Inspired by the recent protests by Extinction Rebellion in London? Or rather do you just want to know how to make your home more energy-efficient, but you're not sure how? It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg to make a difference, so we’ve put together a list of our top 5 cheap and easy tips to help you not only save money but also help the environment, too.
Tip number 1 - turning off your devices. A lot of people are not aware that appliances and devices will continue to use up energy when they have been left on standby. The Energy Saving Trust state that £80 a year is wasted in the average home as a result of devices being left on standby - therefore you should ensure that your devices are turned off at the wall when they are not in use.
Tip number 2 - being careful in your kitchen. It is possible to save around £36 per year simply by using your kitchen appliances more carefully. By using a bowl rather than running a tap when washing up you can save £25 a year in energy bills. Cutting your washing machine use to one wash per week will help you to save £5 per year. Finally, if you only fill up your kettle with the amount of water that you need you can save around £6 per year on energy.
Tip number 3 - spend less time in the shower. The Energy Saving Trust reports that if everyone in a four-person household spent just one minute less in the shower a day that could lead to a saving of £75 per year.
Tip number 4 - take control of your heating. More than half of the money spent on your fuel costs is spent on heating and hot water. If you install a room thermostat, a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves and use them efficiently, you can save around £75 per year. On top of that, or if you already have these controls, turning your thermostat down by one degree can result in savings of around £80 a year.
Tip number 5 - switch to LED light bulbs. It is now possible to purchase LED light bulbs in a variety of sizes and fittings that are bright enough to replace halogens, as well as energy saving bulbs. The average household could save £35 a year by replacing all of their bulbs with LEDs, and would only cost around £100.
By following these tips it is possible to save around £300 a year on your energy bills. Not only is that a significant saving that will make a big difference to your spending, it will make a big difference to your environmental impact as well - helping both your wallet and climate change!
WHO knew it would be so easy to make such a difference?
