It’s chilly! Most of us will have put the heating on, leave the lights on for longer, and boil the kettle a lot more! But all that energy adds up, and the average energy bill for a medium-sized house in the UK is now over £1000 per year – a figure that is only expected to rise. As we become more reliant on electronics in our daily lives, energy will have to keep dripping away in order to power all of those machines and appliances, and the utility bills will rise to compensate. They don’t have to, though, if you’re clever. All you need are a few tips to save money on your energy bill, and we have five right here for you.
Switch Off And Unplug!
We’ve grown accustomed to having things on all the time around us. But did you know that even when you’re not using an appliance, it’s still consuming electricity? Even if it’s been turned off? Even phone chargers, for example, consume electricity even when they are not in use. Electricity will trickle out and inflate your bill as long as it’s hooked up to the mains. Even things you leave on “Standby” are still using electricity. Starting to physically unplug the items you aren’t using is the simplest way to save money. This can be difficult to remember at first, but once you get into the routine, you can start to see a significant reduction in your energy bill.
Does your heating really need to be that hot?
It’s easy to whack the thermostat all the way up and have a lovely, warm home but have you ever considered putting another jumper on? I know we sound like your parents when you were young but you’d be surprised how much money it could save you! According to Which, reducing the room temperature by just 1 degree can cut heating bills by up to £75.
You could always invest those savings into better insulation for your home. It is estimated that installation costs can be recovered in as little as five years given that you can be saving up to £250 a year on your energy bills.
Change those light bulbs!
LED light bulbs have a huge impact bringing down electricity bills. With lower running costs, this investment could bring savings of around £180. There are more benefits of LED light bulbs that can actually save you more money in the long run – for example, they have a much longer life compared to incandescent light bulbs, they are brighter which means you may need less lights on to light up an area.
Switch Energy supplier!
If you haven’t switched in a while, it’s likely you will save a lot of money by switching energy supplier. Many households save hundreds of pounds by switching. Switching saves you up to £330 per year on average. Using a site like – CompareTheMarket makes switching quick and easy to do. Keep in mind that you could be charged for ending your current supplier contract early, it’s best to switch within the final 49 days as you cannot be handed a penalty charge thanks to Ofgem.
Install a Smart Thermostat.
Smart thermostats are a new trend in home heating to save money on your bills. They can switch your heating on or off remotely via the internet. So, you can use your smartphone to turn your heating on when you’re on your way home. Not only can you set the heating remotely, but many of these digital heating systems can show you how much heat you’re using – monitoring your usage and learning your routine. Most smart thermostats also offer ‘zoned heating’ which allows you to independently heat different parts of your home which can also reduce wasted energy.
Following these steps can result in a significant decline in your energy bill. HRHislop can help you save money on your energy bill! If you need your light bulbs changed or a smart thermostat installed, give us a call today!
