What are free hours of power?!
Chances are if you’ve been looking for a new power plan, you’ll have come across deals that include ‘free hours of power.’ We know that a lot of people get confused about what this means so we’re here to break it down for you as it can save you heaps of money!
What are free hours of power?
Many power providers are offering a new deal in their plans: ‘free hours of power.’
The deal is that consumers can use as much power as they want within a certain time frame for FREE!
So you can run the washing machine, do the vacuuming, have hot showers and do any other power-sucking chores during this specific time frame and you won’t be charged for it.
Plans that are currently being offered by providers are:
- Electric Kiwi - 1 free hour anytime during off-peak hours (9am-5pm or 9pm-7am). COMPARE ELECTRIC KIWI
- Contact Energy - free hours of power between 9pm to midnight on their Goodnights Plan. COMPARE CONTACT ENERGY
- Mercury - free power days (random days of 24 hours free power).
- Genesis - random offers for free hours of power to use whenever you like through Power Shout. COMPARE GENESIS ENERGY
- Powershop - get free power on the weekends of your first 12 months on their plan through Manchester Unity. COMPARE POWERSHOP
How do I make the most out of the free hours of power?
As you may expect, if you use these free hours wisely, you could save quite a lot of cash!
Electric Kiwi claims that their customers who are extra smart when using their free hour of power save more than 30% off their power bill! That’s quite a lot of money, so make sure to take note of our tips below!
Just do something during the free hours
The first and most obvious tip is just do anything that requires power during your free hours. So even if you’re living a busy life and don’t feel like focusing on making the most of the free hours, just know that anything you do at that time will be saving you money! So even if it’s just charging your phone or keeping the lights on- you’ll still save a bit! In today’s current climate, a little bit off your power bill can go a long way!
Shift your power-sucking chores
One of the best ways to use the free hours is by moving all the chores or tasks that require a lot of electricity to the time frame when it won’t cost you anything. For instance, if you’re on the Good Nights Plan from Contact Energy then you’ll get free hours of power between 9pm-midnight. So make sure that you’re vacuuming, running the washing machine and dishwasher, and having hot showers all AFTER 9pm. If you spend a few minutes thinking about how you can schedule your day to use the most power during your free hours, you’re bound to save heaps of cash in no time!
Charge up the big things
Using the most power during your free hours is the name of the game. So why not charge the biggest things you have at your house? Make sure to plug in your car (if you have an electric car), e-bike or e-scooter! Don’t forget about any power tool batteries too!
Use timers
Most household appliances now have timers on them that you can set on a schedule to start when you want. If your washer, dryer or dishwasher, etc. doesn’t have a timer then you can always buy a plug in one! There are simple cheap ones (as low as $6) or more advanced ones you can control over Wi-Fi. Set your timers so that your appliances start running when the free hours of power start. This is especially great for people who know they won’t be home during the free hours!
Use an app
Many providers like Electric Kiwi and Genesis have features in their app which allow you to monitor your free hours of power. Definitely make sure to get your provider’s app on your phone to keep up to date with your energy usage both in general and in relation to your free hours. Keeping on top of things always pays off!
Bonus tip: Do you have a smart meter?
Most homes nowadays will have a smart meter that measures your power usage. Smart meters are great as they are able to send you regular updates on how much power you are using. This will help when budgeting as you’ll be able to keep track of your usage yourself. Also, if you want free hours of power, you’ll probably need a smart meter as providers need to know how much power is being used (and when) so they can correctly bill you. So make sure to check if your house has a smart meter! The best way is to check with your provider. Otherwise, if you’re not getting a meter reader visiting your place every month and your reads are showing as ‘actual’ not ‘estimate’ then this probably means you have a smart meter.
How can I get free hours of power?
So a lot of different providers are offering free hours of power on their various plans. As mentioned previously, you can get free hours on plans from Electric Kiwi, Contact Energy, Mercury, Genesis Energy and Powershop. These are the most popular ones but there are many more out there!
How can I find these power plans?
The easiest way to find which of these plans is best for you is by hopping on Power Compare!
You’ll be able to see all the plans that are available to you and compare them!
Not only can you compare providers that offer free hours, you can also look at pricing, contract terms, joining benefits and much more!
Fantastic! Can you run me through how to use Power Compare?
Using Power Compare is super easy!
All you have to do is jump on Power Compare, enter in a few details, select some filters that match your preferences and then you’ll see all the plans available to you!
Best of all, you can compare the plans side-by-side all on one page! How easy!
So, you’ll be able to see which providers offer free hours of power and any other deals they might have!
Alternatively, if you’d rather talk to a nice human, then give our friendly customer support team a free call on 0508 22 66 72. They’ll help you find a great plan!
So now you’re all clued up on what free hours of power are and how best to use them! Jump on our website now to find a plan that’s right for you!
Enjoy your free hours! Enjoy all those savings!