How to Lower Your Power Bill in a One or Two Person Home
If you live on your own or with just one other person, you might assume your power bill is naturally smaller. Often it is not.
A few simple checks can help significantly lower your power bill, once you’re on a plan that suits a smaller household, like yours!
Why using less does not always mean paying less
Small households can lose out in two ways. First, the fixed supply charge does not shrink just because you use less energy, it’s a much bigger share of a small electricity bill.
Second, plans with usage-based discounts do far less for you when your usage is low to begin with. Because your usage is light, trimming the supply charge is often where the real saving hides, and it is the first step to reduce your electricity bill.
Why now is the moment to check
Most DMO rates dropped across the eastern states after the 1 July price reset. The plan that suited you last year may not give you the cheapest electricity today, and switching can be one of the simplest ways to reduce your electricity bill.
Five checks for a smaller home
- Read your electricity bill properly, so you know your tariff, your supply charge, and how you compare it to the reference price.
- Work out whether a time of use plan suits your home energy usage, especially if you are out most of the day.
- Check your concessions and rebates, because plenty of support goes unclaimed. The universal federal relief ended in late 2025, but the energy rebate NSW offers for eligible households is still active, and it does not always apply automatically.
- Use free power windows where they exist, like the new Solar Sharer Offer in NSW and SE QLD, which gives eligible smart-meter homes up to three hours of free midday power when you opt in.
- Shop around and compare energy plans.
That last point matters more than people think. It is easy to stay on an old plan out of habit, long after it stopped being the best value, and small homes feel that more than most.
The good news is that comparing is easy, and you do not have to settle for a plan built for a larger household. An energy plan designed around lower usage can be one of the cheapest electricity options for a small home and finally lower your power bill, without a heavy fixed charge eating into it.
The takeaway
Being a small household should be an advantage, not a penalty. The cost of living is squeezing everyone right now, and when petrol, rent and the weekly shop keep going up, it helps to win back the one cost you can control. A quick energy plan comparison is the fastest way to reduce your electricity bill for good, not just for this quarter.
