Following our last article, we thought it worth speaking more on a very current problem for millions in the UK. So here are some more energy bill tips.
Turn Your Thermostat Down
This is one of the simplest tasks on the list. Expect to save 4%-ish per degree you lower the thermostat, or roughly £65 per year on average for a typical home.
Of course, it may cause some friction with relatives, flatmates, or finicky pets, but the World Health Organization believes that for healthy adults, 18 degrees is sufficient, with slightly higher temperatures required for the extremely elderly or young. Consider putting on a sweater at home and seeing what temperature your family prefers.
More Energy Bill Tips – Showers
Reducing your water usage will save you money on your water bills, assist the environment, and save you money on your energy expenses.
Water companies have a plethora of complimentary water-saving equipment to offer. What you can receive varies throughout the year depending on where you reside.
If you don’t like the notion of taking shorter showers or showering less frequently, a water-saving shower head might be your best option. We can’t guarantee that impatient family members won’t tell you to speed up, but you’ll have more money in your pocket. It’s roughly a 2%-ish savings for a typical family, or about £35 per year on average for a typical home.
Shower Less
Cutting a minute off your shower time could save you £75 in energy expenses and an additional £105 in water bills if you have a metre – a total of £180 per year for an average four-person family.
To keep your eyes on the ball, invest in a shower timer (or just set an alarm on your phone). While you’re in there, you may sing along to a shorter tune – people within earshot might like it.
Some people even turn off the water to lather and then turn it back on to rinse, claiming that you only need a small amount of water to shower. This may appear to be a stretch, yet the figures stack up. There are also the well-publicized health benefits of taking cold showers.
More Energy Bill Tips – Light Bulbs
The larger fluorescent spiral ‘energy-saving bulbs’ use about half the energy that LEDs do. It’s also a good idea to turn them off when you’re not in the room. There will be an initial cost, but it should be swiftly recouped. Prices of LED bulbs are discussed in our forum.
Some people believe that repeatedly turning lights on and off wastes electricity, but the Energy Saving Trust recommends that you switch them off when you leave the room, regardless of how long you’ll be gone. It estimates that you might save £14 per year by doing so.
Washing
Try to do one less load of laundry per week and make sure the machine is fully loaded each time. There’s no need to launder just one shirt or outfit for a big night out.
The savings aren’t great, roughly £10 per year for current machines, but much higher for older machines. You could also try washing your clothes on a lower temperature setting.
You can also save money by not using the tumble dryer as much as possible because it consumes a lot of energy. According to the Energy Saving Trust, if you never use it, you may save £40 each year. Dry your items on an airer, but make sure you keep a window open, as this might produce moisture in houses with poor ventilation.
More Energy Bill Tips – Kettles
Boiling a lot of water uses a lot of energy. When filling the kettle, keep this in mind so you don’t overfill it. Simple but effective, with a potential save of £8 per year.
Some even suggest getting a smaller kettle so you don’t overfill it. However, if you can be tight with yourself and only fill your larger kettle with what you want to use, you shouldn’t have to.
