Sadly there is nothing we can do about the increasing energy costs that we face but we can take a look at ourselves, our homes and see what we can be more mindful of to keep our costs as low as we possibly can.
Laundry
- Try and reduce your washing loads by at least one load a week, wait until you have a full load before putting a load on. - If the clothes are not too dirty use a 30 degree wash to freshen up.
- Warmer months are coming, hang washing to dry on the line is free rather than using that expensive dryer.
Lighting and Heating
- Open curtains as soon as its light, letting the natural sunlight into your home boosts your mood, benefits the environment and your pocket.
- For evening lighting invest in lower wattage LED Bulbs, they can be a little more expensive to buy but will save you money over the year.
- Smart meters can help to identify where your usage is and will give you an idea where you need to make changes.
-Don't charge gadgets until you need to (I found my son charging his phone the other day and it was already on 97%!)
In the Kitchen
- Turn anything off that is not being used chargers, games consoles, kettles, TV’s, microwaves.... you would be surprised that one item left on for a whole year would cost you in the region of £20!
-Batch cook, do a little extra when cooking and freeze this will give you a backup meal when you’re short of time or worn out after a hectic week at work and you won’t be tempted to reach out for the takeaway menu.
In the Bathroom
- Your local water company can provide you with water saving devices free of charge, you can request them on their website.
-Try and take showers instead of baths and reduce time in the shower to 4 minutes
Out in The Garden
-Set up a water butt or use buckets to collect rainwater in the garden to water plants instead of the hose pipe, this will save you money and be better for the plants.
-Try growing vegetables from seed, they can be bought from discount stores for as little as 25p. The children can also get involved, they love helping with watering, give them a little patch to plant their seedlings in and they will be more tempted to try different things, home grown always tastes better.
