Weight in Your Single
Flush Toilet
These can be purchased cheaply from a hardware store or
online here.
Waste
- Save $1000 by using a shopping
list
This helps to plan what you buy rather than buying
extra food that gets thrown away.
- Use a NO JUNK MAIL
sticker to reduce the waste coming through your mail
Lots of advertising
material is now available online, and the Distribution Standards Board will
send you a free sticker for your mailbox on receipt of a self-addressed (and
stamped) envelope. See their website here for more.
- Cut down your shopping bill by growing your
own vegies
No packaging, use only what you need, and the scraps go
back to the garden as compost.
- Save $350 by using cloth nappies.
Enviroshop have heaps of eco-alternatives to regular
disposable nappies here.
- Use re-usable
shopping bags rather than plastic bags
Leave some re-usable bags in the car or by the front
door to remind you when you go grocery shopping.
- Recycle my household
waste in the yellow top bin
Learn what can and can’t be recycled in the Shire of
Melton here.
- Choose to buy
recycled products
The internet is a great place to find eco-alternatives
to your everyday purchases. Websites like
The Green Directory can help.
- Get a compost bin,
worm farm or Bokashi bucket for my kitchen scraps
See our "Waste Information" page here for info on
each of these options
Transport
A 15% reduction in your car use by doing one of the
following will save you $250 on petrol!
- Walk or ride with
the kids to school at least once a week
There are some great websites to help you. For the
little ones, register your interest in the ‘Walking School Bus’ here, and for independent school age kids,
learn about ‘Part Way Is Okay’ here. For info about cycling, see Ride2School
- Test how long it
takes to ride a bike or walk to the shops
Leave the car at home and enjoy the exercise!
- Take a weekend bike
ride
Melton Cycling Club operates family
bike rides along bike baths in Melton and Caroline Springs twice a month.
- Share a car to work
A handy list of carpool websites,
public transport options and more can be found here.
Find out
more:
- Be aware of how much
energy you are using and where
The Australian Greenhouse Calculator is a website that
will help you do this. Click here to audit your home.
- Learn what the
carbon price means for you
Read up on the latest here.
- English not your
first language?
Sustainability Victoria have compiled a list of
publications in languages other than English. Click here to find something in your language.
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