Save almost £1,000: 5 lesser-known energy saving measures

Call them hints, hacks, tips or tricks, it’s sometimes the smaller things in life that can save you a surprising amount of money. When it comes to paying out, energy bills are up there with the most expensive and, sadly, they could be about to rise.

In fact, energy bills are expected to be more costly for about 15 million households after Ofcom removed the price cap on tariffs, putting prices back to pre-pandemic levels. The move will come into force during April 2021, with the cap increasing by £96 to £1,138 for 11 million customers on a standard dual-fuel energy tariff, and by £87 to £1,156 for 4 million prepayment meter customers. 

Why? Prices in the wholesale energy market have increased and at a quicker rate than expected, while energy suppliers need to balance their books after many households fell behind with their utility payments during the pandemic.

While you often read about the holy trinity of energy saving measures: installing the best double glazing, improving insulation and replacing inefficient boilers, there are some lesser known – and much cheaper – ways of reducing your energy consumption, saving you almost £1,000 over the course of a year. And as a bonus, the tips below can be used year-round, not just during the winter months. 

Whether you’re watching your smart meter tip into the red due to online homeschooling, heating your property all day thanks to working from home or are constantly charging appliances because of battery drain, here are 5 ways to cut costs but not comfort:-

1. Harness the sun & save £752: we’re not talking expensive solar panels but the simple act of leaving your curtains and blinds open for longer. As well as letting in natural light, reducing the need for electricity-powered light sources, heat from the sun will stop over-reliance on central heating. The result? A combined energy bill saving of up to 60%.
2. Shift your sofa & save £125: your three-piece suite? It loves soaking up the heat. Move your sofa away from a radiator just six inches and you could save up to 10% on your gas bill, as you’ll allow heat to rise and flow around the room more effectively. 
3. Boil less water & save £19: did you know 6% of all the electricity supplied to British homes is used by the humble kettle? An annual saving of around £19 can be achieved by not overfilling a kettle, so get into the habit of using the ‘cups’ indicator on the side. The money saved will be greater if you crave more than two cuppas a day, repeatedly put the kettle on after getting distracted or if you’re on a water meter.
4. Unplug & save £30: we admit, you’ll save pennies but is there anything more irritating than seeing a phone, iPad or laptop charger plugged into the socket with no device at the other end? You can, however, make a more substantial dent in your electricity bill by making sure that all chargers and appliances are unplugged and switched off at the wall (not on standby) when they’re not being used. 
5. Let your hair dry naturally & save £14: a regular blast of hot air styling all adds up over the course of a year. In fact, using a 1,000w hairdryer on a regular basis costs approximately £14 over 12 months. Why not ditch the dryer to chip away at your bill?

If you’re looking to move to a more energy efficient home, or would like advice on eco improvements that could improve your home’s EPC rating, please get in touch.