A Malaysian who was paying between RM250 and RM350 a month for electricity decided to take a closer look at his household’s energy consumption.
Threads user Azim Azlisham, who lives in a three-bedroom condominium with his wife and 4-year-old son, works from home full-time and relies on various household appliances throughout the day. Despite having inverter and energy-efficient appliances, he said his Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) electricity bill was still consistently high.
So, instead of making major lifestyle changes, he decided to track where his household was using electricity and look for areas where they could cut down on unnecessary consumption.
His bill eventually dropped to RM104.80, but how did he do it?
The changes eventually paid off.
In September 2026, Azim’s household recorded electricity consumption of 376 kWh, with a total bill of RM104.80. That was significantly lower than his May 2026 bill, which recorded 518 kWh and cost RM180.15.
Azim told WORLD OF BUZZ that there was no single trick responsible for the reduction.
“Honestly, there wasn’t one magic trick. The biggest difference came from several small changes done consistently.
“Especially using the aircond more efficiently, avoiding unnecessary dryer use, washing clothes with room temperature water, and not overcooling the fridge and freezer.”
He also shared that he began paying closer attention to his household’s actual electricity consumption, rather than simply looking at the Ringgit amount on his monthly bill. By tracking his monthly kWh usage, he could see whether the changes he made were actually helping to reduce consumption.
He didn’t stop using his air conditioner
One of the biggest changes involved his air conditioner, but Azim did not completely cut down on using it. He said his 2-horsepower air conditioner still runs for around eight hours every night.
He set the air conditioner to “Cool” mode at 23°C, with its fan speed set to automatic, while running a ceiling fan at low speed to help circulate the cool air around the room.
He then said that he regularly cleans the air conditioner filters and keeps the room sealed to prevent cool air from escaping.
Azim said the idea was not simply to use less electricity, but to avoid electricity being consumed without providing much benefit.
“What I realised was that even energy efficient appliances can still consume a lot if they’re used inefficiently or for long hours.
“So instead of hunting for one ‘power vampire’, I started looking for wasted electricity, energy we’re paying for but not actually benefiting from,” he said.
Small changes around the house added up
The air conditioner was not the only area Azim changed. He also said he adjusted his fridge and chest freezer to 4°C and -18°C respectively instead of overcooling them.
He then went on to say that he started using reusable ice packs and tried to minimise how often and how long the doors were opened. For laundry, he switched to washing clothes with room-temperature water and reduced his use of the tumble dryer.
These were relatively small changes, but Azim said consistently making them was what helped bring his overall consumption down.
He also found that keeping track of his kWh usage allowed him to see how his changes affected his bill and helped his household qualify for higher discount tiers under TNB’s Insentif Cekap Tenaga, while avoiding additional retail and service charges.
His takeaway: Cut waste, not comfort
While Azim’s results may not be the same for every household, as electricity consumption depends on factors such as home size, appliances and daily habits, he believes consistently reducing unnecessary usage can make a difference.
His advice is simple:
“Use what we need, cut what we waste, and keep watching the kWh. Not just the Ringgit amount.
“Lower consumption can also bring additional discount benefit tier under the current Insentif Cekap Tenaga, depending on your usage.”
Netizens’ reactions
“In addition to the author’s tips,
-
Turn off the water filter/dispenser switch when not in use or when there’s nobody at home.
-
Turn off the switches for the aircon, washer, dryer, and water heater when not in use. Small changes bring better outcomes.”
“Tried playing with our airconds last month, managed to drop down to the tier below 600 kWh. The bill reduction was also around RM100++ because of the energy efficiency incentive and exclusion of SST, AFA & retail charges.”
“My house has 2 aircons. But they’re on at home from 7 PM – 7 AM. Fridge, washing machine. When I go to work, I turn off all unused plugs and unplug them. Turn off all lights before going to work. Weekends obviously at home 24h. RM49.”
Do you have any energy-saving hacks that help keep your electricity bill down? Lets us know in the comments !
