Is your home truly energy efficient? Are you doing everything you can to make sure you’re not wasting heat – and cash – around the house?
Did you know that you could potentially save hundreds of pounds on your energy bills by making just a few simple changes?
Here at Mr Lender we have put together some top tips to help you save electricity and make your home more energy efficient.
Some of the changes will take you just a few seconds to implement – so settle down with a cuppa and read on to find out how you could save money on your bills today.
Switch Energy Supplier
Most fixed energy deals last for three years or less, and if you don’t do anything when they expire then you could end up automatically moved on to your company’s default tariff.
It’s not likely it will be a rate that benefits you.
Check now to make sure you are on the correct tariff – and even if you are then it’s worth having a shop around to see what else is on offer.
Mum-of-two Sarah Jarvis, 51, saved a whopping £304 a year by using free auto-switching service Switchcraft to cut her bills.
Speaking to The Sun about her new deal, she said: “It’s one of those things where I keep meaning to switch suppliers but put it off.
“Using Switchcraft was really easy and it was so fast to switch – even too fast, if that’s possible.”
The service scours the market for the deal that works best for you and automatically swaps you on to a cheaper tariff when your current one is up.
Switchcraft boasts that their customers save an average of £219 a year, and they can sign up in just three minutes and cancel at any time.
Wrap Up Warm
Put on another layer and turn the thermostat down. Reducing it by just one degree could cut 10% off your heating bill.
Go Green and Save Cash
If you like the idea of using renewable energy, then Bulb is worth looking into.
The UK’s biggest green supplier uses 100% renewable electricity from solar, wind and hydro sources. And their gas is 100% carbon neutral.
The company claims that every year the average Bulb customer saves 3.5 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
What’s more, their customers can also save money on their bills by referring friends.
Nicola Evans, 36, has made more than £300 in 2019 alone. She says: “I moved to Bulb and although I’m not doing anything different (apart from turning lights off when not in use etc) I make money in my Bulb account every time I get a friend to join.
“When they sign up through my link, we both get a £50 credit. I’ve had £350 credited to my account so far this year.”
Keep Heat IN
Stopping heat from escaping through gaps could help you save on your energy bills. Professional draught-proofing is worth looking into if you think you’re losing a lot of heat through sneaky gaps – but the following quick-fixes can also make a big difference:
- Invest in draught excluders for the bottoms of doors and draught-proofing strips for gaps around the edges.
- If you have a fireplace and chimney you don’t use, then you can block the chimney with an inflatable pillow or fit a cap over the chimney pot.
- A keyhole cover will stop draughts and slide to the side when you put your key in.
- Filling in cracks in the walls with cement or hard-setting fillers can help – but you should speak to a surveyor if big cracks start appearing.
Energy-savvy Sophie Merrick, 27, says: “Go around the house looking for draughts and then improvise with what you have laying around to make a draught excluder.
“You can use a rolled-up towel in a pinch. I have even used the leg of an old pair of jeans before and it takes a minimal amount of sewing.
“Also, make sure you close the curtains just before dark to keep the heat in and consider lining the curtains to make them more insulating.”
Don’t Leave Appliances on Standby
Convinced your gadgets aren’t draining energy when they’re on standby mode? Think again – according to the Energy Saving Trust, turning everything off completely when not in use could save you £30 a year.
Fill Up
Make sure your washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher are all full before you switch them on – one full load uses less energy than two half loads.
Also, wash your clothes on a low heat (30 degrees if possible) and avoid using the tumble dryer where possible.
Get a Free Home Energy Check
This free service takes less than ten minutes and could save you up to £250 a year.
After carrying out the Home Energy Check – offered by the Energy Saving Trust you’ll be provided with a personalised report about your home which will advise you on the best ways to save cash and become more energy efficient.
The tool is currently under development so it’s best to keep checking back for updates.
By using the tips above, you could potentially make significant savings on your energy bills. But remember, if you find yourself receiving that one unexpected bill too many, a payday loan could work for you.