Many households are finding that their power prices and energy bills are increasing, which is making many of us take a moment to consider our energy consumption and find ways to reduce the amount of energy that we’re using in order to reduce the amount that we’re spending on our energy each year. Of course, this is going to take a little thought and effort – your energy bills aren’t going to reduce on their own. But the good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to minimise your energy usage and consequently minimise your spending. The following guide should help you to achieve this as best possible!

Things to Take Into Consideration

There are many things that you can take into consideration when you’re looking to cut your energy usage. Some of the main ones could include:

• The size of your home
• Features within your home that use high levels of energy
• The energy efficiency of all of your appliances
• The way you use your appliances and electrical equipment
• The times of day that you use power the most
• Your choice of energy provider
• Your chosen energy contract

How to Start Saving

Once you’ve considered the above factors, you should have a few ideas on what you can do to start saving energy. A few small changes to your lifestyle and the way you use energy can make a massive difference all round. By using the factors above as a guide, you could start saving by:

• Reconsidering the size of your home – do you actually need all of the space that you have? Downsizing could make a huge difference, as you’ll have a much smaller space to heat, light and generally power.

• Reconsidering the features in your home – certain features in your home can be an energy drain. You may need to take steps to make them more energy friendly. For example, many people have conservatories, but these use a lot of energy to heat, as heat can escape through the glass walls. Having insulating glass fitted can make a huge difference to your bills.

• Looking at the energy efficiency of your appliances – some appliances simply aren’t energy efficient. Try to upgrade them to more energy efficient models as and when you are able to.

• Changing the way you use your appliances and equipment – try to minimise your use of appliances and equipment where possible. Don’t leave your TV on unless you are watching it. Minimise loads in the washing machine by waiting until you have full washes. Steps like this make all the difference.

• Changing the times of day you use power – most providers will reduce costs during off peak hours. So try to use energy during these times when convenient. If you can wash and dry your clothes in the night or the middle of the day, do so!

• Switch providers or change your energy contract – you might not be getting the best deal for your money. See if any alternative providers have better and lower cost contracts you could switch to!

These are just a few simply ways to minimise your energy bills and reduce your energy consumption. They’re effective, so start implementing the changes as soon as possible!