How to cut energy costs 10 ways to save cash on energy
Cut what you spend on energy
Our experts' top tips on making your home more efficient to save you money on your gas and electricity bills this winter.
Replace light bulbs: save £45
Replacing all of your old light bulbs with Best Buy energy-saving light bulbs could trim £45 a year from the average electricity bill.
Read our light bulb reviews to find out which bulbs we rate Best Buys.
Already use energy-saving bulbs? Remember to switch off lights when not in use, and use the best bulb for the size of room or the job it will do.
Cut draughts: save £25
Stop heat escaping around draughty window and door frames, pipes and loft hatches.
Draught-excluder strips and expanding foam fillers aren’t expensive, and could help you save around £25 a year on your energy bill.
Already repaired draughty windows and doors? Fill any gaps around skirting boards and floorboards too and you could save another £20 a year.
Switch energy supplier
If you haven't switched your energy supplier in the last three years, there’s a good chance you could save money.
Which? and 38 Degrees are offering you the chance to be part of a UK first – using collective power to get a market-leading energy deal – in The Big Switch. Join before the 31 March 2012 to get cheaper bills.
Already switched supplier? Make sure you're on the cheapest tariff. The biggest savings are for paying by monthly direct debit, online tariffs managed on the internet, or duel fuel deals, so make sure you take advantage of these options if you can. Find out more about getting the best deal from your supplier.
Free energy help: save £250
The Energy Saving Trust has a free home energy check that will help you find out where to make energy-efficiency improvements and how much you might save.
It estimates some households could save £250 by following its personalised advice.
Insulate your loft: save up to £175
Laying loft insulation to a thickness of 270mm in a typical non-insulated three-bedroomed semi could trim £175 a year from energy bills, as less heat will be lost through the roof.
Installation costs between £50 and £350, so the work should pay for itself in two years.
Read our full loft insulation guide for insulation tips and advice.
Already installed loft insulation? Even if you already have some insulation you could save £25 a year by topping it up from 100mm to the recommended 270mm.
Choose cheaper-to-run gadgets: save up to £84
If you're replacing an appliance, you can cut your electricity bills by choosing the most energy-efficient model you can. Which? reveals the annual energy costs for all the large appliances and TVs we test - just check the specification tabs of each of our product reviews to see how much you'll be splashing out on electricity to run each product.
Choosing the most energy-efficient models can result in annual savings of £37 for washing machines, £84 for a tumble dryers and £75 for a fridge-freezers.Find our more about cheap-to-run appliances.
Already have an energy-saving appliance? Check out our energy-saving tumble dryer tips for more ways to cut energy costs.
Turn down your thermostat - save 10%
Reducing room temperatures about just 1ºC can cut heating bills by 10%, so put on a jumper rather than turning up the heating.
Already turned down your thermostat? Save even more by turning down the radiators in rarely-used or empty rooms.
Check if you're eligible for free cash - save £££s
Half-price cavity wall insulation, money towards installing solar panels and grants for buying a new boiler are just some of the schemes currently on offer to help you save money on energy, for less.
Find out what you could be eligible for in our energy grant guide.
Only the very best energy monitors can be Best Buys
Get an energy monitor
An energy monitor is a simple handheld gadget that estimates in real time how much energy you're using, so you can see where to cut back.
Monitors cost from around £40, but some gas and electricity suppliers give them away free. Read our energy monitor reviews to choose the best energy monitor for you.
Already got an energy monitor? We reveal our expert tips for getting the most out of your energy monitor.
Get a new boiler: save £225 a year
Replacing an old gas boiler with a new condensing model could trim an average of £225 a year from your gas bill.
A new boiler is expensive, with installation costing around £3000, so if saving money is your priority it’s probably not worth replacing yours until it’s beyond economic repair.
For detailed information on the savings you could make by replacing different types of boilers, read our guide to boiler efficiency.
Already replaced your boiler? Make sure you're using it efficiently. Ensure radiators are working properly and you are using the boiler programmer so the heating only comes on when you need it.
- Read our full guide to saving electricity
- Why energy tariffs need to be simpler - and how you can help
- Sign up to The Big Switch and get the best energy deal
