How to save money on your energy
We all know that energy prices are rising significantly due to a variety of reasons. So, how can we reduce our energy costs? There are a few things we can do. They range from smaller changes that add up to a bigger saving, to more substantial savings.
Energy crisis – what you need to know. A post on why prices are going up including what to do if your provider has gone or is likely to go bust.
10 Top Tips for saving on energy costs
A note on switching energy
1) I usually advise regularly switching providers. How to take charge of your energy bills. But at the moment there is currently too much turmoil in the sector to be sure that you are getting the best deal. Wait until things have settled down. It is possible that you may lock yourself into a deal and the price of wholesale gas will come down.
Once things have settled and it doesn’t appear like any more providers are going under and comparison sites have offers available again, then start to look. Wait to switch then check cashback deals and going direct before you switch. Keep an eye on what Martin Lewis has to say. He reacts quickly to any changes with great advice.
Save on heating costs
2) My Mum has stopped using the electric blanket on her bed and gone back to using a hot wot water bottle! This saves loads! Although an electric blanket can also be used in a different way. “As well as wearing warmer clothes, consider an electric fleece blanket. This will keep your body warm and is much cheaper than having an electric heater on trying to heat a room. Plus it’s portable, so you can take it with to the rooms you need it that may not be heated”, says Adam Stein of MoneySavvyDaddy.
3) If you have a well insulated house, keep it at a constant temperature rather than turning the heating on and off or setting specific times for it to come on. “It takes a lot more energy to heat up a cold house with cold walls than it does to keep it at a constant low temperature”, says Emma Maslin from Money Whisperer.
4) HouseholdMoney blogger, Peter Chatfield, says “If there’s a room in your house that you rarely use, turn down the radiator and keep the door closed.”
5) Halimah Omogiafo at Koody says that turning down your thermostat by just one degree could save you up to £80 a year. This was the latest figure provided by USwitch in October 2020. Bearing in mind prices continue to rise this will now increase.
6) “Turn your water and heating settings to ‘ECO’ on the boiler. Eco-Mode uses less energy than a standard 1-5 setting. Saving energy and therefore money as it’s cheaper to run your boiler”, advises Claire Roach of MoneySavingCentral.
Monitoring energy use
7) Buying some items can save you money in the long run. For example, consider purchasing an Energy Monitor.* This will measure how much power items are using. So you can check just how much power having your microwave or DVD player on standby really is using! It’s a lot, so don’t leave appliances on standby. And Hayley Muncey from MissManyPennies says “Switch to LED lightbulbs – don’t be put off by the upfront cost, the long term savings are significant and they are just as bright!”
A long list of energy saving ideas
8) 
There are 50 ideas for saving on energy costs at the Skint Dad. Editor, Naomi Willis, says that one of her top tips is simple but effective. “Draft proof everywhere from your cat flap, keyhole, letterbox, chimney, doors, windows. You could save around £50 a year!” On a similar note, Helen Nuttall from BudgetingIsAChallenge, suggests putting a thick curtain in front of your front door, as doors can let out so much heat.
9) Will Pointing from GreatDcom says that washing your clothes on a cooler setting (30-40 centigrade) can be a great saver. “90% of the energy cost of a washing machine is heating up the water!”
Help with debt
10) 
Sara Wiliams from DebtCamel advises that energy bills are “priority debts”. This means that they must be paid even if that leaves you with little or nothing to pay towards credit cards and unsecured loans. “Your local Citizens Advice Bureau can help you work out how much to offer each of your debts. They can also explain if a debt relief order could help you – which would clear your energy debts.”
You can read more about “priority debts” following this link on the Citizens Advice website.
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The Complaining Cow Consumer Show
I spoke to Sara Williams from DebtCamel about debt management and what consumers can do on on my East London Radio. The Complaining Cow Consumer Show. She also advises on where not to go for help and what to avoid, especially scams.
Vampire devices
British Gas stated that consumers could save a huge amount on energy every year by turning items off at the wall. But how accurate is this? I discussed just how much turning electronic devices off at the wall can save on GB News.
British Gas say £147-a-year can be saved by turning off electronics | Helen Dewdney reacts
Talk TV talking energy prices 01/10/22
Further energy help and advice
More on energy All you need to know to make a complaint about energy
Help with your complaints
If you need help with complaining effectively and making sure you are never fobbed off. GET THE BOOK! How To Complain: The ESSENTIAL Consumer Guide to Getting REFUNDS, Redress and RESULTS!
101 Habits of an Effective Complainer to help you become more skilled and assertive when making complaints.
Purchase downloadable templates to gain redress
Various posts on saving money.
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