Five Electricity-Saving Tips for Switched-on Western Cape Citizens

On 1 July 2011, the price of electricity for normal households will increase by 20%. This is due to the revision of Eskom's tariffs.

Western Cape Minister of Economic Development, Alan Winde, said: "It is vitally important to have a good understanding of your income and costs so that you can plan accordingly. I would like to urge all consumers to include this price increase in their household budgets to ensure that all necessary expenses can be covered at the end of the month."

"If you need assistance with putting a monthly household budget together, please call the Western Cape Office of the Consumer Protector on 0800 007 081, and they will gladly help you."

The Western Cape Office of the Consumer Protector has issued five easy tips to reduce the amount of money you spend on electricity:

• Don't leave appliances on standby, rather turn them off at the plug.
• Switch off lights when you are not in the room.
• Use energy-saving light bulbs, which are available at grocery stores.
• Only boil the amount of water you need, not a full kettle.
• Turn your geyser off between 18:00 and 21:00 each night.