6 Efficient Ways to Save Energy

As the prices of commodities continue to rise, we are challenged to find ways to save in order to make the most of our hard-earned money. A big chunk, if not most, of our monthly earnings go towards the bills, and they just horrifyingly rise every year! It is best to look at some areas where we can chip off some costs. Let's look at some efficient energy-saving tips that can save us some money in our pockets.

#1 Turn off appliances on standby

Most of us have this bad habit of not turning that switch off. According to moneysupermarket.com, an average of £30-£50 a year can be saved if we don't leave appliances on standby. Have a little inspection at home and look for those red standby lights starting from the television, game consoles, router, and desktop computer. Even charger cables that don’t have anything plugged into them but are still connected to the socket can waste electricity, so it is better to be cautious and unplug anything that is not being used.

#2 Use energy-saving light bulbs

The number of energy-saving light bulbs available in the market can seem a bit overwhelming. You go to the electrical section in the supermarket and you find yourself facing a shelf full of different types of bulbs with different wattages and even different colours. Which one should you pick?

Well, there are two main types of energy-saving bulbs, the LEDs (light emitting diodes) and the CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps). LEDs only need a small amount of energy to produce a lot of light, same as the CFLs. The cost of these bulbs may be slightly higher than the traditional halogen type, but the upfront cost can be recouped in the long run because of the reduced amount of energy used.

#3 Spend less time in the shower

Pampering yourself with a good warm shower after a hard day's work feels very relaxing, I know. But did you know that spending one minute less in the shower each day can save you up to £7 a year? Multiply that to the number of people in your household and that's the annual savings you can get. That would be quite a substantial amount.

#4 Do not overfill your kettle

Only boil the amount of water that you need. This is often overlooked, yet can save us a lot of energy. Most energy-efficient kettles switch off immediately after boiling and have a low minimum fill line.

#5 Wash clothes at a lower temperature

Washing clothes at 30 degrees rather than at 40 degrees can save up to £52 a year. When it comes to the difference it makes in cleaning, a spokesperson from Energy helpline stated that most day to day dirt and staining should be removed at 30 degrees; however, some tougher stains may need to be washed at a higher temperature. Therefore, washing at a lower temperature is something to be considered if the load of laundry is not heavily soiled.

#6 Turn down the thermostat

The cold winter months are a challenge when it comes to energy expenditure. Most of our energy bills is spent heating up our homes. However, turning down the thermostat a little can save us a lot. According to UK Power, "As a rule of thumb, you can save around 3% on your heating bill for every degree that you turn down your thermostat." This does not necessarily mean, however, that you have to withstand being colder. There are some ways that could help you keep warm like using thermal curtains and making sure we close the windows and curtains at dusk to retain heat in the room. There are also products called reflector panels that you can fit behind your radiators to help distribute the heat more evenly in the room.

In saving electricity, we don't only save money but we also benefit the environment. Being conscious about our energy use involves a lot of commitment to somehow make a difference.