The cost of living is rapidly rising with people already seeing an increase in their shopping bills.
Not only that, people have noticed a massive jump in their energy bills too with many try to negotiate a new contract in a bid to save themselves a couple of pounds each month.
When it comes to trying to cut down on costs, we automatically turn to not having takeaways, trying to walk rather than take the bus or drive and switch everything off the wall when not in use.
And whilst these can be helpful, there’s a lot of other things you can do which will likely help in the long run.
Here are five ways you can save on your energy bills…
1. Turn your thermostat down and save £65
One of the tips provided by Money Saving Expert (MSE) includes simply turning down your thermostat.
They explain that for each degree you cut the thermostat, you can expect to cut your bills by around four per cent which could add up to around £65 a year on average for a typical home.
They add: “Of course, it might cause some arguments with family, flatmates or fussy pets, but the World Health Organisation says that 18 degrees is enough for healthy adults, with slightly higher temperatures needed for the very old or young. So consider popping on a jumper at home and seeing what temperature your household is comfortable at.
“And while we’re talking heating, a common debate is whether it is cheaper to leave the heating on low all day, rather than just turning it on when you need it.”
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2. Buy a water-saving shower head
There’s lots of advice telling people to cut down on the amount of time that they spend in the shower – and whilst this is a great tip and overtime can save money, there’s more you can do.
MSE have said that depending on where you live, you may be entitled to free water-saving gadgets.
People living in Scotland can check here to see if they can claim anything.
Experts say that fitting a water-saving shower head reduce the amount of water you use in the shower by either regulating the flow or aerating the water.
As a result, this will allow you to reduce the water coming out of your shower head by up to 50% whilst still having a pleasant shower experience.
MSE state that for a typical family, you’ll save around two per cent which is roughly £35 a year on average.
3. Light-bulb moment
When it comes to light bulbs, MSE warn shoppers to think about what they’re buying stating that they’re not all “equal”.
They explain: “LED uses about half the energy of the bigger fluorescent spiral ‘energy-saving bulbs’. Obviously turning them off when you’re not in the room helps too. There will be an initial outlay, but you should recoup it fairly quickly.
“Some worry that constantly turning lights on and off wastes energy but, according to the Energy Saving Trust, you’re better off turning them off when you leave the room, no matter how long for. It reckons you could save £14 a year doing this.”
4. Close your doors and avoid that draught
Whilst getting fresh air circulating around the home can be great for those of us in Scotland when we experience a rare sunny day, it can later leave the house feeling rather cold.
MSE shares a tip recommending people to buy draught-proofing products.
This can be door seals or even creative long cushions to prevent draughts from coming through the bottom of doors.
They explain that decent draught-proofing can cut two per cent off energy bills which adds up to around £30 a year on average for a typical home.
They add: “This applies to chimneys too, where you can get a 1.5%-ish further reduction. Again, this is subject to an initial outlay, but you will make it back over time.
“Some also say that putting clingfilm on your windows can help trap the heat in to stop it escaping. And oddly enough, the Energy Saving Trust told us putting clingfilm on windows actually works. It says adding a second layer, as long as it’s transparent and airtight, will make a difference. But some may just want to keep using clingfilm for their sandwiches.”
5. Shower timer – ready, set, go
The next time you;re in the shower it may be worth setting a timer for each person and seeing how long you take.
Your goal should be to cut as much time off as possible.
This doesn’t mean that you should spend 60 seconds in the shower but if you can cut off just 30 seconds per person – and say there are two of you living there – you could, on average, save £75 a year in energy bills and a further £105 a year in water bills if you have a meter.
MSE say this is around £180 a year for an average four-person household.
They add: “Some MoneySavers even turn the water off to lather and back on to rinse, and reckon you need barely any water at all to shower. This may sound a bit extreme, but the numbers could add up. There are also the often-touted health benefits of cold showers, but that’s too much, even for us.”
To read more energy-saving tips, you can visit their full article here.
