How to save money on my energy bills?

Turning off lights in rooms you are not using – with the longer daylight hours in summer, you should be able to keep most lights of during the day. Similarly, turn off the heating and any other appliances in vacant rooms. Fix any leaking taps that may be wasting water. Use lids on pans that are boiling to speed up cooking time. You can also try batch cooking to reduce your energy bill and food wastage. Hang out your washing instead of using a tumble dryer; make use of the summer months! Or, if it’s a typical British rainy summer weather, you could install a line your sunniest room to dry clothing inside. You could save up to £55 a year. Open up your curtains and blinds to allow the sun to naturally warm your home. Install thick and heavy curtains in colder months to trap in heat. Take showers instead of baths. Replace an old boiler to improve efficiency.

The secret to saving money on your energy bills this summer

With the cost-of-living crisis causing household bills to increase nationwide, many Brits are worried and concerned about the soaring energy prices that have been skyrocketing. Add this to the rising mortgage rates and elevated inflation making everyday costs more expensive, millions of households are certainly feeling the pinch.

There are some signs of hope: the energy price cap was lowered at the start of summer, reducing the average energy bill payment from £2,500 to £2,074, according to Ofgem. But it’s still worth reviewing your energy consumption to see where you can reduce the cost of your bill and save money! Our guide will help explain some of the priciest household appliances to run, and easy changes you can make this summer to lower your bills.

Top tips for reducing the cost of your gas bill

Your gas bills could be reduced with these tips:

Smart thermostat – When you install a smart thermostat, the technology inside it can quickly determine your household’s patterns and adjust temperatures according to when your home is occupied or not occupied. This allows any cooling systems used in the summertime and heating systems used in the winter to only be in effect at the time of need, therefore reducing the cost.
Check the temperature of your water – If you find that the water coming out of your taps is extremely hot, you are likely wasting gas. Turning down the temperature by a few degrees will help reduce costs – and make the temperature more comfortable and usable.
Insulate your home – Many homes across the UK are not adequately insulated, meaning in the winter, you may struggle to keep your home warm. If possible, opt for loft insulation as heat rises, and most of the heat escaping a poorly insulated house will be via the roof. The cost might seem like a lot at the time, but while the summer months are upon us and you may be turning the heating on less, why not get it sorted ahead of the winter and thank yourself in the long run?

Cutting the cost of your water bill

Water bills can equate to significant amounts of money each month or year, depending on how you pay, so it is important to understand how much water you are using and where the most significant waste lies. There are many ways you can reduce the amount of water usage in your household:

Replace your showerhead – It might sound silly, but replacing your showerhead with a newer, more efficient one could significantly reduce water consumption. If you can’t remember when you last changed your showerhead, or you never have, then it’s definitely worth seeing how it impacts your bill. Combine this with limiting your gas usage and you could see significant savings.
Reduce the amount of boiling water – Another easy way to rack up your water bill is by overfilling the kettle. Up to £68 million each year is wasted by boiling overfilled kettles! When you overfill you are likely to need to boil it again for the next use, so, by filling the kettle with the specific amount of water you need to make your tea or coffee, it will reduce water wastage and save on electricity.

Dishwashers over sink washes – Contrary to popular belief, dishwashers use less water than handwashing items in the sink. By filling your dishwasher up to a full load, you will use less water than if you were to spend more time filling up the sink.

Saving money on your electricity bill

With technology becoming increasingly advanced, it is great to see the shift from standard plug-in devices to portable and more energy-efficient appliances. But there are still things that can be incorporated into your household to reduce your electricity bill:

Stand-alone devices – Laptops, phones and tablets that can be used without being connected to the mains will drastically reduce your power consumption. They are incredible for boosting productivity as they can be used anywhere at any time compared to desktop computers and large monitors.
Turn off non-active appliances – By turning off your standby appliances you will reduce the amount of electricity usage. A great way to monitor this is by purchasing controllable sockets, which can be monitored via an app on your phone. Then, you can switch your devices on and off as needed.
Cook efficiently – Try to use ovens and other kitchen utilities simultaneously to save energy. Putting the oven on five times a day for smaller amounts of cooking will waste more energy than if you were to cook more food at one time. Try organising what meals your family will have throughout the week so you can work out how often the utilities will be used and for how long.
Energy-saving lightbulbs – Switch to LED lightbulbs, which save up to 80% energy consumption compared to a standard lightbulb. They also last up to 5 years, which is much longer than a typical bulb, which lasts less than a year.

Other top tips that will make a difference:

Turning off lights in rooms you are not using – with the longer daylight hours in summer, you should be able to keep most lights of during the day. Similarly, turn off the heating and any other appliances in vacant rooms.
Fix any leaking taps that may be wasting water.
Use lids on pans that are boiling to speed up cooking time. You can also try batch cooking to reduce your energy bill and food wastage.
Hang out your washing instead of using a tumble dryer; make use of the summer months! Or, if it’s a typical British rainy summer weather, you could install a line your sunniest room to dry clothing inside. You could save up to £55 a year.
Open up your curtains and blinds to allow the sun to naturally warm your home. Install thick and heavy curtains in colder months to trap in heat.
Take showers instead of baths.
Replace an old boiler to improve efficiency.

A-Plan are here to help!

Here at A-Plan, we understand the challenges many are facing during this cost-of-living crisis, and we’re always looking for ways to help our clients and the communities we work in.

That’s why we don’t just focus on helping you save money on your insurance, we want to help you save in all aspects of live, from your energy bills to enjoying the summer months. Join us for a Summer of Fun, where you could be in with a chance of winning an above ground pool, paddleboard, Cadac camping grill, a Kindle, National Trust Membership, and much more!

To be in with a chance of winning, pop into your local branch to learn more and follow #APlanSummerofFun on our social media channels for weekly giveaways.