WAU

not much to offer except....perhaps.

-Co-op buying? a group of you organize a side of beef or pork or a whole lamb (mutton ?) to be butchered and split up between you. Definitely a saver there.
-Vegies in the back yard (or little box) Silverbeet grows easy.
-Grow some "Amaranth" grows like CRAZZZZZY... once it get's going.. you kind of stir fry it.

-Hi Effiency lights
-Don't use electicity for cooking or heating if possible.
-Solar/Gas boost hot water.

I know some of them involve outlays... just suggestions mate :)

one of the big tips...is look at the amps...!,,the item is drawing

i see people love their big-screen..tv...
BUT..look at the power..they chew-up...you will be shoked
[i bought a little tv...and now save heaps]

ditto big current..devices like..ceiling fans..or empty fridges
especially hot-water...

but note..changing over to solar..STILL uses HEAPS of power...[disconect the heat-boosting element]..use only the suns energy

but also read the amps..its drawing
turn down the temp setting..on the h2o tank
minimum setting...

dont heat water..ONLY TO HAVE TO..ADD COLD..lol

only boil..the water you need..for the cup of tea
get rid of..the temperature-control ...air-conditioner
open a window..on the shady side of the house
or put on some socks...

air conditioned climate...isnt that good for you..anyhow

[i use a 15 amp small fan]...
not the 280 amp ceiling fan

its about realizing..they want you..to use[consume]
the max..of their service..[product]

so push it through
as fast as the pipes can carry

other hint is ..KBNOW..they are pushing more current through..
ie not 240 volts..but up to 280...cause the more on your meter..the more in their pockett

[sure ..ome of your sppliances short-out..
but lets face it the more they can push..through the pipes..
the more..YOU MUST PAY_FOR

its the same con with water
up the mains..and taps start..to drip

open the tap..and instead of 50 litres..a minute comming through
[you waste 80 litres to brush ya teeth..]

[thats why i closed my mains tap..to the presure..I WANT..
not the presure they want ..!

put a brick in your toilet/water-tank

use only..half flush
[if that dosnt do the trick..change ya diet]

do you really need..that hot shower twice a day?

Shadow minister,
Come on a worthless reference to the SMH. newspapers are cheap. They ply half truths to fill their pages with the rubbish that keeps the ignorant buying the daily.

It is clear if we are to believe the storey that prices will not rise by this amount if the ETS does not come to pass, so let's not get hysterical. I would have thought that prices would rise by a larger margin if an ETS or the like was introduced. The point is to encourage people to use energy differently so as to reduce energy consumption, or am i being to simplistic.

Excellent issues raised Merv, AIR and Wobbles, thank you most kindly. I have read every one's posts and learned a great deal thanks again.

Thank you OUG your concepts are fantastic and will also assist many Australians regarding energy water and costs!

I agree with you, wobbles, that we need more competition. In the time I have spent overseas, I have been pleasantly surprised by the value for money offered in the little supermarkets. Interestingly, they are typically a fraction of the size of our versions - more Foodworks than Woolworths. But they seem to have the buying power to drive good deals. Maybe it's because there are so many of them, and they serve such large markets? I don't know.

My question is: where does the competition come from? I have serious doubts about the integrity of new, overseas-based chains (Costco, Aldi, etc). Why would their interests differ from the existing chains? The smaller, independent groups (IGA, Foodworks, etc) don't seem to have the market power to drive good bargains with their suppliers. It's a rare day that I can pick anything up at the local IGA for less than - or even the same price as - the Woolies a bit further up the road. When Woolworths builds its new supermarket next door to my local IGA, I suspect it will put considerable strain on the IGA as competition. Those loyal to the old store (it's been around for eons) may stay loyal but, over time, I suspect the competition may remain untenable. How does one establish a competitive alternative to the big chains? I'm not sure. But that's probably why I'm not in business.