22 SEP 2026
Author: Jemesa Landers
To get more value from a free or discounted power period, move the things that can wait into the hours that apply to your plan. Laundry, dishwashing, EV charging, device charging and some hot water use are common places to start.
The important bit is to work with your actual household routine, not an ideal version of it. Check your plan’s exact hours, rates, eligibility rules and fair use terms first, then choose a few safe, repeatable habits you can genuinely stick to.
Before changing your routine, confirm which Contact plan you’re on and what hours apply at your address. Contact has time of use options that may include free or discounted electricity periods, such as evening, weekend or overnight windows.
The details matter. The eligible hours, rates, exclusions, fair use rules and eligibility requirements can differ by plan and may change over time. Treat the current plan page and terms as the source of truth before making decisions.
Some electricity use has to happen when it happens. Dinner needs cooking at dinner time, and heating may need to run when people are home.
Other tasks are more flexible. A dishwasher can often wait. Washing can sometimes be timed around your free or discounted period. Device charging, EV charging and some appliance cycles may also be easy to shift.
A good place to start is by asking: “Does this need to run now, or could it safely run later?”
Many washing machines, dishwashers, dryers, heat pumps and EV chargers have timers, delay start settings or app controls. These can make it easier to use your plan’s cheaper or free period without having to remember everything manually.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t run an appliance in a way that creates a fire, ventilation, overheating or supervision risk. Avoid stacking too many high load appliances at the same time, and plug high load appliances directly into a suitable wall socket rather than a power board.
If your plan includes an evening free power period, think about the jobs that can happen once the window starts. You might run the dishwasher, start a washing machine cycle, charge devices or use rechargeable appliances like a cordless vacuum.
If household showers happen during the period, some of the electricity used to reheat a conventional electric hot-water cylinder may also fall inside it. This depends on your hot water setup, so use this as a possible bonus rather than the whole strategy.
A weekend daytime period can work well for bigger household jobs. You might batch laundry, run the dishwasher, vacuum, meal prep, charge rechargeable gear or schedule safe appliance use inside the eligible window.
Try not to make it feel like your whole weekend has to revolve around power. Pick the tasks that already fit your life, then shift the timing where it’s easy.
If your plan has an overnight discounted period, EV charging is often one of the best uses — provided your vehicle, charger, home setup and plan allow it. Use your car, charger or app settings to schedule charging inside the eligible hours.
Other safe, flexible loads may also suit overnight timing, but be careful. Don’t run higher risk appliances while everyone is asleep unless the manufacturer clearly allows unattended operation and your setup is safe.
A free or discounted period only helps if enough of your electricity use moves into that window to outweigh any rates charged at other times.
Use the Contact app or My Account to compare usage over a few weeks. Look for patterns: what shifted, what didn’t, and whether the routine feels realistic. If you’re constantly changing your day around the plan, it may be worth comparing other options.
It depends on the plan. The electricity used during the eligible period may be free or discounted, but other charges, eligibility rules, exclusions and fair use terms may still apply. Always check the current plan terms.
Flexible appliances are usually the easiest place to start, such as dishwashers, washing machines, EV chargers, device chargers and some rechargeable appliances. The best choices depend on your plan, appliances and safety instructions.
Only run appliances unattended if the manufacturer allows it and the setup is safe. Be especially careful with dryers, heaters or anything that creates heat.
No. A time of use plan is only cheaper if your household can move enough electricity use into the cheaper or free periods to outweigh any higher rates at other times. Use your actual usage pattern, not an ideal week, and compare the full plan terms before switching.
Choose one repeatable habit. For example, run the dishwasher during the eligible window, schedule your EV charging overnight or move one laundry load into the free or discounted period. Once that feels easy, add another habit.
Suggested next step: Want to see whether free or discounted power hours could work for your household? Compare Contact’s current Good Plans or visit the Electricity Authority to check how you could get cheaper power bills with a time-of-use plan.
For independent complaint or pricing advice, UDL, Billy & Powerswitch can help.
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