As the cost-of-living crisis rages on, it seems like more and more of your monthly wages are being spent on bills and housing costs. We’re all counting the pennies and tightening the purse strings to make ends meet until the end of the month, but is there more you can do around the house to help keep costs down?
Here’s a list of simple ways you can reduce your energy bills:
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1. Draught-proof your home
One of the easiest ways to save money on your heating bills is to draught-proof your home. Going around your house and checking for any gaps and cracks that could produce a draft and sealing them up can save you anywhere from £60 to £85 off your bills.
One of the important areas to check is your doors, but not in the place you might think! Sealing around your windows and doors seems obvious, but have you considered your letterbox? That small rectangular hole in your door could be the cause of cold draughts getting into your home.
There is no one-size-fits-all letterbox in the UK, so having a custom-made letterbox strip brush fitted inside your letterbox is a simple solution to reduce heat loss from your home. Having a letterbox strip brush inside your letterbox stops cold draughts coming through your letterbox, as the thick nylon filament bristles will block any draughts, dirt and debris from getting into your home.
2. Lightbulb moment
No one likes to be kept in the dark, and another quick way to reduce your bills is to replace your lightbulbs. According to Octopus Energy, lighting makes up around 5% of an average home’s energy bill, so changing your bulbs to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs can make a dramatic difference.
LED lightbulbs use up to 85% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last a lot longer, too. LEDs can last as long as 50,000 hours, meaning you won’t need to replace them as often or be left in the dark when they pop like traditional lightbulbs. They’re also a lot safer than traditional bulbs, as they do not produce heat, and are often made using plastic, meaning they can’t shatter.
3. Learn to switch off
Everyone could do with switching off now and again, and your electronics are the same. You can quickly reduce your household bills by turning off your appliances and electronics fully or unplugging them entirely. Large electronic items like TVs and computers are energy vampires, meaning they use energy even when they’re on standby.
Unplugging your electronics is sometimes the only way to truly switch them off completely and stop them sucking up the energy in your home while you sleep. Before going to bed at night, going around your house and checking what electronics and devices can be switched off completely or unplugged could save you anywhere from £45 to £65 each year.
4. It all comes out in the wash
In a typical family home, the laundry pile can build up quickly, and it can feel like you’re in a constant cycle of clothes washing. While you can’t reduce your load, washing clothes at 30°C instead of a higher temperature can help you save up to £27 on your electricity bill.
Another easy way to save while washing is to only run your machines when they are full. Washing half loads of laundry or running the dishwasher with just a few items is a waste of energy. Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when they’re full to avoid wasting energy and your money!
5. Reduce your temp, reduce your bills
Did you know that simply turning down your thermostat by 1°C can help you make immediate savings on your energy bills? According to British Gas, turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you up to 10% on your energy bill.
The ideal solution is to time it perfectly to only come on when you need it, and you could save up to £90 annually. If you have a combi boiler in your home, you can get even more savings. You can set your flow temperature to between 55 and 60 degrees and depending on the age and model of your boiler, you could save £65 off your bill.
6. Speedy showers
Another quick way to reduce your bills is to reduce how long you shower. The suggested time for a shower is four minutes – if this seems super speedy, it might be a warning to stop letting your mind wander while you wash!
WaterAid have set up a playlist of tracks that are the ideal length for you to shower to – these quick showers are recommended as they can reduce your water consumption, lower your energy bills, and minimise carbon emissions.
Halving your shower time can save you roughly £70 to £100 a year on your energy and water bills. You could save an additional £10 a year by swapping out just one bath per week with a 4-minute shower. By making these changes, you could save almost 4000 litres of water!
Melissa Day is a dedicated home blogger who has been blogging for over six years. She covers everything home related. Melissa also loves writing posts about her travels to Europe with her husband and two children.
