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Top 10 ways to save energy at home this winter

Emma Lunn
Written By:
Emma Lunn
Posted:
Updated:
14/12/2022

Heavier curtains, showering at the office and slow cooking are among the top ways people are trying to save on their energy costs this winter.

Research from Go.Compare looked at the measures people are taking to try and save on their energy bills.

The survey asked more than 2,000 people what, if anything, they were doing to try and save on energy costs in their day-to-day lives.

Only 6% of people that took part said they hadn’t made any changes to their routines in light of the increased cost of gas and electricity.

Overall, the top 10 ways people are trying to save on their energy costs around the home were:

  • Turning off lights when they leave a room
  • Putting the heating on less
  • Turning off appliances when they’re not being used
  • Not filling the kettle to the top
  • Washing clothes on a lower heat setting
  • Having quicker showers
  • Heating certain rooms and not others
  • Changing light bulbs to LED bulbs
  • Using a slow cooker instead of the oven
  • Not using the tumble dryer

Other measures people said they are taking to cut back on energy bills included showering at the office (5%) and fitting heavier curtains (10%).

Gareth Kloet, of Go.Compare Energy, said: “This research just goes to show how the impact of increasing energy costs has infiltrated almost every household across the UK. And now we are in the colder months, it’s getting much harder to avoid putting the heating or lights on, so frustratingly, it’s even more difficult to keep the bills down.

“We know that the energy crisis has gone past simple energy saving measures but with only so much control over the situation, it’s understandable that people are trying to take matters into their own hands – and homes. No one wants to be paying more than they need to for energy, and we all are. So, the only options open to us are to use appliances less and try to minimise costs where we can.

“While it’s good news that the energy price guarantee will remain in place until April 2023 at the current rate of £2,500, bill payers have to remember that this could then increase to around £3,000, as announced in the Autumn budget – a potential further 20% increase. With this in mind, householders need to do all they can now to mitigate that increase, with measures such as good budgeting, increasing direct debits (if they can afford to) and continuing to make more energy efficiencies around the home.”