With the news that energy bills are set to rise as the government pushes greener alternatives, you may be worried about paying those hefty charges. The folks at thinkmoney have put together 12 tips for saving up to £1,000 on your energy bills – and most of the home changes you can do right away. What are you waiting for?
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1. Switch your energy supplier to save up to £310 per year
Have you been putting off changing your energy supplier? It takes under seven minutes to switch and if that doesn't convince you, maybe the potential £310 saving per year just might!
© Photo: AlamyAdjust your heating dial to save money
2. Turn your heating down by 1 degree to save up to £80 per year
As the weather gets colder, it is tempted to whack the heating on, and not pay much attention to the actual degrees. However, turning the dial to 1 degree below your usual temperature can save you a huge £80 per year. Another top tip is to only turn radiators on in the rooms you require and move any furniture that may be blocking your radiators to ensure that heat can circulate the room properly.
3. Switching one unnecessary plug off each day to save £99 per year
If you leave a plug on that is not needed, you are wasting 27p, which may not sound like much but it all adds up. Just one unnecessary plug left on is £99 more on your bill each year. So, when you finish your work, why not double-check what needs to be left on. Plus, it will make you feel better and allow you to disconnect and relax each night!
4. Enjoy natural light to save £170 per year
Leaving a light on in your house costs an average £170 per year! So, make sure you switch off any unnecessary lights or lamps. In brighter months, make the most of natural sunlight, and if you do need some lights, why not change your regular bulb to LED? By doing so, you could save a massive £152 off your annual bills, which you could put away for a rainy day.
© Photo: AlamyTurn lights off when you don't need them
5. Stop leaving items on standby to save £30 per year
We’re all guilty of it, but did you know that it can cost you £30 per year due to leaving things on standby? Almost all electronic appliances (apart from things like the fridge) can be switched off when not in use.
6. Boil the kettle only when needed to save £27 per year
How many times have you got up to boil the kettle to make a cup of tea, only to forget and have to re-boil? Each time you do that, you are spending an extra 2.5p. Say you do that three times a day, that’s £27 across the whole year!
Switch internet providers to keep your bills low
7. Switch internet tariffs to save up to £69 per year
During the pandemic, we have spent even more time at home and on the internet – and although it is a very important tool, it can be pricey if you don't switch. By looking for the cheapest deal out there, you could save up to £69 each year.
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8. Switch off your laptop to save £7 per year
If you are using your laptop each day at home, the temptation to leave it on standby is common. But, if you were to do that for 10 hours each night, you could waste £7 per year. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, do that over your working lifetime and you are looking at a cost of £365 - which could buy you a brand-new laptop!
9. Leave your hair to dry naturally to save £13 per year
With more of us at home, there are things you can now do which might not have been possible when getting ready for work – such as letting your hair dry naturally. Using a hairdryer every day rounds up to £13 per year. Over your working lifetime, that equates to £150 on just drying your hair.
© Photo: AlamyDitch the hairdryer to save on electricity
10. Switch off your children’s consoles to save £11 per year
It’s easy for children to play on their consoles and forget to turn them off. But, leaving a games console on standby can cost £11 per year.
11. Cut laundry loads and save up to £42 per year
It is tempting to put a wash load on every time you see the basket half full, but just doing one less wash load per week will save you £14 per year, so cut it by three and that's £42. Plus, washing at 30 degrees uses 40% less electricity than washing at 40 degrees so that's another clever change to make.
12. Dry clothes outside to save £142 per year
All you need is a rotary washing line and then you can dry your clothes outside for free. If you use your dryer for five hours every other week, that will cost you an average of £142 each year, but by drying outdoors, you can save money and enjoy the breeze!
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