How to Save Money on your Electricity Bills

With the grid under strain, and wallets creaking, get paid to switch off, and save by switching off. Here are the top offenders in electrical usage and tips on how to drive down your bills. 

As the National Grid narrowly avoids activating its emergency blackout plan for the first time this winter. This week, we were almost asked to switch off our appliances because of a looming power crunch. Coupled with the cost of living crisis, which continues to reign, we’re here to provide support to our customers with ways to save money on their energy bills.

The loss of Russian fuel and outages in France’s nuclear fleet have left us especially vulnerable as questions continue to be asked about market resilience.

The “demand flexibility service”

While we may be inadvertently plunged into darkness, we may get paid for the privilege, so candles at the ready. Provided you have signed up with your supplier beforehand, you could be entitled to payments of up to £3 per kilowatt-hour of electricity saved, which could pay you up to £20 per day.

Which appliances are the least energy efficient?

In a recent report by Irish energy firm Energia, the appliances ramping up your energy bill were named and shamed.  Working out which ones are the worst offenders in your home will go a long way to reduce your energy bills by switching them off or using them sparingly. 

The humble tumble dryer has always had a bad reputation, but in fact, an extra ten minutes in your power shower each day could cost almost as much as running your tumble drier for 45 minutes.  Electric heaters are another bill booster costing over twice as much per hour than your washing machine and almost double the cost of its air conditioning equivalent.

But you can sit back and watch your favourite shows guilt free, with a 42 Inch LCD TV especially kind on your wallet. In fact, you’d have to watch 22 hours of TV to use as much energy as ironing for one hour. 

*Energia list of most expensive appliances

So what can I do to save money on my electricity bills?

We’ve published our guide to what you can do to save on your energy bills, but these tips are specifically for electrical appliances and how best to manage the top offenders. 

Banish standby mode

It sounds simple, but trimming the waste and being disciplined about switching off appliances when they are not in use.  Standby mode should be your enemy.  Simply turning appliances off at the plug could save £30 per year. 

Smart plugs

Investing in smart plugs is a great way to ensure everything is off at the wall while only having to lift a finger on your smartphone. In fact some manufacturers claim a saving of up to 31% on energy bills (Tado) by using them. 

Keep your fridge clear

Your fridge freezer is one appliance you can’t afford to turn off (unless you’re defrosting your freezer), however, overfilling your fridge or freezer can impact on their efficiency.  Keeping them as clear as practically possible will help reduce both electricity and food waste. 

Choose energy efficient appliances

Obviously it isn’t practical to throw out all your old appliances in favour of energy efficient replacements, especially when money is tight. However, if and when the time comes to replace appliances, have efficiency in the front of your mind when choosing your product. It’s better for your wallet and kinder for the planet.

Switch to LED bulbs

LEDs are often at least 80% more energy efficient, so it is worth, as they start to go, replacing your existing bulbs with LEDs which can also last up to ten years. 

Tumble dry smart

If you have to use your tumble dryer (and sometimes it just needs to be done) put similar items together as different types of clothing require different types of settings.  If you’re drying delicate or lighter items, you do not need as much heat as heavier items such as jeans and towels. It’s also worth adding an extra spin on your washing cycle to remove excess moisture which could significantly prolong tumble drying time.

Don’t forget

Our team of experts is on hand to help and advise you on the right choices for the appliances in your home. Whether it’s heating and plumbing advice or electrical services, we’re right here.