Big Energy Saving Week: Save up to £1,500 per year
It has been a bitterly cold start to the year. With millions of Brits across the country still working remotely or in a hybrid working arrangement, much more of our time is being spent in the comfort of our own home.
Although this can be bliss in many ways – let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like being in your own space – it can also mean higher energy bills. With more cups of tea being made at home, kettles are boiling constantly, laptops and phones are being charged and you may even put the heating on when it gets nippy.
According to analysis from Uswitch, those working from home use 25% more electricity and a staggering 75% more gas than those who work in the office five days a week. Thus, energy bills are much higher for those working remotely.
It is Big Energy Saving Week, meaning there is no better time to find new ways to save. With 63 million adults reporting an increase in living costs in the last few months, here are some nifty ways to save yourself some money when working from home.
Don’t leave appliances on standby
Letting your laptop or PC enter standby mode at the end of your working day is no equivalent to turning off your electricals at the plug. Turn off all your equipment, looking for lights indicating something may still be running.
Although laptops and computers may look as if they are off whilst on standby, they are continuing to use energy. According to British Gas, turning off appliances at the plug and closing everything down properly can save you £147 a year.
Turn off the lights
It may seem obvious, but turning off lights can make a huge difference in your home. Understandably, as we navigate through darker and longer days, with gloomy mornings galore, the lights may be one of the first things to be turned on.
As the day gets lighter, make a mental note to turn off your lights as soon as you can, using natural light where possible. Lighting our homes makes up 10-15% of our annual energy bills. Turning lights off by midday, or when you leave the room, could save you £25 per year.
Fill a flask
It is no secret the British love a good cuppa. Working from home means more tea, coffee and hot chocolate, particularly in the chillier months. Boiling a full kettle costs 8 pence per time. This may not seem too much, but if you are a regular tea or coffee drinker, the pennies can add up.
Instead of boiling a kettle of water every time you want a brew, fill the kettle up once, boil it, and pop it into a flask. This will keep the water warm until your next drink. This could save you up to £329 per year!
Smart food swaps
More time at home may mean an increased food bill. Lunches and snacks throughout the day may cost you more than you think, pushing your supermarket spend up. A great way to save on your food shopping is by ‘downshifting’.
Downshifting is making smart food swaps from premium to supermarket own brands whenever possible. This can save you hundreds on your bills, and the taste of many own-brand foods are identical to that of your favourite premium brands.
In fact, this could save you 30% every time you go shopping. This could be thousands of pounds over the course of a year.
Turn off the TV
If you work from your living room, you may well pop the television on during your working day. Whether you watch it or use it as background noise, it could be costing you more money than it is worth.
Televisions can be power hungry, so it is worth noting some ways to save. As previously mentioned, ensure your TV is turned off at the plug when not in use. According to Utilita, leaving your TV on standby could cost up to 28p per hour!
Instead of having the television on whilst you work, listen to the radio, music or a podcast. If you like to have the telly on, reduce the brightness of the screen to reduce power consumption. Give it a go for Big Energy Saving Week!
Have a move around
Did you know, moving your sofa just six inches away from your radiator could save you £125 per year? This is because sofas and other bulky furniture will absorb much of the heat emitted from your radiators.
This means your home will take longer to heat, and subsequently you may choose to leave the heating on for longer periods of time. This adds to your energy bill. So, it’s worth considering the placement of your furniture within your home to ensure maximum energy efficiency.
