Australians set to waste $2 billion on bad energy habits this summer

From nail biting to overthinking, everyone’s got a habit they’re not proud of and aren’t willing to kick. 

But what if we told you one of your habits in particular could cost you an average of $378 this summer? 

According to recent Mozo research, Aussie households will waste an average of $774, thanks to bad energy habits. 

A massive 42% of Aussies confessed to leaving the air conditioning on overnight, ultimately adding $378 to their summer energy bill. 

This was followed by leaving their air conditioning on for a furry friend ($135) and tumble drying clothes instead of leaving them out to dry ($54). 

“As the weather heats up it can be tempting to indulge in bad energy habits for the sake of comfort, but this can come at a major cost over the course of the summer,” said Mozo Director, Kirsty Lamont. 

“Australian households are doing it harder than ever with rising living costs and stagnant wage growth and energy bills can be a major source of pain. In the last year alone more than 80,000 households sought assistance with their energy bill which is up a whopping 17% increase from the previous year.”

Other less impactful habits included leaving the air conditioning on while no one’s home ($47) and cooling the entire home instead of just the necessary areas ($34). 

Aussies spending more of their income on energy a decade on 

Since Aussie households have a few habits to work on, it might not be surprising to know that Aussies are spending a higher amount of their income on energy. 

According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009/10 Household Expenditure Report, Aussie households spent 2.6% of their income on energy associated costs - this has now jumped to 4.1% in 2019. 

But with summer less than three days away, Aussies still have time to take action to prevent summer energy bill shock by switching energy plans. 

Following a number crunch of 427 plans from 37 electricity retailers, Mozo found that households have the potential to save an average of $554 a year, just by shopping around. 

“Energy prices remain a major concern for Australian households, and as the temperature heats up there are smart ways for households to stay cool without haemorrhaging money.” 

“Cool smaller areas, switch off the aircon when you leave the house and don’t leave it blasting through the night. It’s going to be a hot summer, but there are ways to stay cool and stay on top of finances,” says Lamont.

So if you’re ready to take control of your summer energy bill and switch to a better deal, enter your postcode below to get started!