Energy saving tips - 30 ways to save money on your energy bills

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30 energy saving tips on how to save money on your energy bills

By simply changing your daily routines and thinking more about how you use your appliances around the home, you could become more energy efficient and save money on your energy bills. Below are our top tips for energy-saving, split into sections to show you the best way to save energy around your house:

How to save energy heating your home

1. Set a boiler timer – the first thing you can do to save energy is to have a look at the settings on your boiler. There are probably large parts of the day that you don’t need your boiler running, so set a timer for the parts of the day you are more likely to need it. 
2. Look at your boiler and thermostat settings – another setting to check is the temperature setting on your hot water and your heating thermostat. A couple of degrees can make a big difference so try turning down your temperature settings just a couple of degrees – you may not even notice the difference! For your heating, 21°C should be plenty, and every degree you turn your thermostat down could save you around £80 a year!
3. Improve your boiler insulation – your boiler’s health matters too! Putting an insulation jacket around your boiler can keep your water hotter for longer and reduces the time it takes for your hot water to heat up. Simple home improvements like this can do a lot to make your home more energy efficient.
4. Stop draughts – insulation makes a big difference to how energy efficient your home is. The first and easiest thing to do is to stop any draughts you might have. Your aim is to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. It may be as simple as covering up letterboxes and keyholes and adding some draught excluders on your doors and windows. 
5. Add more home insulation – it may be that you have bigger insulation problems than just a few draughts around the home. Your home may need loft insulation or cavity wall insulation to help keep the heat in. Though these may seem like big, expensive projects – they will reduce your energy consumption and save money in the long term.
6. Look into double glazing – double glazing insulates your home, keeping warm air and noise in, and cold air and noise out! If you have a single-glazed home, you could reduce your heating bill significantly by installing double-glazed windows and doors.
7. Turn off radiators – switch off radiators in rooms you are not using, and make sure that radiators you are using are not blocked by curtains or furniture. Make sure you bleed your radiators every so often to keep your heating system working efficiently.
8. Layer up! – wearing more clothes around the home, and having extra bedsheets, mean you won’t be tempted to turn the heating up.
9. Make the most of the warmer weather – use the outside temperature to your advantage. If the sun warms some rooms but not others, make sure you leave internal doors open so the warm air circulates. If the weather is really hot, then consider having a cold, or cooler shower instead of a hot one.

Save money on your electricity with these tips

1. Use energy saving lightbulbs – though this seems like an obvious tip, making your lighting energy efficient can save you lots of money, especially as your lights are probably the thing you use the most in your home. Use energy-saving lightbulbs, which are readily available in most shops, and consider installing dimmer switches around your home too. Both of these changes can make a world of difference. Finally, make sure you remember to turn lights off when you are not using them!
2. Unplug chargers when not in use – remember to unplug anything that isn’t being used or turn the power off at the plug. Appliances and charger cables that aren’t being used can waste electricity.
3. Used motion-activated lights outdoors – if you have external or security lights you could save a lot of money by having them on timers or purchase motion-activated lights.
4. Air dry your laundry – air-drying your laundry instead of using a tumble dryer will save you money on your energy bills.
5. Change your ironing habits – save yourself ironing time and electricity by taking clothes out of the dryer before they’re completely dry. They’ll be quicker to iron.
6. Wash clothes at a colder temperature – washing your clothes in the washing machine at 30 rather than 40 can save you around a third of your washing bills. 

Save energy and water when at home

1. Have a shower, not a bath – showers use less water than baths so by switching a soak in the bath for a quick shower you could save money on your water bill and energy bill.
2. Turn down the shower pressure – although showers generally use less water than baths, power showers can sometimes use a lot of water. Simply turning down the pressure or fixing a new shower head can save you money in the long run.
3. Time your showers – by timing your showers you could save a lot of water. Typically, a 4-minute shower is long enough.
4. Do 'quick washes' in the washing machine – if your washing machine has a ‘small load’ setting or a ‘quick wash’ then consider using those settings when you have a smaller amount of clothes to wash. It will save you money on your electricity bills.
5. Don't leave the tap running! – don’t leave the tap running when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face. You’d be surprised at how much water you are wasting!

How to save energy in the kitchen

1. Use a microwave – this is the most efficient way to heat up and cook food. 
2. Slow down – slow cookers use less energy, only about as much as a lightbulb!
3. Defrost food in advance – by remembering to defrost well in advance you can save the energy you would use defrosting something in a microwave.
4. Use less water – when boiling food or using the kettle, remember that the more water there is, the longer the water will take to boil and therefore you will be using more energy.
5. Size matters – make sure you are using a suitably sized pan on a suitable hob for the size of the pan. This means you won’t waste energy heating bigger surfaces or using bigger hobs.

How to save energy and money around the home

1. Get a smart meter – installing a smart meter or a smart thermostat will make your energy use far more efficient. You will only be warming the rooms you need, and you can track the energy you are using minute-by-minute. 
2. Install some solar panels – fitting solar panels to your house gives you the ability to power your own home, and you could even earn money from the energy the panels produce. Your carbon footprint will also be reduced, as you will be generating clean, green energy.
3. Upgrade your home appliances – your appliances and boiler matter. By switching to more energy efficient appliances and installing a new boiler, you could save hundreds of pounds per year.
4. Educate yourself and your family – simply by thinking more about your daily routine and how you use your home, you can cut down your energy and water costs significantly. Teaching your kids to turn off lights and explaining energy use to them could also help you save money in the future.

And... Switch your energy supplier

Comparing quotes from different energy suppliers could be the best way to save money on electricity and gas costs. The switching process is easy, and you can use our website to compare gas and electricity prices to find the right deal for you.