Winter Wallet Tune-Up: 5 Everyday Tweaks That Can Free Up $50-$100 a Week

A quick winter reality-check

The heat-pump hums from dawn to dark, hot showers fog the mirrors, comfort food crowds the trolley and the car seems permanently low on fuel. Winter warmth feels great—but the extra spend can sneak up fast. Try the five tweaks below and you could liberate roughly $50–$100 every single week, without sacrificing comfort or convenience. 

Heat-pump timing: three sprints beat a matathon 

Set your unit to run three × 3-hour blocks (morning, mid-afternoon and evening) instead of a 12-hour continuous stretch. 
 

• Why it works: A modern 6 kW heat-pump draws about 1.5 kWh when maintaining 20 °C. At an average residential tariff of ≈27 c/kWh (MBIE), that’s $0.41 an hour. 
   

• Cost comparison: 

• 12 hours straight → $4.92 /day ($34.44 /week) 

• 9 hours total (3 × 3 h) → $3.69 /day ($25.83 /week) 

• Weekly win: ≈$8.61 (and you still wake toasty). 
   

• Pro tip: Keep the thermostat between 18 °C and 21 °C; each extra degree adds roughly 10 % to your bill. (EECA) 

Shower-flow: trim the litres, pocket the dollars 

An 8-minute hot shower feels non-negotiable on frosty mornings, but the flow rate definitely is. 

• The maths: Heating water from 15 °C to 55 °C takes about 0.046 kWh per litre. At 25 c/kWh (EECA) that’s 1.2 c/L. 

• 12 L/min × 8 min = 96 L → $1.15 per shower 

• 7 L/min × 8 min = 56 L → $0.67 per shower 

• Saving: $0.48 per shower 
   

• Family impact: Three showers a day = $10.08 saved each week—just by screwing on a $15 flow-restrictor head. 

Grocery swap: name-brand vs home-brand haul 

We grabbed two identical winter shopping lists (10 everyday staples) at a central Auckland supermarket: 

• Total trolley tally: $77.39 vs $48.81 

• Weekly win: ≈$28.58 with zero recipe changes. 

Fuel stacking: stack three little discounts into one big one 
 

1. Supermarket docket: Up to 6 c/L off with a $200 spend.

Fuel-price app (e.g. Gaspy): Often finds stations 8-10 c/L below local average.

Combine them and you’re shaving ≈18 c/L off Regular 91 (recent average 263 c/L). (MBIE) 

• 50 L tank: $9 saved per fill 

• Weekly commuter fill: $10 weekly 

Insurance excess: raise the excess, lower the premium 

We ran sample quotes for a 2017 hatchback in Wellington: 

• Weekly win: $2. 

• Reality check: Only lift your excess if you have an emergency fund to cover it. 

How the savings stack up 

Numbers are illustrative; your mileage (and metre) may vary. 

Keep your momentum going

These small tweaks can add up to big wins—especially when paired with smart financial decisions. Explore more financial health tips to help you stretch your budget, stay in control, and feel more confident all season long.