Many of us will be aware of the rising cost of living, and the impact it’s having on our personal finances. As energy prices rise, it’s becoming harder for us to make our income go further. Whilst it’s a difficult time for many, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you to cope if you’re struggling. Read on for more on how you can cope with rising energy costs, to help manage your bills, and ease your mind.
Budget
Knowing how much money is coming in and going out in terms of bills each month is key when it comes to managing rising energy prices. Work out how much of your income is going on energy bills and use this as a guide to help you. It can help you to identify whether you need to cut down on unnecessary expenses to help you cover costs, or you need to make changes to make your money go further. If you’re struggling, pay day loans can help cover emergencies if your cash flow will not stretch that far. If you don’t think your income is enough to cover your monthly energy bills, you can seek help by contacting your provider.
Switch off
When it comes to coping with the rising cost of energy, one of the most obvious ways is to reduce your usage and switch off when you can. The more you leave appliances on, like lights, computers, chargers, and televisions, the more energy you’re going to drain. Make it a household rule that if you’re not using something, you turn it off at the plug. This can make all the difference and eliminates the chance of energy being wasted. You should also make sure that you’re not leaving any of them on standby. This can drain excess energy, even when you’re not using it! When you leave a room, be sure to double-check your TV is off at the plug. Most appliances can be turned off at the plug without changing their programming, but to be sure, read your instructions so you don’t have to spend your time resetting.
Insulate
Many of our homes are susceptible to heat loss, which means the energy we’re using to heat our homes is going straight back out again or being compromised by drafts, cracks, and unsuitable insulation. If you’re hoping to save money on your energy bills, you should be sure to insulate your home and protect it from heat loss as best as possible. Your heating will need to work harder if there’s a draft coming in from cracks in windows, or badly sealed doors, which will drive your heating bill up. Make sure your windows are sealed correctly – double-glazed windows are the best for keeping the heat in modern homes. You should also make sure that you have sufficient insulation in the loft and cavity walls. Make use of draft excluders under doors so you can benefit from a toasty warm home for less.
Monitor shower time
We are all guilty of taking a little too long in the shower, especially in colder months when we can’t seem to warm up! But this can have an impact on your energy bills, so making sure that you cut the amount of time you’re in the shower means you can benefit from savings of as much as £95 a year per household. It’s said that the time you should be aiming for is 4 minutes each time. You can set yourself an alarm or use an in-shower timer to stick on the wall. This is a simple solution, but it can have a huge impact when it comes to reducing bills.
Think about your washing All households need to wash and dry their clothes somehow, but the way you use your washer and drier can have an impact on your bills. For example, washing your clothes in a setting that’s too high can use additional energy and drive your bills up. Turning your washing machine down to a 30-degree cycle can save you money each year. You should also be mindful of how often you’re using your washing machine – try and get it down to a couple of loads per week. When it comes to drying, see if your clothes will dry on a rack indoors or on your washing line. Using a tumble dryer uses a lot of unnecessary energy.
