Celebrate and save this festive season

7 December 2018

With Christmas almost upon us many families may be looking to purchase new lights and decorations but lighting up for the festive season shouldn’t cost a fortune.

One of the most popular options for decorating homes is fairy lights and Ausgrid energy efficiency expert Dr Robert Simpson said they can be an inexpensive option.

“If you are shopping for new decorations the best picks to keep your bills down are LED, fibre optic or solar-powered lights.

“Solar-powered fairy lights won’t add a cent to your electricity bill, just place the solar panel in an area which receives full sun and the lights will charge up during the day, so they can light up at night”, Dr Simpson said.

LED lights can be a good investment as they should keep working for many years and they use less than half the energy of standard fairy lights.
The list below shows just how cost-effective LED lights can be. The amounts below show how much it costs for an entire month if the lights are switched on for 10 hours a night.

• 32 indoor star lights 12 cents a month
• 20-star garden lights 20 cents a month
• 100 fairy lights 50 cents a month
• 250 icicle lights 60 cents a month

If your lights have been packed away in storage for the past year, make sure you check the cords and bulbs thoroughly for any damage before they are plugged in.

With many people heading away over the holidays another way to save on your energy bill is by using motion sensors or timers for security lights.

“Walk around your home and turn off appliances like your TV and computer at the wall rather than leaving them in standby power mode as that can save you up to $80 a year”, Dr Simpson said.

More of our Christmas safety advice can be found on our website at ausgrid.com.au/christmas