Big Energy Saving Week: 9 Tips to Help you Save Money

December is usually an expensive time of year, but January can be a tough month too. School holidays over Christmas and New Year make for great memories at home with the kids, but can often lead to higher energy consumption and increased energy bills.

So you’ll be glad to hear that Big Energy Saving Week starts Monday 20th January. It's a national campaign run by Citizens Advice to help people cut their energy bills and make their homes more energy efficient.

And to support the campaign, here at B&M HQ we've put together our very own top energy saving tips. You may learn something new about ways you can save energy and money.

Change Tariff or Supplier

According to Ofgem, at least half of UK households are on old, poor value, default energy tariffs while 34% have never switched supplier.

Changing your supplier is often the simplest and quickest way of reducing your energy bills, especially if you’ve been automatically moved to a standard variable tariff. Use this simple energy comparison tool – it will tell you whether there’s a cheaper tariff available, or whether you can save money by switching supplier.

Check if You’re Eligible for Government Schemes

We all love a saving, and switching is a great way to become a savvy shopper. But some people still find themselves struggling to pay the bills, even on the cheapest tariffs. This is fuel poverty: when people don't heat their homes sufficiently because they can’t afford the bill.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a government led scheme. There are lots of schemes aimed at helping the people who need it most, whether it’s working with your supplier to ensure your boiler is energy efficient, to providing a one-off, tax-free sum to help pay your bills.

Whatever your circumstances, no one should live in fuel poverty. You can check your eligibility here:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/energy-company-obligation-eco

Did you know? 11% of households in England are estimated to be living in fuel poverty (Citizens Advice). If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, there are schemes available to help you, like the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

Ensure you Have a Smart Meter Installed

Smart meters are currently being rolled out across the UK, with the Government aiming to make them available to all households by 2020.

A smart meter measures your usage just like a traditional meter, except that rather than you having to take readings yourself, a smart meter sends this data automatically to your supplier. It also has a display which shows you your energy usage in real-time and how much this costs in pounds and pence.

Speak to your energy supplier to see if they’re available in your area!

Replace old Appliances with More Energy Efficient Ones

In most cases, the older your appliance the less energy efficient it will be. So when it comes to replacing washing machines and tumble dryers, make sure your new one has a good energy rating (A+++ being the most efficient, D being the least).

The purchase price of an appliance will tend to be higher the more energy efficient it is, but you’ll find a washing machine with at least an A rating will cost less to run over its lifespan compared to a D rating. So it’s worth considering overall running costs, not just the initial purchase price.

B&M Top Tip: there are multiple ways to heat a home. An electrical heater or radiator may be the best choice in your home, and B&M have a huge range of plug-in convector heaters and oil filled radiators to keep you toasty. Browse the range here!

Quick & Easy Changes to Your Home & Lifestyle

• Don’t leave appliances on standby – turn TVs, radios and computers off at the wall
• Fix any leaky taps! A drip may not seem like a lot, but over time can cost you bucket loads!
• Use draught excluders to keep cold air out and warm air in
• Use energy saving light bulbs – buy 2 packs from as little as £3.99 at B&M
• Insulate hot water tanks with an insulation jacket

Do you have any energy saving tips of your own? How do you keep your household bills down? Share your savvy secrets with the B&M Community on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.