Tips to save money on your power bill as winter approaches

As the weather gets colder, Kiwis are using more power to heat their homes. But with the cost of living rising, many are looking for ways to save on their power bills.

The Electricity Retailers Association chief executive, Bridget Abernethy, told Seven Sharp about some tips on how to save money on your power bill this winter.

One easy way to save power is to switch to energy-efficient light bulbs.

LED bulbs use about 85% less energy than normal light bulbs, so they can save you a lot of money on your power bill over time.

"You can buy a six-pack of LED bulbs for around about $20 at a hardware store.

"They use about 85% less energy than normal light bulbs. For example, a normal bulb will cost around about $17 a year to run an LED bulb will cost about $2.70 a year to run.

"They last a lot longer as well. So they last up to around about 10 years," Abernethy said.

If you have a heat pump, it's best to set it to a timer so that it only runs when you need it, Abernethy said. This will save you money on your bill and help to extend the life of your heat pump.

"The best thing to do is to set your timer so that just before you arrive home, you can set it to start and have a nice toasty room when you walk in.

"You want to keep your room somewhere between 18 and 21 degrees.

"Keep the doors closed. And when you leave the room, turn the heater off.

"It doesn't make sense to run it all the time."

If you have old appliances, they may be using more power than newer, more efficient models. Replacing old appliances can save you money on your power bill in the long run.

"We estimate that you can probably save about $200 a year. If you got rid of that old beer fridge down in the garage," Abernethy said.

"The thing is that old fridges tend to have leaky seals, same thing with ovens. And as they get leakier and older, they just get more and more costly to run."

Hot water heating gobbles up a lot of energy in a home, according to Abernethy.

So taking shorter showers is a great way to save money on your power bill, she suggests.

"If you have a family of four and you reduce your shower on time by five minutes, you can save about $450 a year.

"Now it's pretty hard to get the teenagers out of the shower, but worthwhile if you can reduce their time by five minutes."

One of the easiest ways to save power is to turn off appliances at the wall when you're not using them, Abernethy says.

Even when they're turned off, appliances can still use power in standby mode.

"Things like your game consoles, the Sky decoder, your TV, phone chargers, microwaves, printers are all things that are worth turning off at the wall if you can."

She said you could save about $100 a year, or about $8 a month, if you switched appliances off.

If you're struggling to pay your power bill, don't be afraid to contact your electricity retailer, says the Electricity Retailers Association chief executive.

They may be able to offer you some assistance, such as averaging out your bill over the winter period or providing you with a payment plan.

"There are all sorts of things retailers can do to help manage the individual circumstances of customers, whether it's averaging out a bill over the winter period.

"All sorts of things they can do. So I would start with your retailer."

She also suggested looking at Powerswitch, an independent website that helps consumers compare different electricity companies and how much they cost.

By following these tips, you can save money on your power bill this winter and keep your home warm and comfortable without breaking the bank.