Light Bulbs

Energy saving light bulbs are a definite ‘yes’ – they last up to 10x longer than traditional bulbs and use around 80% less energy – they could save you up to £60 per bulb over it’s lifetime.

Switch Off

Cut your CO2 emissions and reduce your electricity bill by not leaving unused electrical items on standby. Switch them off and unplug them. It’s cheaper and safer. A typical household could save between £45 and £80 a year just by remembering to turn off appliances left on standby.

Stay Cool

Washing machines use loads of electricity just to heat the water – around 90% of the power used is just for water heating. A cooler wash at 30°C saves more than a third of the energy.

Drying Out

Tumble Dryers use more energy than most washing machines so best not to use them if possible. If you must, make sure it’s full but not over loaded – and use a fast spin on your washing machine to reduce the amount of drying time needed.

Pots ‘n’ Pans

Don’t switch the dishwasher on until it’s full. It uses the same amount of energy each cycle so the fewer things you wash the more expensive it is each time you switch it on. Some dishwashers allow you to stop the cycle before the drying cycle – if yours does open the door and let the contents dry naturally. 

Making a Cuppa

Don’t fill the kettle each time you boil it – only put in the amount of water you need (making sure the element is covered of course). Overfilling wastes energy and money. You could even fill a vacuum flask with spare water to use for later.

Chilling

When replacing your fridge / freezer always look for the ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ logo – you could cut running costs by over £30 pa.

Showering

If you’ve got a shower that takes hot water straight from your boiler or hot water tank (rather than an electric shower) then you may be able to fit a water-efficient shower head and that could reduce your hot water usage whilst still maintaining the sensation of a powerful shower.

Some water companies are giving shower heads away for free, so maybe contact your water company to see if you could receive one. Through installing a water-efficient shower head, a family of four could save around £65 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £95 on water bills if they have a water meter.

There’s more you can do to reduce electricity costs if you’re willing to spend more on the solutions but these are the easy things to do to reduce electricity usage and save money.