11 tips to help reduce energy bills now ahead of summer hikes

Between the existing high cost of living and the conflict in the Middle East, household budgets are taking a real hit, especially when it comes to energy bills.

“The cost of energy is very volatile. At the moment, we see the regulator change the price cap quite significantly every three months, and the outlook at the moment is that the cost of energy will rise after this current price cap comes to a conclusion on June 30,” says Gareth Kloet, an energy spokesperson at GoCompare.

So, although the price cap dropped at the beginning of April, “it’s not all about savings right now. It’s about shielding yourself from future price rises too. At any time of year, thinking about how you’re using energy and becoming more efficient and energy-conscious, is good standard practice.”

Here are some long-term habits that will help reduce your energy consumption, and therefore, your bills…

1. Make the most of warm, dry weather

“Instead of tumbling things into a tumble dryer, throw them on a washing line if you can,” suggests Kloet. “And when you do a wash, instead of washing at 60 degrees [Celsius], see if you can go down to 40. That can save you anywhere between £15 and £40 a year.”

Plus, when the weather is nice enough to dry your clothes naturally, in record time, “try and get as much washing as you can done in one go” to max out the benefits.

2. Check what’s on standby

“Estimates vary quite dramatically, depending on what the cost of electricity is, but it’s not unusual for you to be able to save £60 to £100 a year by switching things off standby every night,” says Kloet.

3. Consider changing energy tariffs

Switching to a fixed rate deal may “not so much save you money against current prices, but will help shield you from potential future price rises,” explains Kloet. “If you opt for a fixed rate deal, just like a fixed rate mortgage, it protects you from the market changes, up or down, but the expectation is energy prices will rise from the next price cap period, and that could be quite substantial.”

4. Use LED lighting

“If you’ve got old-fashioned light bulbs, they can use quite a lot of electricity, whereas an LED will use about a tenth,” says Kloet.

5. Avoid overusing the kettle

“One of my bad habits is that I’ll put the kettle on and then I’ll go do something else and forget I put the kettle on,” admits Kloet. Only boiling it when you actually need it, and filling it up with only as much water as you need, will save you cash.

6. Shop for efficient appliances

“When shopping for new products, if you’ve got old, inefficient things like cookers, fridges and dishwashers, moving to an A-rated appliance instead of a less efficient-rated appliance will save you money,” says Kloet.

7. Take shorter showers

“My kids spend ages in the shower, but if you can shower instead of [use the] bath, it’s a good habit that’ll save you water. It’ll also save you the cost of heating that water,” says Kloet. “But the assumption is that you’ll shower and use less water than you would in the bath equivalent, so you need to have a short shower.”

You can also reduce the water flow. “Some water companies will give you free devices you can attach to your taps and shower to reduce the flow of water. It froths it up, so it feels like you get the same amount of water, but you actually get less. And because you’re using less water, you’re heating up less water.”

Alternatively, when the weather’s hot, opt for cold showers. “That’d save you a lot!”

8. Insulation is not just for winter

“In the wintertime, it will stop heat escaping, but in the summertime, insulation will stop heat entering the home,” says Kloet. “It’s all about thinking how you can control the temperature in your property in order to make it as efficient as possible without putting the heating on, or the necessity for fans or air con.”

Closing your blinds and curtains can have a similar effect. “In the winter, that obviously keeps heat in and draughts out. In the summertime, it stops the room from getting too hot and reduces the need for fans.”

9. Consider the garden

“In the summertime, we tend to do more gardening, and if you’ve got things like an electric hedge trimmer or electric mower, they will use energy,” says Kloet. Doing ‘No Mow May’ can help cut costs. “If you are extravagant enough to have an electric patio heater, that will use a lot of energy, the same with those halogen bulbs [round the patio], so don’t leave them on all night,” he adds. Solar lights can make an effective alternative.

10. Buy into air fryers

Still sceptical about air fryers? “An air fryer is pretty much always more efficient than an oven, just because it’s designed for cooking at speed in a smaller area,” says Kloet. And in summer, you could barbecue over coal or wood instead. “It’s not the most efficient way to heat up food, but it will cut your energy bill,” says Kloet with a laugh.

11. Seek help if you’re struggling

Worried you won’t be able to pay your energy bill? “Speak with your energy supplier, they are there to help. They’re not trying to cut you off,” says Kloet. “Talk about what assistance they’ve got, because there are things like the Warm Home Discount, there’s support for some customers. They might be able to help you with implementing some energy-efficiency measures around your home, too.”