Bills Going Up? 20+ Tips to Reduce Gas & Electric Bill Right Now

The cost of energy bills is never a fun topic, especially if your bills are going up. Cutting down your usage isn’t always as easy as it sounds, but there are ways to “cheat” the system!

By changing some of your habits and switching up the way you go about your daily life, you could reduce your energy bills without having to sacrifice the things you enjoy in life.

Wondering how? Keep reading to discover our 20+ tips on how to save money on your gas and electric bill today.

How to Reduce Gas & Electric Bill UK: 20+ Easy Energy-Saving Hacks

1. Don’t put your hot tap on full blast

When using the hot tap to wash your hands or utensils, don’t run it on full blast. This often leads to wasting more water than you need. Instead, keep it on a medium pressure. You’ll use less water and less heating, which could save you a few extra pounds every month.

2. Turn off at the plug

Keeping your electronics on standby still uses energy. Switching off your TV, phone charges, lamps, toasters, etc. is a bit of a pain (especially when they take ages to load), but it can shave a few pounds off your energy bill every month. According to Money Supermarket, it can save the average household at least £30 a year, possibly more if your bills are going up.

3. Turn down your thermostat 1-2 degrees

Experts say that turning down the thermostat just 1 or 2 degrees will be unnoticeable but can make a big difference to your bills. According to Money Supermarket, it could save around £80 a year, potentially more with rising energy prices.

4. Hang dry clothes

Another easy way how to save money on electric bills is to hang dry your clothes instead of tumble drying them. Get an indoor clothes rack or hang washing outside instead. Just ensure if you’re renting, you’re not breaking any ventilation rules by drying clothes indoors (which can cause black mould and lose you some of your deposit).

5. Boil less water in the kettle

Despite popular belief, kettles don’t have a set time they boil for. They finish boiling when the water inside is, well, boiling! That means the more you fill up your kettle, the longer it’ll take to boil. If you don’t need a full kettle of water, don’t fill it up. Just fill and boil what you need, and you can save money on your energy bills.

6. Keep the fridge full

Some research suggests keeping your fridge full can save money on your energy bills. A full fridge has less air space, making it easier to keep cool. An empty fridge has more airspace to keep cool, so it has to work harder (using more energy).

7. Turn down the TV brightness

Most TVs have variable brightness settings. Naturally, the higher the brightness, the more energy your TV uses. If you’re a regular TV watcher, try turning down the brightness slightly on your TV. You may not notice the difference when watching, but you’ll see it on your energy bills!

8. Keep hob rings clean

Dirty hobs, especially those made from ceramic, work overtime to cook your food. This is because they have to break through the grime to reach temperature. Keep your hob rings clean and you could save money on your energy bills monthly.

9. Cook with glass dishes

It’s well-known that metal is an excellent heat conductor. However, glass dishes take longer to heat up than metal, but once hot, they retain heat for longer. This means some dishes cook faster in glass than metal. Baking is especially good in glass dishes vs metal for the faster cooking rate. Just be careful to note the maximum temperature of any glass dish you purchase!

10. Turn off the oven 10 mins before it’s ready

Ovens maintain their temperature for some time after you’ve turned them off. If your food is almost ready (and isn’t something that absolutely requires a high temperature to cook), turn the oven off 5-10 minutes before the food is ready. As long as you don’t open the oven too frequently, it should keep cooking your food without using any more energy.

11. Use the right pan size

It makes sense that larger pans take longer to warm up than smaller pans. The longer you cook for, the more energy you use. To save money on your energy bills, use a pan size suitable to the dish you’re cooking and avoid using large pans for small dishes.

12. Switch to cast-iron pans

Cooking with cast-iron pans doesn’t necessarily speed up cooking times, as it takes longer for these pans to heat up. However, once hot, they’ll retain high temperatures for longer. This means you can often turn down the heat on the hob, or turn it off completely when your food is close to being done, and the pan will continue cooking your food.

13. Clean tumble-dryer filters

Tumble dryers can be expensive to run, but keep the filters clean if you need to use them. This keeps your machine running efficiently. When your filters are blocked, the appliance needs to work harder. Therefore, it takes longer to dry your clothes, which leads to more energy used.

14. Use a washing-up bowl

Which? research tells us that dishwashers are more efficient than hand washing. However, if you don’t have a dishwasher, the next best thing you can do is invest in a washing-up bowl. This helps you reuse water when washing up, using less heating and less water.

15. Wash clothes at 30°C or lower

Hot washes are known for cleaning and whitening clothes, but it isn’t always necessary. Most modern detergents are designed to work at even the lowest of temperatures. Some detergents clean clothes just as well between 20-30°C. These temperatures also better protect your clothes, as the wash is gentler.

16. Use eco-cycles

Dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers and most other major household appliances have eco-cycles. These cycles are usually shorter, cooler, or use less water/energy. Experiment with different eco-cycles on your appliances and see which saves the most money.

17. Switch showerhead

Showers are more efficient than baths, but they can still rack up costs on your heating and electric bill. Which? suggests that switching to an eco-showerhead can reduce your water usage without reducing the pressure of water flow. Less water used means less energy is wasted heating water, therefore reducing your energy bills.

18. Change lightbulbs

According to the Energy Saving Trust, halogen bulbs are one of the most inefficient types of lights. They use more electricity, emit more carbon dioxide, and increase bills unnecessarily. Switching to LEDs or incandescent bulbs is an investment (they are more expensive) but could save money on bills in the long run.

19. Turn off radiators in unused rooms

Any unused bedrooms or rarely used areas of your home (like utility rooms) don’t need to be heated when the heating’s on. Turn off the radiators in these rooms and you could save money on your energy bills.

20. Move furniture away from radiators

Keeping large furnishings in front of radiators, like sofas, can reduce the flow of heat, meaning you have the heating on for longer or at a higher temperature. By moving large furnishings away from the radiator, you can improve the circulation of hot air and spend less time heating your home.

21. Check your meter readings

Energy companies often make “estimations” as to how much you’re using. Even though life is busy, try to check your meter readings and submit updates to your energy supplier regularly if you don’t have a smart meter. This ensures you aren’t being overcharged for estimated usage rather than actual usage.

22. Don’t charge phones overnight

Most phone charges keep using a trickle of energy even after your phone has reached 100% charge. To avoid this, don’t charge your phone overnight. You could also invest in a smart charger/plug that charges your phone quicker or stops the plug from supplying energy once your phone is charged.

23. Don’t open fridges unless needed

Every time you open your fridge, cool air escapes, and hot air goes in. This leaves your fridge needing to work harder to cool things down again. Don’t open your fridge unless you need to, and resist the urge to keep checking it when deciding what to eat. Take a picture instead, and you could save money on your energy bills.

Thinking About Moving Rental?

When you’re moving rental, there’s nothing worse than having to save for a deposit on your new place, especially if your bills are going up. But don’t worry, we have good news!

You no longer need to save up for a deposit every time you move.

For the first time ever, if you already have a deposit protected in a deposit scheme, you can transfer it to your next property.

A Lifetime Deposit will help you keep hold of £1,200 on average, which we think is pretty neat.

We are on a mission to help more people move, so if you are moving soon, don’t forget your Lifetime Deposit!

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