It’s all too easy for energy bills to soar. From doing seemingly endless loads of washing to making sure you and your family are warm and cosy in winter, it takes a lot to power a family home. But, as long as you’re savvy, there are some straightforward yet highly effective ways to bring your spending down – and here are five of the best.
1. Change your energy supplier
Ask yourself if you’re really getting the best possible deal from your energy supplier. If you’ve been with the same company for a long time, or you simply settled for the first tariff you came across, the chances are you’re shelling out more than you need to. The process of switching to a new energy supplier may be much easier and faster than you think, and you stand to save hundreds of pounds a year. It’s worth noting that many suppliers now offer to perform the switch on your behalf, helping to ensure the process is stress-free.
2. Make your heating system more efficient
It’s also worth looking for ways to improve your heating system. For example, if you’re not on the mains gas grid and you currently use electricity, oil or solid fuels to heat your property, it might be time to switch to an liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fired system. This fuel source can be much more efficient and hence cheaper to use. These systems are easy to maintain too. For example, if you get domestic LPG gas from Flogas, your storage tank can be monitored remotely using a sophisticated telemetry system. This means you will be sent LPG supplies automatically when you’re running low without you having to place an order.
You can also save money by fitting a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator values to your heating system. In fact, these measures could save you around £160 per year.
3. Opt for efficient appliances and equipment
Be careful when you’re choosing appliances and equipment for your home. Simply replacing old-fashioned light bulbs with LEDs could bring you savings of over £30 a year, and swapping traditional showerheads for water efficient designs can save a typical household more than £67 a year. Also, when you’re replacing goods like fridges, washing machines and tumble dryers, and even small electricals like kettles and hairdryers, always look for designs with impressive efficiency ratings.
4. Change your habits
You might benefit from changing some of your habits around the house too. Spending a minute less in the shower each day can cut annual energy bills by £10 per person. Other money saving measures include reducing the number of washing machine cycles you run, using a bowl to wash up rather than running the tap and only filling your kettle with the amount of water you intend to use. Turning devices like TVs off at the plug rather than keeping them on standby will help too. Meanwhile, each time you leave a room, it’s useful to get into the routine of switching the lights out.
5. Block draughts
Making major property improvements like fitting cavity or solid wall insulation or replacing single glazed windows with double glazed designs might not be an option right now if your budget’s tight, but there are less expensive steps you can take to make your home better at trapping warmth. By blocking draughts around loft hatches, doors and windows, and by using thick, lined curtain or blinds, you should find it easier to retain heat.
All of these measures are relatively quick and simple to implement, and they could help you to keep your household spending in check.
*Collaborative post
I’d have to agree with opting for energy efficient appliances! We’ve saved a ton from our energy bill since we’ve chucked out ancient appliances and bought energy star ones. Sure it’s a bit of a costly venture at first but it really does help save a lot of money long-term!
These tips are perfect for those who have troubles with high energy bills at home. Invest on these tips so that you can save some pennies from paying your energy bills.