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Energy crisis: how to save more than £660 on your bills

Joanna Faith
Written By:
Joanna Faith
Posted:
Updated:
22/09/2021

Millions of households face higher gas and electricity costs over the coming months.

Wholesale prices, which ultimately feed through to consumer bills, continue to soar.

In addition, the government’s energy price cap – which protects people on variable tariffs from bumper bill increases – is going up from 1 October.

To help people save some cash, the experts at thinkmoney have compiled a list of energy-saving budgeting tips.

Turn your heating down by 1 degree can save £80 a year

Instead of putting the heating on as and when you are cold, setting your heating on a timer and turning the dial to 1 degree below your usual temperature can save you a huge £80 per year.

If you do get chilly, only turn radiators on in the rooms you require and move any furniture that may be blocking your radiators to ensure that heat can circulate the room properly.

Switch one unnecessary plug off each day saves £99 each year

If you leave a plug on that is not needed, you are wasting 27p. So, if you have one for your TV, phone and other electrical items, that quickly adds up.

Just one unnecessary plug left on is £99 more on your bill each year. If you were to leave five plugs left on each day, that jumps up to £491.

Let in natural light and save £170 each year

Leaving a light on in your house costs an average £170 per year. So, make sure you switch off any unnecessary lights or lamps.

Stop leaving items on standby to save £30 per year

Leaving things on standby can cost you £30 per year. Almost all electronic appliances can be switched off when not in use.

Boil the kettle only when needed to save 2.5p per cup

How many times have you got up to boil the kettle to make a cup of tea, only to forget and have to re-boil? Each time you do that, you are spending an extra 2.5p. Say you do that three times a day, that’s £27 across the whole year.

Look at switching internet tariffs to reduce your yearly bill by up to £69

If you feel you are spending too much on your broadband, there are things you can do including switching internet providers. By looking for the cheapest deal, you could save up to £69 each year.

Switch off your laptop to save £7 per year

If you are using your laptop each day at home, the temptation to leave it on standby is common. But, if you were to do that for 10 hours each night, you are wasting 2p or the equivalent of £7 per year. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, do that over your working lifetime and you are looking at a cost of £365.

Leave your hair to dry naturally and annually save £13

A low-power hairdryer uses 73kWh – or £0.035 – for just 10 minutes’ worth of use. If you were to use it every day, that rounds up to £13 per year. Over your working lifetime, that equates to a staggering £150 on just drying your hair.

Switch off your children’s consoles to save £11 each year

Leaving a games console on standby can cost 3p a day – the equivalent of £11 a year.

Cut laundry loads by one and save up to £14 per year

Washing at 30 degrees uses 40 per cent less electricity than washing at 40 degrees. And if you add a cup of white vinegar to the drawer, it acts as a natural antibacterial that allows you to still wash at that temperature. If you were to do washing over six days as opposed to every day, you could save £14 – down from £97.

Dry clothes outside to save £142 each year

If you use your dryer for five hours every other week, that will cost you an average of £142 each year. But, by drying outdoors, you can save money.