Energy bills are higher than ever, but if you can’t find a cheaper tariff to lower costs, there are some other ways to cut down on your spending. Here are our top tips to save energy and reduce your bills during the current energy crisis.
Limited your heating usage
It is cheaper to lower the thermostat temperature by 1 °C and use the heating less often, than it is to keep it running constantly on low. If you can’t afford to install new insulation, draft excluders around windows and doors can help, as can hanging longer curtains to improve heat efficiency.
Plan meal and shower times
Cooking once in the evening and heating the water only once in off-peak hours (also in the evening) can help to lower your energy bills. If you need hot water for the morning, you can heat it in the evening, switch it off before bed and it should still be hot enough to use.
Turn your plugs off
Leaving a non-essential device on standby while not in use, even if the device is not connected to the plug, still uses electricity. Estimates vary, but you can save a fair amount of money making this simple change.
Turn on eco-mode
Many appliances come with an eco-mode option that uses less energy without affecting the quality. Most modern washing machines and dishwasher have this option, reducing the temperature of the water, which uses less energy and cuts down on costs.
Use a water-saving shower head
You can easily find an eco-shower head that reduces your water usage while still providing a powerful shower. They don’t cost a fortune to buy and look no different to standard shower heads – but the key difference is they can save you money in the long run.
Install radiator thermostats
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) are simple devices that help you control and set the individual temperature in every room. When the temperature hits the set level it will stop water flowing to that radiator, while still working elsewhere.
Change the lightbulbs
Install LED lightbulbs instead of the large fluorescent spiral bulbs as they use about the half the energy. Also make sure to turn off lights when you are not in the room. They cost a little more upfront, but you’ll easily recoup your outlay within a short space of time.
Take shorter showers
Use the alarm on your phone or buy a timer to monitor how long you are in the shower. Even showering for a minute less can save you a lot of money – some experts also suggest you turn the water off to lather and back on to rinse, which will really cut down your costs.
Wash clothes on a lower temperature
Try to use the washing machine less often and make sure you fill it up every time. Also consider washing at 30 degrees rather than at 40 for darks and 90 for whites – the quality will just be as good and you’ll see the savings over the course of a year.