The burden COVID-19 has inflicted on both society, and the economic sector, is phenomenal; and that’s without even mentioning the severity of health-related outcomes. As we continue to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and some parts of Australia head back into stage three lockdowns, finding ways to keep daily life at home streamlined remains a priority.
But for a lot of us, the unanticipated bill shock has already hit mailboxes, with rising electricity bills from life in lockdown now taking their toll.
How much more electricity are we using during COVID-19?
According to Domain, the average Australian household consumed 105 per cent more power during March, April and May. Adrian Pisarski – executive office of National Shelter – told the publication that people need to brace themselves for a period of tighter budgets.
“For people who may have been doing it tough during this period of COVID, this will be particularly hard, “ he said. “Much higher electricity bills will be putting an additional strain on households.”
An increase in home activity – including remote learning for students forced to stay away from the classroom, working from home and the inability to head out on weekends – means household bills are inevitably trending upwards.
How to avoid electricity bill shock
However, there are still ways you can negate these effects by maintaining sustainable habits around the house, keeping an eye on unnecessary consumption and opting for more cost-efficient solutions, like solar power.
We recently wrote about how you can decrease your electricity usage here, including several helpful methods you can adopt to keep home expenses on track. While COVID-19 continues to keep us at home, these techniques will go a long way when future bills arrive in the mail – trust us.
Meanwhile, Domain also warns that, with the onset of winter, these rising energy costs will only further increase, especially for those already feeling the impacts of previous bills.
“COVID has contributed to general economic weakness, and for those unable to pay the higher bills, this adds even more pressure and increases the call on governments to do more to help,” Alan Raid, the University of Technology in Sydney, told Domain.
So how can you counteract all this? One way Aussies are beating the aftermath is by opting for solar panel installations in their homes. With the average system costing between $6000 and $8000, the system eventually pays for itself, with additional add-ons like solar batteries giving homeowners an accessible means of storage for the electricity they’re generating.
More than ever before, solar power is presenting Australian households with a way to deal with rising electricity costs and unprecedented times. When everything is up in the air, answers like this give much-needed comfort and peace of mind.
If you’d like to see how a solar panel system can help you get through the COVID-19 bill shock get three FREE solar quotes on the most suitable solution for your property.
For a more immediate solution we recommend comparing your current Electricity & Gas retailer with the competition and see if you can find a better deal – get a FREE energy health check and make the switch today.
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References
Domain – https://www.domain.com.au/news/households-set-for-power-bill-shock-after-covid-19-lockdown-963513/
