Low Cost Ways That Can Add up to Big Savings on your Bills

Most of us could use a helping hand when it comes to our finances. Below, we guide you through several small ways to make big savings on your bills and help our environment.

Turn off unnecessary lights

When you leave one room for another, make sure to switch off the lights. Doing this could help you make substantial savings over a year.

Children can be a nuisance for doing this too, so ensure you educate them on the benefits of saving energy and money – bribery can work well (and still give you an overall saving)!

Turn water off

There is no need to let the water gush out of the faucet while you are brushing your teeth; turn off the water until you need to rinse your brush again. Water conservation is good for the planet and good for your pocket. A wastage of hot/warm water means loss f precious electricity.

Similarly, when shaving, fill up the washbasin (to a sensible level) and use that instead of having the water flowing constantly.

Washing your hands is another time when excessive amounts of water are used. Not only will doing this save you money, but you can also be safe in the knowledge that you are doing your bit to save the planet.

Manage your thermostat

Adjust the temperature depending on the season: around 68 degrees in the winter and 78 in the summer months. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, consider investing in one.

It can be a challenge remembering to change yours manually each day; this would take that responsibility away and it would adjust itself based on the information you program into it.

We use a Nest thermostat which we can even control from outside with a mobile app. We even turn off our AC when we are out and turn it back on when we start driving back.

Be strategic with window coverings

Do your drapes hang over your radiators? If so, it may be time to reconsider as much of your heat will be escaping and not efficiently warming up your rooms.

Is there a teenager living in your household? Then perhaps you will know very well how dark his room remains throughout much of the day.

Try to ensure that all drapes are pulled back to allow the sunlight to provide a small amount of natural heat. Additionally, there are window coverings available designed to be energy efficient and prevent heat loss.

Unplug unused electronics

How often do you scrabble around desperately searching for your cell phone charger? It can seem sensible to leave it plugged into the wall, but this is continuing to consume energy even when not in use.

Even when appliances are ‘turned off’, they can still drain power, so it is important to unplug. ‘Standby’ or ‘idle’ modes on many electrical appliances also use small amounts of energy, also known as Standby power or Vampire power.

If you have tweaked your routine and followed the above steps, but you are still facing mammoth outgoings, perhaps it is time to try out an impartial energy comparison and find a better deal when it comes to utility bills such as energy, cell phone, Internet, mortgages and more.

It couldn’t be easier to discover the most competitive rates and best packages to suit your family’s needs. Business owners could also benefit from comparing energy prices.

Don’t ignore old appliances

Major appliances consume most of the electricity in our homes. An old AC or a freeze can run havoc on your energy bill. Buy/replace sooner and don’t forget to buy only energy star appliances.

Readers, what is your most effective way to reduce energy consumption in your home or business?