Save Money On Your Energy Bills
The National Housing Federation in partnership with uSwitch have launched My Home Energy Switch, a service designed to help tenants to save money on their energy bills.
The process is simple, fast and effective and can be easily competed in a few minutes via the dedicated webpage or by calling the freephone number 0800 051 5346.
Why use My Home Energy Switch?
- uSwitch.com is the number one energy comparison site
- There is no charge for using the service
- They compare all UK energy suppliers
- They are completely impartial and strive to get the best deal for you
- All you need is your most recent energy bill (if you don't have one call the freephone number).
- It only takes a few minutes to compare and switch
- They will take care of the paperwork -you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy cheaper energy bills!
Visit www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk to see how much you could save. Between 1st July 2010 and 31st December 2010, people who switched energy supplier with uSwitch saved an average of £254.
Green tips to cut bills
You will be amazed at how much money you can save by doing some simple things around the home.
Use energy saving light bulbs
They produce as much light as a standard bulb but use up to 80% less electricity. This means lower bills and lower CO2 emissions. They come in all shapes and sizes, you can even get halogen and dimmable ones.
They are now cheaper to buy than when they first came out. The average cost is £3 and one bulb could save you up to £7 per year and 26kg of CO2 per year.
Look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when you buy as it means that they meet strict energy efficiency criteria specified by the Energy Saving Trust.
Make the best use of natural light
Don't close curtains too early, make use of natural light for as long as possible. Natural light is free.
If you are reading, try to position yourself near to a window to make use of the natural daylight.
Turn off lights when they are not needed
When you leave a room, turn off fhe lights.
One bulb or more?
Try to use a single bulb fitting instead of a multi-bulb one.
Turn off appliances when not in use
Switch off all appliances at the unit or at the wall instead of leaving them on standby. Appliances on standby use a substantial amount of energy.
Remember that clocks on microwaves, ovens etc use electricity when you are not using them. Turn them off when you are not using them
When you turn off equipment such as computers, make sure that you turn off printers and screens etc.
Turn phone chargers etc off at the wall when not in use. Anything that uses a transformer (a larger plug that tends to get warm when plugged in) will use energy when plugged in, even if it is not in use.
According to Energywatch, the average household could save £37 a year by turning items off instead of leaving them on standby.
Make use of sleep timers
Plenty of new televisions etc come equipped with sleep timers. If you know that you have a habit of falling asleep with the TV on, set the sleep timer so that the TV will turn to standby after the set time. This is still not as good as turnjing it off, but it is better than it being on all night.
Save money when doing your laundry
Reduce the temperature of your washing programme to the recommended temperature usually 30oC or 40oC. Modern detergents will work just as well at these lower temperatures and it will save you a third of the electricity.
Make sure that you wash a full load if you can. If you can't, use a half load or economy programme.
Don't hang clothes to dry on radiators, hang them on clothes horses instead.
Keep the use of tumble dryers to a minimum. Make sure that clothes are wrung out or spun in your washing machine before tumble drying.
Buy Grade 'A' appliances whenever possible.
Whenever possible, buy electrical appliances with a Grade 'A' Energy Efficiency Logo. This grade of appliance is the most efficient. Shop around to find the best deals in energy efficient products.
Insulate your home
Make sure that your home is properly insulated so that you can have your heating on less. Persons claiming benefits, or the elderly can often get an allowance to help with this.
If you have an hot water tank, make sure that you wrap it in an insulating jacket. An insulating jacket only costs a few pounds but could save you about £20 per year.
Wear sufficient clothing indoors
Make sure that you keep yourself warm by wearing enough layers rather than rushing to turn the heating on/up.
Control your heating
Work out when you're not going to be home and don't have the heating on during that time.
Turning your heating down by just 1% can save you up to 10% on your heating bills.
If you're going away on a winter holiday, leave your heating thermostat on a low setting to protect pipes but at a minimal cost.
Try some of the tips above and wait for your next bill. How much will you save?