Finding yourself spending more and more money on simple outgoing payments each month? Looking for some ways to cut corners in your home and be a bit more efficient with your spending? Why not take a look at our list of top tips on how to run a cost-effective home, which will leave you with a little bit more money at the end of each month.
Monitoring your energy usage is a great way to start saving money without making much of a drastic change to your lifestyle, and the results will start to show in your bills over time. Here are some pointers:
Switch to LED Bulbs
Turning off your lights might seem like a simple step to remember, but once you’ve got it drilled into your routine, it can save quite a bit each year. Perhaps also consider switching out any old bulbs you might have for LED. They have a higher up-front cost but use a lot less energy by keeping cool and last far longer than the average bulb.
Do not Overbear the Unit
Making a cup of tea after a long day at work? Unless you’re making them for other people as well, there’s no need to fill up the kettle to the brim. The water takes longer to boil, using more energy, and you’ll only need to re-boil it later anyway. Your washing machine and dishwasher, on the other hand, is a different story. Make sure you’re not overbearing the unit to breaking point, but load it up to the max to get the most out of each energy-draining wash cycle.
Invest in Modern Innovation
Consider renovating your home with modern innovation and efficient techniques used by new build properties from property investment companies such as RW Invest. By being smarter with fittings such as new double glazing, or state-of-the-art boilers that only provide hot water when necessary. Their properties all enjoy an A-C grade energy rating, something 98% of old buildings can’t manage. Another thing to invest in includes doorbell camera for indoor and outdoor from Vivint Smart Home.
Consider Switching Energy Supplier
Switching energy supplier can also be a great way of saving money each year, as much like phone and broadband contracts, there is often no reward for loyalty, and different companies regularly offer incentives to get you to go to them. Looking at one of the major price comparison sites is easy to do, and it only takes a few minutes to find out how much you could save. Most suppliers will now also allow you to leave 49 days ahead of your tariff date without an additional charge, meaning you can pretty much switch at any time.
Conclusion
Did you know paying your energy bills by direct debit each month is on average 7% cheaper? So it can save you that extra bit of cash to put towards something a little more exciting. Additionally, If you schedule your bills to go out at the same time as payday, it will get charges out of the way, allowing you to visualize the money you have and plan what you want to do with it. If you are going to try this method, however, make sure you send regular meter readings or invest in a smart meter, to avoid being hit by high estimated charges.
