Energy prices are still high and with many people watching their personal finance closely it’s important to save where possible.
So how can you save money on your gas and electricity bills?
Saving money on your gas and electricity bills is all about
- Making sure you have the best energy plan to suit your needs
- Reducing your energy consumption where you can.
Get the best energy plan
Regularly review your energy consumption and check that you still have the best energy plan for your energy usage.
As well as your consumption needs changing, energy suppliers often change their plans and at various times offer different deals to attract your business.
Using an energy comparison service, such as that provided by uSwitch or Confused.com, you can quickly and easily check the latest on offer.
If you decide to switch energy supplier it really is easy, probably easier than you might think – see our article ‘Switch energy supplier – how easy is it?‘ to see just how easy it is.
Reduce your energy consumption
There are a number of steps you can take to help save on your gas and electricity consumption, including
- Insulate your loft – ensure you insulate your loft to help prevent heat loss through the roof. Put in insulation to at least 10 inches. It may be worth contacting your energy supplier or the Energy Saving Trust to find out whether you would be eligible for a grant or financial help towards making your home more energy efficient
- Cavity wall insulation – it’s not just the roof to consider for heat loss, there are the walls too which is where cavity wall insulation can help
- Lower your washing machine temperature – washing powders now invariably support a really good wash at 30°C. You don’t need to keep to higher temperatures so save energy and reduce the temperature of your washing cycle
- Turn appliances off – don’t leave appliances, such as DVDs, TVs or computers on standby. By doing this it is estimated that it equates to up to 10% of a household’s electricity usage. Turn the appliances off and you can save energy straight away
- Turn your heating down by 1 degree – just by doing this you could save up to 10% on your energy bills
- Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need – don’t just fill the kettle to full and boil it regardless of how many cups of tea you are making. Consider what you need and boil water accordingly
- Switch off lights – as a room empties switch off the light.