Easy energy-saving ways to slash
WITH winter in full swing, the lights on for longer and the heating turned up high, you’re likely to see a spike in your next energy bill.
More than 10.5 million of us are w orri ed ab out our upcoming winter energy bills, w ith over on e in f iv e adults concerned that they won’t be able to pay them.
On top of this, lots of us are increasingly worried about the i m p a c t o u r e n e rg y u s e is having on our planet and are keen to find ways to live a little greener. But keeping track of h o w m u c h e n e r g y w e’r e wasting isn’t easy.
S m a r t m e t e r s a re b e i n g offered to ever y household in th e c ountr y to h elp us cut down our waste by showing us exactly how much we’re using in pound s and pence at any tim e. S o y ou sp ot th e tim es when you’re using more than y ou c oul d - and make easy swaps to cut down.
COOK CLEVER
If you’re planning a cooking session , tr y using oth er h eat sources, such as letting butter soften on a sunny windowsill , rath er than using th e microwave. And, if you’re feeling like a gym workout, go old-school and w hi p y o u r c ake up u si n g a whisk, instead of an electric mixer.
When cooking a roast, add s om ething el se to th e oven alongside it – such as a sheph erd ’s pi e or a l a sagn e – to make the most of the energ y you’re using. On the hob, use wider pans to h eat food – a b i g g e r su r f a c e a re a m e a n s quicker cooking.
S low in g thin gs dow n can help, too – use an energy-effic i e n t s l o w c o o ke r t o m a ke cassero l e s and st e w s. If y ou have a smart meter, you can check how much energy you’re using to see what a difference they can make.
TURN DETECTIVE
It c a n b e su r pr i si n g h ow much certain appliances cost to run. Your smart meter can h e l p y o u w o r k o u t w h a t ’s guzzling th e most en erg y in your home, so you can manage its ‘on’ time.
Yo u m i g h t o n ly u s e y o u r microwave for a few minutes a day – but unplug the de vice from the wall when you are not using it, and y ou’ l l s o on see how much money you could be saving. You might also decide it’s not quite so important to iron those tea towels when you see that an hour of ironin g could power your fridge freezer for half a d ay. Being able to see your en erg y use as y ou go along m eans you can make choices that will reduce energy waste, allowing y ou to b e more ec o-fri end ly and save money.
Getting a smart meter is a small but important step that everyone can take for a cleaner, gre en er, smar t er Brit ain . It ’s been calculated that if we all got a smar t m et er, th e C O2 savings w ould be like taking 600,000 cars of th e road by 2030.
CHOOSE AND USE
WISELY
Yo u m i g h t b e p u t o f f c h o o si n g a m o re e x p e n siv e appliance with a better energy rating, but the savings can add up. The Energ y Saving Trust advises that an A-rated 180-litre fridge freezer will use around £39 of energy a year. But choose a 525-litre model that’s more than twice the size with an A+ rating, and your bill will only rise by £13.
Even if your appliances are energy efficient, you might be u si n g t h e m m o re t h a n y o u need to. Most clothes can be w a sh ed p er fe ctly w el l at 30 degrees, slashing your bills in the process. When you can, dry clothes outside - you’ ll get the added bonus of that fresh air dried feeling too.
TAKE CONTROL
A sm a r t m e t e r t a ke s t h e guess work out of your energy bills and sends meter readings to your supplier automatically, making sure you’re paying the right amount. It al s o al low s you to set budgets and lets you know if your energy use is high, m edium or low, s o y ou can make changes to your energy habits. The average household with a smart meter saves 2% on their energy bills.
If you’re on prepay, a smart meter will let you keep an eye on your credit at a glance and allow you to top up online from wherever you are, so no more dashing out to the shop in the cold w h en th e lights go out. Bud getin g b e c om e s a lot easier when you can see how much you’re spending and by m a k i n g sm a l l c h a n ge s li ke tu r n i n g y o u r d e v i c e s of f