How to Survive the Energy Bill Increase
A practical look at ways to reduce your energy bill and save you money
With energy bills increasing by up to 54%, and the uncertainty we are all facing, we need to look for ways to save money and energy.
Below are some tips and advice on how to lower your energy bills and save money.
Save Money on House Utilities
Practical tips that don’t cost you a penny
Only use the washing machine when you have a full load. You can save £5.00/$6.61 per year by cutting out one washing cycle per week.
Wash clothes at a lower temperature: switch from a 30-degree wash to a 40-degree wash.
Wash up using a bowl instead of continuous running water.
Make sure appliances are not left on standby. You can save up to £30.00/$39.67 a year on your energy bill by making sure they are turned off.
Use your phone or timer plugs to schedule turning appliances off.
Reduce the temperature on your thermostat. The lion’s share of your energy bill goes on heating and hot water. This is a big one: by reducing your temperature by 1 degree can save you up to £80.00/$105.78 annually.
Have a smart meter installed. This will make sure you have regular meter readings that will ensure your energy bill is correct.
Make your payments to your energy supplier by direct debit. This is typically cheaper than paying on receiving your energy bill.
Be vigilant on each energy bill payment. Companies do make mistakes and there might be an increase that hasn’t been explained by your provider.
Only fill your kettle to the exact amount of water needed per cup. Kettles are one of the biggest energy users. Try and make tea for everyone at the same time instead of members of the household making them individually
Cook for each other instead of separately. Every time we cook separately, it means we have to heat the oven again. Depending on how your household is arranged, this can add up to a lot of energy used per year.
Because of the nature of the energy market right now, it means there isn’t much room to change energy providers and save money. But when conditions improve, allowing for competition in the markets, comparing energy providers is a great way to save on gas and electricity.
This will mean you can shop around for a fixed or variable rate. A variable rate allows you to take advantage of savings if your energy supplier reduces the set rate. And a fixed rate gives you the peace of mind that you’ll be charged the same rate despite price increases in the market.
Spend to save on your energy bill
Have a smart thermostat fitted
I really like the idea behind these: they use A.I. to gather data on how long it takes for a room to reach the temperature you have your thermostat set to. This means they can work out when to heat the room so it is at the right temperature at the right time of day.
You can also control them through an app via your phone, so you don’t have to be at your house to make sure the heating is how you want it for when people arrive.
You can remotely heat only those rooms you will be using.
You can save £75/$99.17 per year by installing room thermostats, programmers and thermostatic radiator valves,
Install an A-rated condenser boiler
This will cost you initially, but the savings will soon offset that. Upgrading from an old boiler to a condenser boiler that you can programme, has room thermostat, and radiator controls, can save you on average £300/$396.66 per year.
Energy efficient appliances
It’s not worth replacing perfectly good appliances with new energy efficient ones if your main object is to save money. It will undoubtedly cost you a lot more and won't be offset by the energy saving of the new appliance.
But saying that, if you do need to replace an appliance, energy-saving ones are the way to go.
Replacing an old A+ fridge freezer with a A+++could save you up to £320/$423.10 through the appliances lifetime.
A+++ washing machines use less energy than A+ ones and could save you around £65/$85.94 through its lifetime
New, efficient dishwashers can save around £8/$10.58 per year when compared to older, less efficient, models.
Save on water usage
We were once told to take a shower instead of a bath because it saves on water and energy. However, current research shows power showers can use up to twice as much water and energy as the humble bath. Good grief!
Fit a shower timer and cut your showering time down by one minute to save £7/$9.26 per person each year.
Use energy efficient shower heads to reduce your energy bill by £18/$23.80 per person.
Insulate your house
Insulate your roof. Although the initial outlay for insulating a roof can cost several hundred pounds, the cost will pay off over the course of a few years. For a regular semi-detached house having an insulated roof can save you up to £135.00/$178.50 per year.
Make your property draught-proof. Look for any cracks in skirting boards and floors and seal them. Block up any unused chimneys to prevent draughts. And line your letterbox on your front door or block it up and have a letterbox attached to the wall of the house.
However, don’t block any air flow vents that are legally required for health and safety.
Use draught excluders at the bottom of internal doors.
Have all windows double glazed. Most houses are double glazed these days, but if yours is one of those that isn’t, it’s time to think about investing in having double glazing windows fitted. You can save around £110.00/$145.44 a year in energy bills by changing from single glaze to double glazing.
Save Money on Running a Car
Change your car to the most economical one you can buy
Wash your car yourself instead of using a car wash
Try to drive at a constant speed and avoid accelerating and breaking hard
Take fewer small journeys in your car and walk where possible
There is an ongoing shortage of energy worldwide, leaving most countries affected. This has been compounded by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and sanctions prohibiting sales of Russian oil and gas that supplies most of Europe. And with the ongoing threat of climate change, now is the time to think about how we use energy and what we waste.
These are all ways that can save you hundreds of pounds/dollars per year on your energy bill. Good Luck!
