With power prices and the broader cost of living dominating recent election debates, many Australians – especially retirees on fixed incomes – are looking for smarter ways to protect their future. Rising utility bills and essential service costs aren’t just inconvenient; they can directly reduce the income empty nesters and retirees rely on to fund a comfortable lifestyle.
Providence Lifestyle Resorts offer a unique solution – transforming weekly living fees into a powerful financial asset.
Three years ago, Providence started delivering the first lifestyle Resort in Western Australia to tackle the energy affordability crisis head-on. By investing in a state-of-the-art solar and battery microgrid network within the Resort, Providence includes 8kWh of daily electricity to the Resort’s Homeowners in its weekly site fee.
With Providence assuming the role as the Energy Provider, each Homeowner avoids paying the Synergy service charges, immediately saving just over a $1 per day ($30 per month), no gas bills, and significantly lower ongoing utility expenses.
According to data published in the ASFA Retirement Standard – June Quarter 2024, the average weekly cost for power and gas in a typical suburban setting is $52 per month for singles and $64 per month for couples. At Providence, those figures drop dramatically.
In fact, Providence has just reviewed the bills each Homeowner is paying and is now able to provide interested buyers an accurate estimate of the energy costs they can expect, if they purchase any one of Providence’s 15 home designs.
Of course, all Providence Homeowners have different circumstances and budgets to work with, but we look forward to providing the following information to anyone who wants to know.
For example, one of our larger one-bedroom homes, the Ticked Pink, based on the recent 3 months billing data, which included the hotter than usual weather conditions, delivered the results in the table below.
And that’s just the beginning.
Providence homes also eliminate council and water rates; the Resort receives the overall water bill. Each Providence home has its own meter in which the Resort reads and issues an invoice directly to each Homeowner. For this reason, water rates are excluded from the weekly site fee, but for Homeowners on a pension, they also receive any concessional rebates in water or council rates which Providence pass through to each eligible Homeowner.
Lower insurance premiums thanks to a secure environment, lower weekly costs come with brand new low-maintenance, energy-efficient designs. As a result, singles can save up to $297 per week, while couples can save up to $333 per week – including potential investment returns generated by downsizing.
These figures are based on Providence’s own cost analysis and supported by Centrelink’s Social Security Guide and data on pension increases vs. CPI from 2001–2023.
For those eligible, the Centrelink Rent Assistance rebate further enhances affordability, with pensioners receiving between $143 and $164 in net cash per week after the Providence site fee costs. Even self-funded retirees benefit significantly, with extra weekly cash of up to $64.
This is more than just a financial win – it’s a lifestyle upgrade. Providence Homeowners enjoy vibrant, active communities, access to premium Resort amenities, and group outings – all designed to support health, connection, and wellbeing as you age.
It’s time to rethink retirement living. At Providence, your money can work harder, your costs can be smarter, and your lifestyle can be richer.
For more detail on the information that supports this article, download the brochure in the information page titled ‘Why Your Providence Fee is an Asset for Singles and Couples’.
Information in this article is true and correct as of 11 June 2025.
