With energy prices increaseing and people looking to save some money, here are a couple of tips ive been given and used to help reduce my energy costs and save me money.
Tips to reduce heat loss
To reduce home heat loss and see the biggest return on investment, we are suggesting investing in draught proofing and insulating your hot water cylinder and hot water pipes. You can also insulate any open chimneys that are not in use.
When combined, these steps would have an initial outlay of around £274 for a typical semi-detached home. This could result in an annual saving on energy bills of £294, with a payback time of less than a year at current energy prices (simple payback time calculated in line with October Energy Price Guarantee).
In addition, for those who are looking to future proof even further, installing cavity wall insulation could result in annual savings of around £395 for an £1,000 investment.
Five tips to heat your home for less
- If you are warm enough, try turning down your thermostat by one degree to save around £145 a year. For most, the lowest comfortable temperature to set your heating is between 18°C and 21°C (as advised by the World Health Organisation).
- Keep a gap between your radiators and furniture, make sure curtains aren’t hanging in front of radiators and remove radiator covers to get the most heat. Bleeding radiators to remove cold spots will also help them to work effectively.
- It costs less to set your heating to come on when you need it and just in the rooms that you are using, rather than keeping it on low all day.
- Install a full set of heating controls, including a thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves. The cost of installation in a typical semi-detached home that doesn’t have any controls is around £580 with annual savings of £180. If you already have a thermostat and programmer, installing thermostatic radiator valves could save £55 a year.
- Gas is still a cheaper fuel than standard rate electricity, so if you have gas central heating it is generally advisable to use this over individual electric heaters. The exception may be if you only want to heat a small area of a room for less than a few hours.
Dry your clothes naturally or use a dehumidifier
The cheapest way to dry your clothes is on an airer or washing line, or naturally by hanging them up wherever possible around the house. Compared to using a tumble dryer, this should save you around £40 a year on average, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Alternatively, you could use a dehumidifier to speed up the process and save money compared to using a tumble dryer.
A dehumidifier costs between 3p and 9p per hour to run, depending on its power and how much water it extracts, compared to a tumble dryer that costs between 60p and £1.50 per cycle. So, even if you’ve the most economical tumble dryer, you could potentially run your dehumidifier for several hours to dry your clothes and still save money.
The best way to dry your clothes using a dehumidifier is to place them on a drying rack in a space or small room where you can run the machine and give it time to do its job.
Clothes Drying Racks have also become a good option for drying clothes
Wash your clothes at a cooler temperature
Try washing the majority of your clothes at 20 or 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees, as doing so could save you £24 a year, according to consumer association Which? You can reserve 40 or 60 degrees for bedding and towels to get these squeaky clean. Download the manual online for your particular machine, and check what the running costs are for different cycles.
This may not sound like a big saving, but if you combine it with trying to cut down the number of washes you do each week, and wearing your clothes a little more often before putting them in the laundry basket, you could save a fair sum over time.
Use an air fryer, microwave or slow cooker instead of your oven
Many air fryers and microwaves are cheaper to use than gas ovens, partly because they take less time in a smaller space to cook things such as frozen meals. According to comparison site Uswitch, it could cost around 12p to cook chicken in an oven, compared to half that amount in an air fryer. The site says it’d cost around 27p to cook a baked potato in the oven compared to just 3p in the microwave.
Alternatively, try using a slow cooker, as while it’ll be on for longer than an oven, that doesn’t mean you’ll be spending more on energy, as they use far less. They’re also great for cooking cheap cuts of meat and making use of old vegetables. Find inspiration in our guide 10 of the best slow cooker recipes to save you time and money.
However, which cooking appliance is cheapest to use will depend on what you’re cooking, your appliance’s energy efficiency rating, and its size. Bear in mind, too, that depending on the particular models, air fryers and microwaves may not be able to accommodate as much food as an oven, so you may need to use them several times for one meal. You can find a wide range of air fryers and slow cookers for sale on Amazon*, or try Facebook marketplace for secondhand options. This air fryer*, is a big enough size to cook a whole chicken, while more expensive, but widely recommended on forums, is this Ninja air fryer. Bear in mind that prices for electrical appliances such as air fryers often come down on discount days such as Black Friday, so it could be worth waiting until then to buy one. Find out more about where to buy the best air fryers in our guide 13 best air fryers 2022.
If you’re using an oven, get into the habit of turning it off 5-10 minutes before the end of the required cooking time for meals such as roasted veg, shepherd’s pie and casseroles, as the food can finish cooking in the remaining heat. However, this strategy’s success depends on what you’re cooking, as some items such as bread require precise cooking times.
Make the most of your appliances
Consider how you cook your dishes, to potentially reduce the time spent using your oven. For example, you could part-cook some items such as chips in the microwave, before transferring to the grill or air fryer. Similarly, you can brown sausages or chicken on the hob before moving to the slow cooker. If you’ve got a large steamer, you can cook a lot in it using just one ring on your hob, which can be a big money saver.
