This year’s Christmas might not twinkle as much as it has in previous years, with new Compare the Market research revealing that 69.9% of Australians will alter their festive electricity habits in a bid to save money.*

Unfortunately, Christmas lights will be on the chopping block for many households, with 41.6% of Australians surveyed admitting they’ll put up fewer Christmas lights or will ditch the fairy lights completely this festive season. It’s up from the 30.6% of Aussies who said they would put up fewer lights or ditch lights completely last year.

Compare the Market’s Head of Energy, Meredith O’Brien, said while it made sense that Aussies were trying to cut their summer power bills in any way they could, ditching the lights may not slash their bills as much as they’d think.

“We’re heading into the most wonderful time of year, but for Australians, it can also be the time where our electricity bills skyrocket,” Ms O’Brien said. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of Australians saying they’ll ditch Christmas lights or hang up fewer lights, but the reality is these don’t have a massive impact on your electricity bill.

“Depending on the type of Christmas lights you use, how many you display and how long you keep them on for, as well as the type of electricity plan you have, lights may only add a few dollars to your bill for the whole festive period.”

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

**Methodology at the end of the release. Current as of 30/10/2024.

“The LED Christmas lights available for purchase these days typically use significantly less energy than the incandescent ones from the past,” Ms O’Brien said. “If you plan on fishing out old incandescent lights from your shed to hang up, it may be time to invest in some new lights. These older bulbs can be power drainers, not to mention that you can no longer purchase them in Australia.”

Ms O’Brien said if you’re in the market for new lights, LEDs or solar lights were the way to go.

“Solar Christmas lights have also grown in popularity and don’t use any power from the grid at all, while LEDs are a cost-effective option,” Ms O’Brien said.  “What this tells us is it’s usually other things over the Christmas period driving up your electricity bill, such as running the air conditioner, cooking Christmas feasts in the oven and on the stove, using pool pumps more and powering spare fridges and freezers.”

Compare the Market’s data found that Australians plan on cutting back in other ways over Christmas, with 44.5% saying they’ll run their air conditioner less, 44% saying they’ll turn unused devices and appliances off at the wall and 14.5% to avoid using their spare fridge or freezer over the summer months.

“Making these types of changes could have a significant impact on your electricity bill,” Ms O’Brien said. “Every degree cooler you set the temperature on your air conditioner can add up to 10% more to your electricity usage, which can be quite substantial. Ideally, consider option for a temperature between 25 and 27°C on the cooling setting, but be aware that the amount you ultimately pay will vary based on the type of air conditioner you have, the size of the room you’re trying to cool, your home’s insulation and how much sunlight your home gets.

“Don’t leave devices and appliances charging or on standby, as vampire power around the home can help you cut your home’s electricity usage by as much as 10%, so keep this in mind if you’ve entertaining kids with screen time or if you’re heading out for the day on trips and excursions.

“And, if you don’t need to use a spare fridge or freezer this Christmas, don’t! A fridge that had a five-star energy rating in the 2000s would actually be as low as two or three stars now, so they can be quite a drainer.

Elsewhere in the survey, people said they’d try and reduce their Christmas electricity usage by:

• Relying more on solar panels and utilising solar power when it’s generated during the day (18.2%)
• Barbecuing more often to avoid electricity usage in the home (11.2%)
• Using the pool pump less than usual (3.9%).

“Solar can make a big difference on your bill – if you’re utilising your system correctly,” Ms O’Brien said. “You’ll want to run those energy-guzzlers like washing machines, dryers or dishwashers during the day when your solar power is being generated or invest in smart timers so you can set and forget.

“If you have a solar battery, you may also be able to store the solar power you’ve generated during the day and use it at night, when your household’s usage is higher. With solar feed-in tariffs reducing significantly, you’ll likely get more bang for your buck by using the power you generate, rather than exporting it.”

Ms O’Brien also said it could also be worth ensuring that you’re still on a competitive electricity plan now.

“Don’t wait until you’ve received a high bill to compare your options,” Ms O’Brien said. “We’ve got that window of opportunity right now to look for a better deal and ensure you’re not paying more than you need to for the same electricity supply.

“If it’s been more than a year since you changed electricity plans, if you’re seeing a better offer message on your current bill or if you’ve seen a deal in the market that’s better than your current plan, it could be time to switch.”

*Survey of 1,006 Australian adults, conducted in October, 2024.

**Usage for NSW based on average general usage charge for postcode 2122 on Compare the Market, which is calculated at 35.25c/kWh. Accurate 30/10/2024. Usage for Victoria based on average general usage charge for postcode 3429 on Compare the Market, which is calculated at 35.91c/ kWh. Accurate 30/10/2024. Usage for Queensland based on average general usage charge for postcode 4118 on Compare the Market, which is calculated at 33.57c/kWh. Accurate 30/10/2024. Usage for SA based on average general usage charge for postcode 5068 on Compare the Market, which is calculated at 43.39c/kWh. Accurate 30/10/2024. Usage for WA based on the WA Government’s regulated residential electricity tariff: A1 and A2, which is listed as 31.5823c/kWh

Prices reflective of single-use tariffs or peak tariffs for time-of-use plans (to reflect the peak time in which Christmas lights would operate). Actual cost may vary based on types of lights you use, how many you use and for how long, as well as your electricity plan and don’t reflect the supply charge. Per night cost estimated based on running lights for four hours per night. Per month cost estimated based on running lights for four hours per night, every night for 31 days of December.

For more information, please contact:  

Phillip Portman | 0437 384 471 | [email protected]

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