The household cost sparking fights in one in three Aussie homes

The battle to keep power bills down is sparking household tensions, with one in three Aussies admitting to arguing with the people they live with about saving energy, according to a new report.Finder’s 2026 Household Report found 35 per cent of Aussies have argued with housemates, partners or family about saving energy in the past 12 months, an equivalent to 7.6 million people.One in 10 (10 per cent) of the 1,004 Aussies surveyed said the arguments happen all the time, while a further 25 per cent say they argue occasionally.More than half (52 per cent) say they haven’t argued about energy use, while 13 per cent live alone.Source: Finder survey of 1,004 Australians, September 2026The report follows ABS figures that show Aussie household electricity bills were recorded to be 13.2 per cent higher than a year ago to August 2026.It also comes as conflict in the Middle East this year has added to household cost-of-living pressures, with surging global oil prices driving up fuel prices along with threatening further costs on transporting and everyday essentials. While certain warnings of global sustained energy increases could feed into Aussie inflation, putting further pressure on househ...