It's only January, and the start of the new financial year has already been termed 'Awful April'! We've just experienced a very challenging few years, and it looks like the challenges could continue with many household bills potentially doubling in price. The good news though, is that we did make it through, and if we make some adjustments to our everyday routine right now, April doesn't have to be as awful as we're led to believe. Read our ideas below on how you can keep on top of your energy bills in 2022.
The Eco Option.
Most modern day washing machines will have an Eco or Energy Saving setting built in - you might not even have realised until now, so make sure you check. Switching to this option is guaranteed to reduce your energy usage and it really doesn't impact your cycle. It's too easy to continue with your trusty old 'good for everything' setting, but now is the ideal time to break this habit. Even without the built in Eco setting, you can lower the cycle time and temperature and notice a big difference.
Wear More Layers.
There's no getting round the fact that in Winter, you will have to use your heating. Not only does it keep you warm, but it protects your pipes from frost and keeps everything ticking along nicely. An obvious choice to cut back on the outgoings is to wear more layers - a thick pair of socks, a cosy jumper etc. But the key here is to actually do this! It's definitely easier to switch the heating on, versus rummaging through your wardrobe for a cosy knit, so establish a new routine and keep your layers close to hand. A real lifesaver for us this winter has been these Oversized Hoodies. Yes, we are biased but genuinely an hour of wearing one of these and we're actually too warm!
Keep Appliances Off Standby.
I know, we all know this! But does anyone actually do it? Especially full time. The average household spends £35 each year powering appliances that have been left on standby, so make it a priority now. The microwave in most households will only be used once or twice per week, and yet it's always plugged in and ready to go.
Draught-Proof your Home.
Your home, especially if it's older could be losing heat through the gaps in your windows, doors or floorboards. You can easily reduce the cost of this with some simple DIY solutions - install foam strips, plastic seals or brushes around doors and windows. Or if you're not quite up to the challenge, a simple draught excluder will do the job too. An average home could see savings of £25 per year with this simple solution. We have some cost effective styles you can shop here.
No Singing in the Shower.
Hopefully, showering is something you do all year and isn't exclusive to winter, so using it wisely will impact your bills year round. A good way to adjust your morning or evening routine is to time yourself in the shower and adjust it accordingly. It's estimated that one minute less in the shower can save £4 per person, per year! Impressive, and easy to do too.
Only Heat the Room You're In.
If you're planning to spend the evening in your bedroom or living room exclusively, don't put the heating on for the entire house. Instead, use a portable heater for a few hours - typically these are much cheaper to run per hour, and will keep you just as warm. You could also opt for a cosy throw, or a hot water bottle will do the trick too.
Kitchen Appliance Usage
Hopefully, we've already started turning everything off at the mains once we've used it, but there are other ways to save money with appliances too. For example, if you cut back on your dishwasher use by only one cycle per week, you could save £8 per year on your bill. As for the kettle, if you only fill it with the amount of water your currently need, you can save around £6 per year!
Dinner Time!
It's common in the winter to eat more comforting meals like soups & roasts and you might even find yourself baking a little more than you would in the summer months. This helps to reduce costs compared with eating out, but it can also lower your heating bill if you use your time in the kitchen efficiently. Once you're done baking, switch off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar - this will help to heat the kitchen and surrounding areas, and hopefully it will smell good too!
Change your Light Bulbs
If you've still not updated your lighting set-up, now is the perfect time. Energy-saving bulbs (for obvious reasons) are the ideal solution. These bulbs traditionally last longer than regular bulbs and if installed in each room, compared with an old-style bulb, you can actually save over £100 per year. Slightly higher priced, LED and energy saving bulbs will pay for themselves in only the first few months.
Finally, make sure to always review your energy usage and set yourself reminders throughout the year to keep on top of your new habits.
Have you got any impressive tips for lowering energy usage in 2022? Share them with us here.