When you’re using your oven, maximise its space. Don’t just cook a single item, but think about what you’re eating for the rest of the week and whether you can bulk cook to save on energy costs. Anything you don’t plan to eat that day can be frozen or chilled and reheated when needed. Alternatively, consider switching to food that doesn’t require using energy, and cooking, such as bread instead of toast, and baked oats left in the fridge rather than porridge.
When you’re boiling water for tea or coffee in the morning, only boil the amount you’ll actually need. Alternatively, boil a full kettle and transfer the remaining water to a flask to keep it warm for the rest of the day for more hot drinks.
Use hot water bottles, hand warmers and heated blankets to stay warm
There are masses of heated items you can buy to wear, wrap around you or use to stay warm. According to research by MoneySavingExpert, those which can be charged via USB such as USB gloves, and hand warmers are cheapest to run, but these are usually focused on a small area such as your hands or feet. You can buy these at Amazon, Superdrug and Wilco, for example.
Buy hot water bottles from just £2 in stores such as Poundstretcher. Examples of heated electric throws include this one from ManoMano for £35.89. An electric blanket can warm up your bed, with one of the cheapest options being this one* from Amazon at £24.99. It has a remote control with three heat settings. You could also look at weeklydeals4less.com, which sometimes has deals on electric blankets, and fleece bedding.
Add insulation foil to back of your radaitors
Radiator foil is a very cost effective way to improve the effeceny of your radiators and reduce energy costs. They are easy to install and can be Purchased from amazon and other retailers for little expence.
Stock up on logs and coal now
If you have an open fire or wood burner you may want to think about stocking up on wood and coal now to use this in the colder months.
Bear in mind that while it can be tempting to pick up wood wherever you can, such as fallen branches or local scrap, you must only do this with the permission of the landowner. If they allow you to collect wood, it must be seasoned before being burned. This means it needs to be dried to remove as much moisture content as possible before being burnt. Store it somewhere dry with plenty of air to circulate for ideally around six months, or leave it out so the wind and sun can dry it more quickly. Some local councils schedule free wood giveaways, or you could contact local parks to see if they do the same from felled trees.
There are many different types of coal, so speak to your local coal merchants to find out which is best for you, and then search for the best deal.
There are many different types of coal, so speak to a local coal merchants to find out which is best for you, and then search for the best deal.
Just be mindful that burning some fuels at home, such as wood and coal, releases harmful smoke and pollutants into the atmosphere which can damage the environment. Find ways to reduce the impact here. Beware, too, of the risk of carbon monoxide if you’re using an open fire. It’s also important to have your chimney swept each year before using it, which costs an average of £65 in the UK.
Wear several layers and try a wearable blanket
Rather than wearing a single woolly jumper, put on several thermal layers. This is generally the advice given to those trekking in the cold, or skiing, so it’s likely to be worth noting. Retailers such as Mountain Warehouse, and The North Face are good places to start and you can look for secondhand options on eBay and other sites such as Vinted. Other options that sell thermal tops and leggings include Decathlon, Sports Direct, and M&S.
A Rest Less member says: “I have three sets of thermal base layers so that I can wash and wear and have spare (most outdoorsy type shops have them and they’re worth the initial outlay). Then I wear thick socks, slippers and have lots of hot drinks…Even in B&M, Poundland and on market stalls you can find cheapish soft blankets and throws to put around you while you’re sat down and over the bed at night.”
Another member said: “You can often pick gilets (body warmers) up at charity shops. These keep you warm without feeling restricted. Hot water bottle, blanket and a beanie hat help too.”
You can also buy oversized hoodies or wearable blankets at many retailers.
Prep a single warm ‘winter room’
If you’re really worried about how much it’s going to cost to heat your entire home, you could focus on keeping one room warm, such as the living room. Make this as cosy as you can, and plan to maximise time here in the coldest months. This may include making full use of draught excluders, throws, and blankets in that particular room. Spare fairy lights or solar garden lights can add a cozy feel, and they’re good to have in the event of a power cut.
Alternatively, you could switch the radiators off in every room you’re comfortable not using, except your bedroom and living room. Try heating the living room during the day and bedroom just before you go to bed.
Stay active
If you’re able to do so, keep as active as possible. If you’re working from home, move around at least once an hour and try to avoid sitting for long periods. This’ll boost your circulation, and help you to stay warm and healthy. However, it can be difficult to find the motivation to stay active in the colder months.
Resorces: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/quick-tips-and-home-improvements-to-help-you-heat-your-home-for-less/
https://restless.co.uk/money/everyday-finance/practical-tips-to-keep-warm-and-save-energy-this-winter/
https://skill-builder.uk/
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