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With winter looming, you’ve probably heard every trick in the book about saving money on your energy bills. But have you tried these weird & wacky ways that you may have overlooked?
The UK is facing one of its coldest winters for the last decade, and it seems we skipped out Autumn altogether.
And sadly, with the dropping temperatures comes rising energy prices.
This year, overall energy prices have risen by 6%, leaving thousands of homeowners struggling to keep their energy bills down. In the run-up to Christmas, it can seem impossible to save on those all-important pennies.
But have no fear. We’ve put together our favourite tricks that may be overlooked this winter. So you can cut down on your energy bills and do your bit for the environment at the same time. Ho-Ho-Hooray! Santa would be proud.
Here’s a bright idea – turn your TV brightness down
Just like on your smartphone, turning your brightness down even a couple of notches on your TV can help reduce the energy it consumes.
Or if you’re thinking about buying a new TV, check if it comes with an ‘energy-saving mode’. This will automatically adjust the backlight brightness to reduce power. And don’t forget to see if it’s a LED TV, as these are also great for saving energy.
Towels & tumble dryers
You probably know that tumble dryers use a lot of energy to dry out your clothes. So here’s a hack if you just can’t kick the habit:
Throwing an already dry towel into the drum can quickly speed up drying times, allowing you to put it on a shorter cycle. Or, you can buy ready-made ‘Dryer Balls’ made from wool, which can be used time and time again and can even help soften your clothes.
Quick Tip: Check out Amazon for great deals from as little as £5!
Date night by candlelight
As the nights draw in and we can now say it’s ‘officially winter’, why not get cosy for Date Night?
Think candles everywhere, wine and cheese, and no lights or devices. Super romantic or great for catching up with your friends!
The rise of the microwave
Ovens, whether electric, gas, or fan use a lot of power to heat up and remain warm for the duration of the cooking time.
That’s why Microwaves can sometimes be a great alternative to cook or reheat food. They often use only 20% of the energy needed to power an oven and are often quicker in heating up food.
(Microwaves generally use more power keeping the clock on standby than anything else!)
What’s for dinner?
Did you know that the average Brit looks in the fridge around 14 times a day! That can equate to around 30 hours per year in an average lifetime.
Now, every time you look in your fridge, warm air gets in. This means your fridge must work harder to keep your food cold.
So next time you catch yourself staring longingly into your fridge, maybe think about how much extra energy you’re wasting! (It’s great for the diet as well…)
Baby, it’s cold outside…
It’s time to stop fighting over that pesky thermostat and invest in a snugly heated blanket. They generally only cost a few pennies to run, come in all different shapes, sizes and prices and you will save money by not heating up the whole house.
(We’re loving the John Lewis range at the minute, think cosy, fluffy and deluxe. Another great excuse to stay in this weekend.)
On an Economy 7 tariff? Do your chores at night
An Economy 7 tariff allows you to pay normal prices during the day, but cheaper rates for up to seven hours during the night.
Get the full value from it by doing your chores during the evening. What’s not fun about hoovering in the dark?
‘Left the lights-on again’ jar
Everyone at some point in their lives has had a money box. Either for their weekly grocery, travel fund or just for a rainy-day.
But have you ever thought about putting money away for those pesky energy bills?
Every time someone leaves a light on in your home, put 50p into a jar and at the end of the month, use the money you’ve saved on your energy bill. Every little helps!
Motion sensor lighting
Now, most people often think motion sensor lighting (MSL) is just for outdoor security. But have you ever thought about installing motion sensor lights in your house? MSLs are a great way to reduce your energy bills and do your bit for the environment.
After a small set up cost, they’re brilliant in preventing unwanted lights being left on for hours at a time. Also, you won’t have to worry about finding that pesky light on your midnight wee run!
Outdoor lighting may leave you in the dark
Outdoor lighting is an important part of keeping your house safe and secure during the night. And as the days are getting shorter, outdoor lighting can really come into its own.
But, most old porch lights or floodlights still use old halogen bulbs, which are often overlooked. By switching to LED’s or even solar powered lights will help you save money in the long run and will last for the winters to come.
Weird Tip – If you don’t like the look of floodlights in your garden, try painting rocks with glow in the dark paint. During the day, the paint will start to activate so you get an ambient look at night! Check out how to do your own here.
Displace your water
An easy way to reduce your water use by about 15% each month is to create an easy at-home toilet displacement system.
By putting something heavy in the back of the system means that when you flush, there will be less space for the water to refill. Helping you save a little bit of water & a few pennies!
(Need some help? Check out this article by wikihow)
Give your cat a cuddle
Did you know that if everyone boiled only the water they needed every time they used the kettle, we could save enough electricity in a year to power the UK’s street lights for nearly 7 months? Crazy right?
So whilst hot water bottles are great to get all cosy, it takes a lot of energy to fill that hot water bottle up. Therefore, we’ve come up with a great alternative, one that doesn’t cost you any money….
Got a pet at home? Use them as your own personal hot water bottle, they’ll love the attention and they’re great for keeping you warm on a cold night.
Smart thermostats
Heating your home generally accounts for nearly half your energy bills during winter. A great way to keep in control of how much you’re spending and your homes temperature is investing in a smart thermostat.
Smart Thermostats can be controlled from anywhere at any time, meaning its perfect if you forgot to turn your heating off before leaving the house. And as the thermostat learns your heating preferences, they can alter your homes temperature automatically, leading to even greater savings. How smart.
Quick tip: Don’t forget to do your homework and shop around – different thermostats offer different benefits, so find the one that suits you best.
Too cold? Find your local pub
Probably one of our favourite wacky ways to save energy – and you can probably tell why.
Rather than using your own energy at home, why not warm yourself up by going down to your local pub, ordering an Irish coffee and sitting in front of a fire as you watch the world pass by. What could be better on a chilly winters evening?
And there we have it, weird and wacky ways to help you cut down on your energy bills this winter.
Know some friends and family that could also use some help? Share the article to spread the wacky word!
