If you look at your utilities bills with horror every month, you will be pleased to know there are lots of low cost ways to reduce your usage. Antonia Chitty shares some tips to help you cut costs and save the planet too.
Save £££, with no cost to you
There are many ways to save energy round the house that don’t cost you anything. Get the kids to make sure that they switch the TV off, rather than leaving it on standby, and the same goes for the computer too. Switch lights off in empty rooms too. To motivate younger children, have a sticker chart and award stickers each time they remember. You could make a cardboard crown, decorated with junk, and award it to the green king or queen, the child who has the most stickers at the end of the week.
Older kids can help save energy in the kitchen. If they get involved in cooking, explain that putting the lids on the pans when you’re cooking means that food heats more quickly, using less power. And only boil the water you actually need in the kettle, to save on energy.
One for mum or dad: check your thermostat to see how high the heating is set – 16-20 is the recommended temperature for children’s rooms. You can often turn the heating down by a degree or two without any problems, and make sure windows are closed if the heating is on. In the summer, hang your washing out to dry rather than using the tumble drier. The sun can help bleach out stains too and keep your whites white.
Getting the whole family involved in no-cost activities such as these can save you up to £40 per year.
Invest a little to save lots
Check the seal on your fridge door by inserting a piece of paper between it and the fridge door. If the paper moves, or falls out, it needs replacing. A faulty seal means that your fridge has to work harder to keep things cool, using more energy. Checking that the fridge is at the right temperature (2-3° C for a fridge & -15° C for a freezer) can save energy, as can making sure there are a few inches behind the fridge to allow air to circulate, and defrosting regularly. A dripping tap can waste a bathful of water a week. So turning off taps completely and fixing dripping taps can actually make a big difference.
Another way to save money is to check whether you’re using the cheapest energy supplier. You may be able to save money by switching: look at www.u-switch.co.uk for example, or opt for a green tariff instead. Most of the major companies now offer a green tariff and many are the same price as standard electricity. Companies such as Ecotricity, Unit[e] and Green Energy UK invest in building renewable energy projects so that they actively cut the amount of fossil fuels burned and reduce global warming.
There are several more things that you can do that only cost a little:
- Low energy light bulbs cost less than £10 each, and can save you that in a year. Typically they last for 8000 hours of usage too. Energy-saving bulbs are ideal in areas where you have a light on for a long time.
- If the kids have lots of battery powered toys, rechargeable batteries can save you money, as well as grief when a favourite toy expires at just the wrong moment.
- Put tin foil behind radiators that are against outside walls to reflect heat back into the house and help conserve energy. This will allow you to turn down the thermostat a little further too. Use normal kitchen foil or buy special foil from a DIY store.
- A shelf slightly above your radiator deflects heat out into the room, and can save you around £5-£10 per year. Avoid putting furniture in front of radiators too.
Don’t waste water
You can often safely reduce the amount of water released by each flush of the toilet – which saves money too if your water is metered. A product like Ecoflush regulates the amount of water used in each flush. Costing about £19, you can install it yourself – for more, see www.ecoflush.com. A toilet hippo will cut the volume of water flushed down the loo by a third – it’s especially useful in toilets installed before 1993, which have a larger cistern. Some water companies supply hippos free of charge. See www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk. If you lag the pipes that deliver your hot water, you should be able to turn your hot water temperature down a little. You can buy pre-formed foam tubing to wrap over your pipes. If they are in a tricky position, use double thickness lagging felt instead.
Follow these tips and you will save yourself a few pounds on each bill, and more importantly ensure that your children have a healthy planet for the future.
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