How to save money on your utility bills
With energy prices soaring, now is the time to make those changes that could help to cut your gas and electricity bills. While you can’t do anything to lower the cost of energy, you can reduce the amount you use in your home to save money and help the environment at the same time. Read this blog for Student Places top tips on how to save money on your utility bills.
Turn off and unplug all electrical devices
- Completely turn off and unplug items you are not using, as even if they’re on standby or plugged into a socket, they could still be using some energy.
Keep the heating below 21 degrees
2. Never have the house/room thermostat over 22 deg. 21 is the recommended temperature and each additional 1 deg adds 10% to the heating bill. It also increases your carbon footprint by 10%. Wear another jumper instead of turning up the heating. Now we sound like your nagging parent but it is true! Always ask yourself if you really need to put the heating on, or if you can manage without.
Turn off your heating when the house or individual rooms are unoccupied
3. Turn the heating off when the house is unoccupied. It is amazing how many students leave their heating on when they go away for the holidays. If you have a room you don’t use or a housemate has gone home you can turn individual radiators on and off.
Keep your doors and windows closed
4. During the winter months it is best to keep your doors closed as itstops the heat escaping. Also keep your windows and curtains closed as this is also an effective method of retaining heat. However, remember to open your windows occasionally to let out condensation and prevent mould.
Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms
5. You will be amazed at how much you will save on electricity if you switch off your lights in rooms that are unoccupied. Also it is worth investing into LED lights which are more energy efficient compared to your regular light bulb.
Save money in the kitchen
6. There are a few little tricks on saving energy in the kitchen. Only boil the kettle once, it is much more energy efficient to fill the kettle to the top and boil the water once rather than bringing it to the boil multiple times. Use the microwave to heat up your food rather than the hob as it is more energy efficient. Also use the right sized pan and hob. Using bigger pans means more energy is required to heat it up, so if your cooking up a little snack make sure you use a smaller pan or hob. You will be pleased to hear that using a dishwater is much more energy efficient than washing your dishes by hand.
Be more efficient with water
7. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of water you use is to take shorter showers. If your not washing your hair make sure you have a quick body wash and avoid baths. When using the dishwasher and washing machine make sure they are full loads rather than half empty.
