With energy prices on the rise, here are some top tips to help you reduce your electricty costs at home…

1. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Switching to energy-efficient bulbs is an easy way to save shed-loads of electricity. The traditional types known as incandescent bulbs – only convert 10% of the energy used to power them into light. The rest is lost as heat3! If you replaced all the bulbs in your home with LEDs, each year you could cut your carbon emissions by up to 65kg4, and your bills by 500€. That’s like planting a tree every 10 years. 

2.Turn off appliances on standby. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average UK household spends 50€ a year on appliances left on standby. This is because, when you leave devices like TVs or stereos on standby, rather than switching them off, they still use power. But there’s an easy solution turn them off at the mains when you’re not using them! 

3.Be more energy-efficient with your fridge and freezer. Clean the coils – it might not come top of the list of chores, but the coils at the back of your fridge get dirty over time. Wiping them clean can make a big difference in boosting the energy-efficiency of your fridge. According to the Consumer Energy Center, doing this could actually lower your fridge’s energy use by as much as 30%. Time to get scrubbing! 

4.Be more efficient when cooking. As you’d expect, if you spend less time cooking, you’ll use less energy. So it’s worth thinking about how you can change your cooking habits when you’re making dinner. Try making these small changes: Heat water in a kettle rather than on the hob. Keep pots and pans covered, so your water will boil faster. Don’t open the oven door more than you need to, as this will let unnecessary heat out. So check on your roast through the glass door instead! 

5.Wash your clothes on a lower temperature. Simply by moving down the dial on your washing machine, you can make huge energy savings. According to the Energy Saving Trust, washing your clothes at  30˚C will save you 40% of the energy used washing at higher temperatures.

6. Air dry your clothes. If you have a tumble dryer, it can be tempting to use it all the time. But on a sunny day, it’s always worth hanging up your clothes outside if you can. They’ll dry quicker, and it’ll save you money. 

7.Use natural light. It might seem obvious, but opening the curtains can help to cut down on electricity. Of course, solar power is an amazing way to generate electricity – but just by letting in more sunlight, we can cut back on how much we use our lights indoors. 8.Don’t overfill your kettle. If you’re making a cup of tea, only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need. This way, you won’t use any unnecessary energy boiling it, and your cuppa will be ready quicker. 

9.Take shorter showers. There’s nothing better than a long, relaxing shower. But if your shower is electric, or you have an electric boiler, they can notch up some serious additions to your electricity bill. Shower with your partner or have longer showers ant the weekend!

10. Time-based electricity rates. Time-based tariffs are another handy way to cut down your electricity bills. They have off-peak periods, where it’s cheaper to use electricity, so you can time when you use appliances, to save money