As winter deepens across South Africa, households are spending more time indoors, heaters are running longer, and geysers are working overtime. This increases as July school holidays approach, with families gathering at home, electricity use climbing and budgets feeling the pinch.

This aligns with a national push: the month of July is recognised in South Africa as National Savings Month, a campaign that encourages households to save for financial stability. This year, energy saving is a direct form of financial saving.

“Many people assume the problem is leaving lights on, but those are small contributors compared to high-load appliances running for longer periods,” says Andrew Middelton, CEO of GoSolr. “Winter changes how South Africans live; we heat water more, we heat rooms, we dry clothes indoors, and that has a direct impact on how much power households consume.”

Household consumption typically spikes by at least 20% in colder months due to heating. That increase is not spread evenly. It comes down to the same five high-load appliances that work harder and longer every winter.

The biggest winter power drains

1. Geysers: typically, the single biggest electricity consumer in a South African home and can account for 30–40% of total use.
2. Space heaters and electric blankets: a 2 000W heater running eight hours a night can use up to 16 kWh per day, costing around R260 a week.
3. Lighting and standby electronics: winter adds 3 to 4 hours of lighting nightly, with five 60W incandescent using about 1.2kWh versus 0.18kWh for LEDs, and standby devices can account for up to 10% of household use
4. Electric stoves, ovens and kettles: stoves and ovens draw 1,500 to 3,000W (about R5 to R10 per hour at 2026 rates), and a kettle uses roughly 0.075kWh per boil, about R0.28, or around R42 a month for five daily boils
5. Tumble dryers: units pull 1,800 to 5,000W, costing roughly R6 to R17 per hour at current tariffs, so two full loads a week can add more than R100 to a winter bill

How to cut your winter electricity spend

• Tame the geyser first: Set to 55–60°C, add a geyser blanket, and timer for morning and evening only.
• Heat smart: Close doors, use draft stoppers, and run heaters on timers rather than all night.
• Avoid the peaks: Eskom advises reduced usage during peak hours (6 am–10 am and 5 pm–9 pm) and specifically urges cutting use between 5 pm and 9 pm.
• Kill standby power: Unplug or use smart plugs; devices in sleep mode can draw power continuously.
• Light efficiently: LEDs, timers, and motion sensors matter more when nights are long.
• Dry smarter: Use high spin cycles, indoor racks, and full-load tumble drying.

“There is a common misconception that solar is for summer,” adds Middleton. “But even in winter, South Africa’s daylight hours are enough to meaningfully offset geyser and daytime loads. It’s one of the simplest ways South Africans can reduce their carbon footprint while enjoying a more resilient, reliable energy supply, and keep more money in their pocket during Savings Month.”

National Savings Month has always been about building financial resilience. This July, the fastest savings most households can make are on the meter. By tackling the main energy drainers mentioned here, South Africans will be well on their way to keeping their homes warm, their budgets intact, and their savings growing long after winter ends.