At the start of October, energy bills went up across the country, with domestic electricity going as high as 35p per kWh, a huge increase on the same time last year. Today, we’ve put together a quick guide on how you can cut your energy bills today and reduce the impact these increases have on you and your home.
Switch to an Air Fryer or Microwave
Air fryers are efficient, fast, and (from our experience) make excellent food! Rather than waiting for an oven to heat up, and cooking things more slowly, consider using an air fryer, which would use up to half as much energy to cook the same meal.
Swap out your old Lightbulbs
LED lightbulbs cost more to buy, but more than make up for it in savings. A typical house with 12 bulbs, by swapping to LEDS, will save almost £200 per year, reducing your lighting bills from an average of £240 to just £40-45!
Turn down the Heating
1 Degree colder will not be noticeable for most, and turning your thermostat down by just one degree saves up to £145 per year.
Draught Proof your Home
Draught-proofing is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce your energy consumption, and you can either do it yourself or professionally. Draught proofing windows and doors can immediately save up to £60 a year, and if you have a chimney, draught proofing that could save up to £90 a year alone.
Get Smart with your Appliances
Consider how you use your larger appliances, and whether updating to a newer, more energy efficient model is worth it in the long run. An energy efficient tumble dryer costs over £100 less per year to run than an older, more inefficient one.
Doing one less washing cycle a week, and washing at 30 instead of 40 degrees, can save more than £25 per year. If your clothes aren’t that dirty, consider one of the faster, more economical washer settings.
Do also have a read of our post about the worst appliances to leave on.
Shower Faster
If you use gas heating, over 10% of your energy usage goes towards heating your shower. Cutting your shower time down by half can save up to £70 per year on your bills. No need to skip the showers entirely, but maybe skip on the singing! Your energy bills (and neighbours) will thank you for it.