17th – 23rd January 2025
Energy Saving Week is a national campaign that was created to raise awareness of energy costs and encourage people to save on both their energy and money. With the cost-of-living crisis and the extremely cold weather, we understand that this may be a difficult time for many and wanted to provide some tips on how to save on your energy bills.
Cooking
While using your oven may always be the go-to, slow cookers, microwaves and air fryers use less energy in comparison to ovens. Using the alternatives mentioned can have a significant effect on your energy bill.
Keeping warm
When using your heating, don’t heat the entire house. Focus on heating the room or rooms that you are going to be using most. By turning off the radiators in the other rooms and keeping the door shut, no heat is escaping. With this you are using less energy while staying warm.
As it tends to be colder at night, wearing warm nightwear and thick socks is suggested. This also ensures that the cold temperatures don’t affect your sleep.
If you have laminate or wood flooring within your home this could make it colder. To combat this, you could put down carpet or rugs to provide more insulation. You should also close all your windows to retain as much heat as possible and to avoid any drafts.
Try to focus more on heating yourself, not your home. The use of hot water bottles, thermal clothing and electric blankets are great to use. These things are also relatively cheap to purchase and use.
Government schemes
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is a government incentive that was created in 2022 to support people across the country and help them transition towards a low-carbon heating system. Not only does this help reduce energy bills but also has a positive effect on the planet.
Energy provider
It may be worth contacting your provider to better understand your energy bills and where the cost is coming from. You could also start shopping around and get quotes from other companies to see if you can find somewhere cheaper.
