5 simple cost-effective ways to reduce your energy bills

The following entry is a guest post from Ryan Devvin. He is a writer based in the UK, with a keen interest in being green on a budget. His main passion lies in maintaining an eco-friendly lifestyle in the home.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions this year like eating healthier, doing more exercise, or spending less money? Well, how about making a resolution that you can stick to and make a difference to the energy consumption in your home? With a few simple tips, you can begin to reduce energy consumption in your home and reduce your energy bills. So where do you start?

Add Layers, Not Degrees

It’s very tempting to just turn on the heat if you are a bit cold, but if you really think about it, wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to just put on a sweater? This is a common cause of higher energy bills.

One point or another, we’ve complained about being cold while sitting in a T-shirt. We then turn the heating on rather than adding a layer. This simple change could save you as much as $100 or £60 per year on your energy bill.

It may also be valuable to know that you could also save money on your heating bill by keeping your heat on low rather than turning it off then on for big blasts of heat.

Cool It Down: Do Your Laundry the Efficient Way

Many of us wash our clothes on a heat setting higher than necessary. When a washing machine is running, around 90% of the energy is used to heat the water. There are many different washing powders that advertise they wash clothes at 30 degrees now; so why waste money by cranking it up to 60 degrees?

The same can be said of drying your laundry. Try to hang it on the line or over the radiator rather than tumble drying it. This will save you a significant amount of energy and money. If you do have to tumble dry anything, then take it out of the dryer just before it is bone-dry; this will make it faster and easier to iron.

Switch Off and Save

Remember to unplug your appliances that you are not using, even leaving things such as phone and laptop chargers connected will use energy if left plugged in. Electrical items left on standby will use unnecessary energy, so remember to switch them off at the plug or just unplug them.

Try your best to turn lights off when you leave a room, or make sure the curtains are open so you can use natural light rather than turn a light on. Have a checklist before you go to bed to make sure everything is switched off or unplugged.

Wrap Up Your Home

If you are ready to take more permanent and lasting measures to reduce your energy bill, then you may be considering insulation for your home. There are many different types of insulation you can install in your home, and each will save you different amounts of money on your energy bill.

You could save money with cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, and loft insulation. Each of them has their own benefits, and you can speak to an expert about the best one to choose. Your walls can lose around 36% of heat through them, and your roof can lose around 25%, so it is up to you to decide which you would like.