The short answer
The biggest savings come from the biggest users:
- Heating and cooling: set the thermostat or air conditioner a degree or two more economically, use timers, and seal draughts.
- Hot water: wash clothes in cold water, take shorter showers, and lower the water heater temperature if it is very high.
- Fridges, freezers and dryers: keep them efficient, or air-dry clothes.
- Lighting and standby: switch to LEDs and turn things off at the wall.
- Your tariff: use cheaper off-peak hours if your plan has them.
Work out what an appliance costs to run
You can calculate the cost of any appliance:
Cost = watts × hours used ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh
- Watts are on the appliance's label or in the manual.
- Price per kWh (kilowatt-hour, or "unit") is on your electricity bill.
Example: a 1,500 W electric heater used 4 hours a day, at 0.20 per kWh: 1,500 × 4 ÷ 1,000 = 6 kWh a day. 6 × 0.20 = 1.20 a day, or about 36 a month.
An LED bulb of 9 W on for 5 hours a day uses 0.045 kWh, which costs less than 0.01 a day at the same price. This kind of sum shows where to focus. A plug-in energy monitor, available cheaply, measures real use.
Heating and cooling
- Air conditioning: each degree warmer you set it saves energy. Many energy agencies suggest around 24 to 26°C for comfort and efficiency. Clean the filters regularly; clogged filters make units work much harder.
- Use fans alongside or instead of AC. A ceiling or pedestal fan uses a fraction of the power, and moving air feels cooler.
- Block the sun with curtains, blinds or reflective film on hot days. Open windows at night when it is cooler outside.
- Heating: turn the thermostat down by a degree, heat only the rooms you use, and use timers so you are not heating an empty home.
- Seal draughts around doors and windows with low-cost strips, and close curtains at night in winter.
- Insulation, where possible, is one of the best long-term investments.
Hot water
- Wash clothes at 30°C or in cold water. Heating water is most of a washing machine's energy use, and modern detergents work well at low temperatures.
- Shorter showers and an efficient showerhead.
- Check your water heater setting. If it is set very high, lowering it saves energy, but keep stored hot water hot enough to prevent bacteria growth, around 60°C for tank systems.
- Fix dripping hot taps.
Kitchen
- Fridge and freezer: keep the fridge at about 3 to 5°C and the freezer at −18°C. Colder wastes energy. Keep the door seals clean and tight, defrost freezers that ice up, and leave a gap behind for ventilation.
- Cook efficiently: match the pan to the hob size, keep lids on, and use a microwave, pressure cooker, slow cooker or air fryer for small portions instead of the full oven.
- Boil only the water you need in the kettle.
- Run the dishwasher full, on eco mode.
Laundry
- Full loads in the washing machine.
- Air-dry clothes whenever possible. A tumble dryer is one of the most power-hungry appliances in many homes.
- If you use a dryer, clean the lint filter every time and spin clothes at a high speed first.
Lighting and electronics
- Switch to LED bulbs. They use at least 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, according to the US Department of Energy, and last far longer.
- Turn off lights in empty rooms.
- Cut standby power: switch off TVs, consoles, set-top boxes, speakers and computers at the wall, or use a power strip.
- Use power-saving settings on computers, TVs and game consoles.
- Unplug chargers you are not using.
Your tariff and meter
- Check your tariff. Some plans charge less at night or off-peak. Run washing machines, dishwashers and water heaters then, if your plan rewards it.
- Understand slabs or tiers. In some countries, including Pakistan, the price per unit rises once you pass a monthly threshold, so cutting a few units can lower the whole bill. Our Pakistan electricity bill guide explains how slabs work there.
- Read your meter regularly to spot unusual use, which can mean a faulty appliance.
When buying new appliances
- Check the energy label and compare annual running costs, not just the price.
- Choose inverter models for air conditioners and fridges, which adjust their power instead of switching fully on and off.
- Size appliances correctly. A huge fridge or an oversized AC unit wastes energy.
- Consider solar if you own your home and the payback suits you. Our solar panel guide for Pakistan covers costs there.
Key takeaways
- Heating, cooling and hot water are usually the biggest costs; start there.
- Cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh.
- Wash cold, air-dry, use LEDs and switch off standby.
- Check your tariff for off-peak hours or slab thresholds.