Smart Ways to Save on Energy BillsWhile no one wants to be freezing their butts off, there are a number of ways you can help reign in your energy costs without having a bust-up about who left the heating on or feeling like you live in an igloo. This is especially relevant during the frostier months, but there’s no excuse not be energy conscious all year round. Not only will it do wonders for your monthly budget (giving you a bit extra spare cash to play with), but you’ll also be doing your own bit to help protect the environment too – it’s a win-win all round!
Wrap up warmIt can be tempting to just crank up the heating when it gets cold, but taking a second to work out if you’d be more comfortable with an extra layer or two can go a long way. If you’re walking around in a t-shirt and shorts mid-December, we can tell you now – you’re doing it wrong. For those who really tend to feel the cold, we’d recommend investing in some seriously cozy slippers, as this is where you feel heat loss most when you’re relaxing – and grab yourself a hot water bottle! Problem solved. Even reducing your cheapest electricity like heating by as little as 1ºC can cut your annual bills up to 10%.
Use the libraryAs handy as the library is for reading books and going on Facebook while you’re ‘studying’, it’s also a great place to use the free electricity! Before you head home for the night, make sure you charge everything you own: your phone, your iPod, your laptop, your… well, you get the picture. Or, you can even go a step or ten cheekier by waiting till you get into morning lectures before cooking breakfast, like this guy. Fair play! It’s also pretty good for your academic performance to be hanging around the lib’ (provided you actually work while you’re there), and the best thing about it is you won’t have to fight about the heating being on there either!
Say ‘no’ to guesstimatesYou’d never let the cashier at the supermarket guess how much your shopping is going to cost, so don’t let the energy companies guess what your bills might be! It will take less than five minutes of your time to check the readings of your gas and electricity meters, and send them a monthly reading so you can be sure that you’re only paying for what you actually use. In fact, quite a few energy providers will now give you a smart meter so that you get a running update of your costs. Contact your energy company to see if they’ll provide you with one.
Consider paying a fixed feeA lot of energy companies will give you the option of paying a fixed monthly fee by direct debit for your bills, which can be great as it enables you to budget accordingly. This option is different from a guesstimate – you agree on a fixed monthly rate that will mean you don’t have to worry month to month about bills fluctuating, and more often than not you’ll get a better rate this way. While you might end up paying slightly over what you use during the summer, you’ll save this back in the winter when you’re using slightly more energy than you’re paying for. Swings and roundabouts!
Make sure you shop around & switch!It can be tempting to just stick with the supplier you’ve got when you move in as; you know… hassle and stuff. However, comparing prices these days takes so little effort and could save you so much dosh that it’d be a bit ridiculous not to even check what the going rates are elsewhere.
Use energy-efficient productsChances are, you’ve probably seen things on sale with energy ratings, but have you ever actually let them influence your purchases? With products receiving a ranking right through from A++ all the way down to G, it’s well worth bearing in mind the money you could save by sticking further up the alphabet. While an A++ piece of kit is likely to cost more, it will save you a lot of money in energy bills later on down the line. For example, did you know that an energy-saving light bulb could save you up to £60 over its lifetime, and last up to 10 times longer than its standard bulb cousin? You do now!
Keep an eye on flat and house matesWe’re not suggesting that you should hide around the house and watch your flat and housemates like a hawk – you don’t want to be that guy – but if they’re always leaving the lights on, or cranking an electric heater in their room, make sure you speak up about it! If everyone else is pulling their weight and keeping costs to a minimum, it’s not fair that one person is pushing up the bills for the rest of you. |