Keeping the lights on is more important than keeping up with the neighborsMoney Saving Tips for energy and water around the home
Just when you though your home was all set and ready to go, with a lovely budget that would make father proud and mother stop worrying, those pesky energy and utility costs jump out at you. Often, one has to wonder how such bills can be so high, particularly if you’re single, but that’s because most people start out not really knowing what goes into the utility payments – because they never had to pay them.
Now that it’s you paying the bills, the best piece of advice is to heed those oft said words from mum and dad. They’ve likely told you to turn off lights, don’t run the water, close the door, and stop watching so much television for the better part of your life. Ironically, those are all the best ways to cut down costs.
In light of this sage advice, our three top tips are:
If it isn't needed then turn it off1. Electronics: Never turn on the television just to have background sound. Either turn it on and sit down to watch something, or leave it off. In fact, don’t turn on anything electronic that you don’t need – this includes your computer and Wi-Fi router too.
Fill your kettle with just enough water needed. A full kettle will burn electric and take a whole lot longer too.
2. Heat: In the winter, turn the heat down at night, and if possible, buy a thermostat that lets you time when the heat comes on and off. By shutting it off all night and in the first part of the weekdays, you’ll not be heating an empty house. By the time the end of the week rolls around, you’ll have saved about 114 hours of heating your home out of the 168 hours per week you’d normally be heating your home. That’s a reduction of almost 70%.
Shut the doors and keep the heat in. Do you really need to heat the whole house? If your doors and windows haven't been insulated then consider looking in to it. You could save a packet.
Loft Insulation - Is your loft insulated? Check out the
options available and make use of them. Don't let that heat escape through the roof!
3. Water: Turn off that water! Don’t run the shower when you’re not actually in it, and don’t run it unless you’re getting wet or rinsing off. You can soap up with the water off, and then turn the water back on to rinse off.
Baths consume at least twice as much as a shower - do you really need to have that bath?
Fix that leaky tap! A leaking tap is like money down the drain - get it repaired and save yourself money.
Flushing the toilet - Do you really need to use that full flush every time? Consider flushing less or installing one of those cisterns that have both full and half flush options.
Washing Machines - Think twice before washing that solitary shirt, socks and pants alone - wait until you have a full load and make the most of both the water and energy you use.
These are our top tips – what are your’s?
