With rising energy prices and it being winter, electricity is going to be a big drain on your finances. Thankfully, there are many ways to tackle this and make sure that you aren’t going to spend more than you want to this winter.
Let the light in
You’ve got a big, bright and free source of light right outside, just waiting to get in. Clear the clutter off your window sills, open the blinds or curtains and let that light in, instead of turning on lights during the day. Natural light is healthy for us, it gives us vitamin D, reduces fatigue and fights depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If the light stops coming through from one side, then go to the other side of the house.
Switch stuff off from the wall
When you stop playing your PS4 or finish watching the TV, turn off the device from the wall instead of just putting it in hibernate. When your phone has finished charging, unplug it and switch the plug off. Hibernating devices still use electricity, completely unnecessarily.
Energy efficient lighting
This is a huge area where you can improve your savings. Old halogen light bulbs output over 90% of the energy that goes into them as heat, and less than 10% of it as light, that’s why they will burn you if you touch them. LEDs are 85% more efficient and produce much less heat. Also, the initial cost is rapidly reducing, making them by far the cheaper option over time.
Be more communal
Whether you live with your family or with housemates, if you encourage everyone to do activities in the same one or two rooms in the evening, then fewer rooms will need to be lit, saving you money. And, who knows, maybe you’ll enjoy it.
Energy efficient appliances
When you’re buying appliances, make sure to check the energy efficiency label to ensure that you are getting something that isn’t going to waste your money. Washing machines, fridge/freezers and dehumidifiers are huge guzzlers of energy. It’s exacerbated if the appliances are old and don’t meet today’s standards for energy efficiency.
Consider motion sensor lights
We all leave lights on when we don’t mean to. Lights in hallways, especially since people generally don’t hang around in them, are perfect candidates to be replaced by motion-activated lights. This means they will only switch on when someone is using the hallway and so won’t stay on, using electricity necessarily.
Go solar
You don’t have to go all the way with solar straight away. Start with your garden lights and replace them with solar powered ones that will charge up during the day and be available to turn on when it gets dark. If you’d like to go further than that then you could get solar panels installed on your roof. The initial cost is quite expensive, but the savings on your electricity bill will make a real difference.
Use task lighting
If you’re occupying one corner of the room reading, why not switch on the lamp next you, rather than using the main ceiling light. Task lighting is great because it allows us to do activities with just a small light. You can do the same with cooking in the kitchen and using your mirror in your bedroom.
Be smart with your appliances
Do you really need to wash your clothes on a high heat? It wastes electricity and also wears your clothes out faster. Instead of everyone making themselves a cup of tea/coffee with the kettle, why not have one person make everyone a round, so the kettle only has to boil once. Only use the food processor when you really need to.
Tina Carpenter is part of the management team at Juice Electrical. She can often be found advising on which products are best suited for specific circumstances and how to save money whilst using them.
