The Wise Group share their top tips for saving money on your energy bills this winter.
We’ve been chatting with The Wise Group's HEAT (Home Energy Advice Team) service who offer dedicated mentor support to households throughout the UK to manage their household energy bills.
Their expert heat advisors are available for you to chat with about your energy use and how to save money on your bills. Call them on 0800 092 9002.
You can also reach out to us at SPW and we can walk you through an application process for the opportunity to save £150 on your energy bills, email sarah@singleparentswellbeing.com with your name, phone number and best time to call and one of us will be in touch.
Have a look below for ten areas you can make changes to help save on those monthly bills!
If the image is tricky to see we’ve copied the tips below!
IN THE KITCHEN
Use the right size pot or pan for the job - pots with lids are best
Use the right-sized hob ring
Pre-boil water in a kettle before adding to your pot
Keep the oven door shut as much as possible when cooking
Make sure the glass door is clean so you can see what’s going on without opening the door
Let warm food cool down before putting it in the fridge
DOING THE WASHING
Most clothes don’t need washed after every wear - try airing them instead
Spin clothes on the machine’s highest spin cycle to reduce time needed in the tumble dryer
Washing clothes on Eco or 30°C rather than higher temperatures when you can could save £15 a year
Wait until you have a full load before putting on a wash
YOUR DOORS
Fit draught excluders around the front door and over the letterbox - you can make one out of an old pair of joggers!
Visit ourYouTube channel for an upcycling tutorial
Put a curtain over your front door to help keep draughts out
Close all internal doors to help build up heat quicker
IN THE BATHROOM
Have a quick shower - it uses less energy than a bath
Consider a shower timer to monitor how much time you spend in the shower - shorter showers use less energy
Turn off taps while you brush your teeth, shave or wash your face.
If you have a hot water tank, set your programme to the times of day when you use hot water - this will avoid heating water when you don’t need it
RADIATORS AND HEATERS
Your radiator valves allow you to heat up the full house or room by room: 5 is the maximum heat setting (for cold days) 1 is the minimum heat setting (for hot days) * is a frost free setting 2, 3 and 4 can also be used depending on your needs
WINDOWS
Use heavy (or lined) curtains to help reduce losing up to a third of energy through the window
In the winter, close your curtains at dusk to help keep the heat in
Likewise, in the summer, close curtains in rooms you aren’t using to help keep them cool
LIGHTS
Replace all of your bulbs with LED equivalents to save around 50% of your annual lighting costs - around £65 a year
Turn them off when you’re not using them
Use automatic timers to turn your lights on as it gets dark outside and to turn off at the same time you go to bed
Place lamps in the corners of your rooms to allow light to bounce off of two wall surfaces so you don’t need many
PLUGS AND APPLIANCES
Avoid leaving your TV, games consoles and kitchen appliances like toasters and kettles, plugged in and switched on when you’re not using them
Don’t leave your phone plugged into charge all night long - It should only take a few hours to fully charge
Check the wattage of an electrical appliance the higher the wattage, the more it will cost to run
Avoiding standby and turning appliances off when you’re not using them could save up to £60 a year
BOILERS AND TIMERS
Check the pressure gauge on combi boilers is settling between 1 and 2 - If not, the pressure is either low or high so the boiler has to use more energy than it needs to
Don’t switch a combi boiler off at the wall - always leave it on standby
Use your programmer (or timer) for your heating and hot water, so it’s ready for you as and when needed, rather than using the ‘boost’ function
During the winter, set the heating to switch off a short while before going to bed so it won’t stay on too long after going to bed
Set the heating to come on just a little while before you wake up in the morning
BILLS AND TARIFFS
If you have a billing cycle and a non-smart meter, try to provide your supplier with meter readings at least once a month to ensure accurate bills
A ‘Fixed Rate’ or ‘Fixed Price’ tariff means that the unit prices for gas and electricity are fixed - not the direct debit or your bill amount
Compare available tariffs to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your energy Not sure where to start? That’s something we can help with.
Click here for support from The Wise Group
And SPW have a whole host of resources around finances and cost of living in our blogs.