Summer Energy Saving Tips
Looking for some simple ways to help reduce your energy use and lower your bill? Read on for some ideas you can put into action right now.
In the kitchen
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Let food cool down before putting it in the fridge or freezer to keep these appliances running at their best (2°C - 5°C for your fridge, and -18°C for your freezer).
Keep fridge and oven doors closed as much as possible.
Use cold water when filling the jug or rinsing dishes.
Run your dishwasher only when it’s full.
Heating your home
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Stop cold air from coming in by closing your damper when you're not using your fire place. Also block gaps under windows and doors.
Put an extra blanket on your bed instead of using an electric blanket.
Try using a thermostat to control when your heaters come on.
Close your curtains just before dark to keep in the heat.
Use a dehumidifier to keep your house dry and make it easier to heat.
Bathroom & laundry
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Use a short, cold wash cycle when washing clothes.
Have showers instead of baths and try to keep them less than five minutes.
Dry your washing on a clothesline as often as possible.
Open a window when you’re showering to avoid moisture build up.
If you haven’t got one, look at installing a hot water cylinder wrap.
Lighting your home
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Replace traditional lightbulbs with LED bulbs.
Clean lights and lampshades to get maximum light.
Switch the lights off when you leave a room.
Forming energy efficient habits
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Switch off appliances at the wall. Standby mode uses power too!
Turn phone and laptop chargers off when your batteries are full.
Replace old appliances with ones that have a high-energy star rating.
Switch off your hot water if you’re away for more than two weeks.
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Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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78.5% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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21.5% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Charities turning away high numbers of volunteer applications
Charities are turning away people wanting to volunteer amidst a flood of interest they say is linked to the high rate of unemployment.
It comes as some businesses receive thousands of applications for paid roles and people look for experience anywhere they can.
The advocacy organisation Volunteering NZ has been tracking the trend. Spokesperson Margaret McLachlan said there has been a considerable rise in applications for volunteer roles across a range of charities.
Many application forms asks people to divulge if they are job hunters.
"Over the last year or so, they are seeing more people coming in who are saying they are in that category. They are looking for work but doing volunteering while that process is taking place."
"As unemployment increases and the cost of living, times are tougher for everybody."
At the same time, she said community organisations supporting social services were busier and needed more helpers.
McLachlan said depending on the organisation, they might want to do a police check, a reference check and an interview.
"In some cases it can be a process to go through and not always, and that can take some time.
"It's actually the same barriers that a person might find in finding a job, can also apply to volunteering. It's not always a easy option."
SPCA had 120 op shops and animal rescue centres across the country in which volunteers worked.
General manager of retail Cathy Crichton said they received about 1300 extra applications for volunteer roles, a 32 percent increase, from June to November 2025, compared to 2024.
"There's definitely a nudge forward which is very exciting and we're very grateful."
But it meant they were not accepting any more volunteers in some areas.
"Because the applications are up it's a unique scenario. But at this point in time, in smaller locations, we've actually got a hold in 19 locations in New Zealand where we are at capacity - and that's very rare and it's a very new trend."
Crichton said anyone seeking volunteer work should think creatively about what skills they can offer - it could be in administration or marketing.
"We'd love to welcome as many people as we could because the more hands on deck the more we can do and the more we can contribute to the community."
She said people were self-motivated to apply for volunteer work.
The unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in the September quarter, meaning 160,000 people were jobless. The next quarterly figures are out in February.
"There's a willingness to give back and contribute to the community. Unemployment being high really does encourage people to engage with the workforce and get experience," Crichton said.
"It really is about staying connected with the community and meeting others."
She said they had also seen an increase in young people seeking volunteer work experience.
"It's a great opportunity to get work experience and a reference and there's an appeal there as an employer...I really do think it adds value to a CV."
Stats NZ data showed over half of New Zealanders, 53 percent, volunteered during March 2025 and of those, 27.6 percent volunteered through an organisation and 40.8 percent volunteered directly for another person.
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