Have you ever wondered how your household bills compare with other people’s household bills?
One thing that’s certain is that you could be spending much more than what other people spend averagely on their household bills.
And if you don’t know how to go about it, I meant if you don’t know how to apply some tricks to save a bit of cash, you’ll surely be left far behind while other people are saving money on their household bills.
So why cutting your household bills?
According to Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, in the last six years the UK’s average household bill has rocketed from £660 to £1,252 a year – a £592 or 90pc increase.
So, if you’re paying more than average on your household bills, it’s imperative that you find some ways to save money on your expenses.
For example, do you know that you could save up to £200 per year by switching to a water meter? Or that most households waste £50-£86 a year by leaving appliances on standby?
Smart ways to cut your household bills
Do you know that you can save quite lot of money by making some necessary improvements to your house? Investing in technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels may be too much for your budget, but you can still make your home more eco-friendly and save money.
Even with small changes such as fitting radiator thermostats and fixing leaky taps, you can make a difference. Below are some simple ways to make your home greener and save on your household bills.
#1). Use eco paint
Make sure that your house is painted with natural paints such as those from Earthborn. These type of paints are kind to humans as they are lower in allergy-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They’re made from renewable resources and they allow surfaces to breathe. Also, they help to avoid damp issues and they are long-lasting.
#2). Do your washings at a lower temperature
Do you know that washing clothes at 30°C uses about a third less electricity over a year than at 40°C? So, next time you want to do washings make sure that you reset the temperature to as lower as possible and this can save you money over a year.
Also, remember that modern washing powders and detergents work effectively at lower temperatures. So, no need to waste money on energy by washing clothes at high temperature.
#3). Insulate your walls
Do you know that insulating your wall with cavity wall insulation could save you up to £115 annually? Even though it costs about £500, government grants are available to assist you with the cost.
All you need is to get a survey from a Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)registered installer to find out whether your walls are suitable for the improvement.
#4). Banish draughts
Do you know that investing in draft excluders for your doors, letterbox and windows could help you save money too? Draught-proof your doors and windows, insulate between skirting boards and floorboads, could save another £25 annually on your household bills. Draught-proofing is a simple and cost-effective way to make you feel warm in your home and save money too.
#5). Insulate your loft
If your home has no loft insulation, you could be wasting around a third of your heating costs through your roof. Insulating your loft can cut your energy bills by about £150 a year. But even if you do have an insulated loft, check to make sure it’s 270mm thick to save up to an extra £45.
#6). Replace your windows
Another good means of saving money on your household bills is to replace your aging window. Check if your home has single glazing windows fitted in it and change them to double glazing windows.
Why? Because double glazing windows will help you cut heat loss and reduce noise and condensation. A typical home with double glazing windows should be expecting an annual saving of about £130. You too can enjoy this benefit and save money of your household expenses.
#7). Stop wasting water
Do you know that a dripping tap loses enough water to fill half a bath in just one week? Fix leaking taps and always check that they are turned off. Only boil as much water as you need while in the kitchen and unplug your boiler as soon as you are done with it.