Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be an expensive one. It may be worth looking into your energy usage to see if you can save some money on your bills this festive season and for the following year too.
Here are some ideas to save money:
- Switch your bulbs to LED and this could save you £3 per bulb per year. Replacing all the bulbs in the home can save on average £35, as well as 250kg of CO2 per bulb.
- With more time spent at home this Christmas, make sure you are not overfilling the kettle. Filling the kettle correctly can save you £7 a year.
- Leaving lights on can cost up to £13 a year on your electricity bill, so remember to switch off lights when you leave a room. A segment timer for your Christmas lights will also prevent them being left on all night long if you forget.
- Keep the heat in by properly draught proofing your home. Draught tape around windows and draught excluders for doors will prevent cold air coming in, as well as closing curtains and blinds at dusk. Draught proofing alone can save an average home £25 a year.
- Christmas can involve lots of washing up and so it is important to be resourceful with water. Two simple tips are to make sure you do full loads in the dishwasher and, when washing by hand, using a washing up bowl can save £30 a year on your energy bills.
- Leaving appliances on standby costs on average £30 a year. With more time to watch telly and use game consoles over Christmas, make sure to turn them off at the plug when out of the house and overnight.
- Not using the tumble dryer might be harder at this time of year with the weather being unpredictable, however air-drying clothes can save up to £55 a year if you completely stop using it.
- The efficiency of an appliance can make your bills lower or higher. Now might be a good time to invest in a water saving shower head, which can save money on both water bills (if you are on a meter) and energy bills. Water saving shower heads can save up to £80 on your energy bills.
- Additional people in the home will create more heat. Turning the thermostat down by one degree can save up to £80 a year and a healthy adult can comfortably live in a home between 19-21 degrees.
- The Warm Home Discount is being changed this year. The amount is being increased from £140 to £150 and households do not have to apply. Eligibility will be determined by your household income and if you have high energy costs. More information on the changes can be found here – Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- If you have a combi boiler your flow temperature might be higher than it needs to be. By reducing the temperature you can save up to 9% on your gas bills. See the Money Saving Boiler Challenge by Nesta here for more information – Money Saving Boiler Challenge Campaign | Nesta
- Current schemes are available to homeowners with high energy costs and low incomes. Contact your local authority or PECT to find out if you are eligible and what is available in your area.
For more information or further help on how to save money on your energy bills or reduce your energy usage, please contact our free and impartial energy advice service on 0800 8021773 or visit www.pect.org.uk/energy-advice.