Could a NightSaver Meter save you money on your electricity bills?

Deciding on the best electricity payment plan suitable for your needs can be a difficult decision - especially when trying to get your head around the different options available. Which supplier should you choose? Should you go for a cashback offer? Should you get a prepayment meter? Or indeed, as we will discuss in this article, should you get a NightSaver Meter?

What exactly is a NightSaver Meter?

To kick things off, a NightSaver Meter is a meter (separate meter from a standard 24-hour meter) that records day and night time electricity consumption separately. Electricity consumed at night time comes at a reduced price, hence its name.    

What constitutes as “night” time?

The boundaries of night and day will always differ from person to person, but thankfully the hard line definition between the two is clearer for NightSaver Meter users.

According to the terms of the meter, ‘night time’ is 11pm-8am during winter (late October to late March) and 12am-9am during summer (late March to late October).

When summer moves to winter, you will automatically be charged reduced night time rates for the new hours of 11pm-8am. So, you don’t need to worry about adjusting your meter.

Will a NightSaver Meter actually save me money?

If more than 25% of a household's electricity is used overnight, a customer will save money with a NightSaver Meter. Of course, this means that you will have to keep an eye on your day time and night time consumption to make sure that you are taking full advantage of the discounted rates.

Generally, suppliers have a surplus capacity of electricity at night that they want you to use up, hence the NightSaver Meter was created and designed to save you money and encourage you to use more of your electricity during that time. However, you might need to make a few small changes and move some of your electricity usage to after bedtime to be sure of making savings.

Making these changes shouldn’t be too difficult if you’re clever about it. Little things like running your dishwasher after midnight and using your washing machine before 9am will make a big difference. And it doesn’t need to be a hassle either - by investing in some cheap and nifty gadgets, such as plug timers and electricity monitors, you’ll be saving money in no time!

Top tip

The best way to take advantage of discounted night time rates with your NightSaver Meter is to turn your immersion heater on overnight, as it’s likely to be one of the biggest energy guzzlers in your home. If you have an old, naked immersion tank, you could add a high-quality lagging jacket to reduce those costs even further.

How much could I actually save?

Let’s look a little closer at how much you could save using an example.  

Electric Ireland’s NightSaver unit rates are 18.33c during the day but only 9.06c at night. The standing charge is about €50 higher than it is for a single unit meter, but you can make this back pretty quickly by committing to some of the changes in your electricity usage which were discussed above.

The average Irish household uses 15 units of electricity per day so using just 4 units after bedtime will make a NightSaver Meter a smart choice.

Here’s what 4 units looks like: 7-10 minutes in your electrical shower (1 unit), 20-40 minutes of tumble drying (1 unit), 70-100 minutes of running your washing machine (1 unit) and a 70-100 minutes dishwasher cycle (1 unit). Of course, the more units you move to night time, the more you will save.

How do I get a NightSaver Meter?

Getting a NightSaver Meter is very straightforward, and it’s completely free. Just call your electricity supplier to request one and they’ll arrange for ESB Networks to call out to your house and install one.

If you would like any further information on NightSaver Meters, just comment below or email us at hello@bonkers.ie and we’ll get back to you.