Saving energy at home

In recent years energy prices have fluctuated, but by following these simple tips we hope you can save money on your fuel bills and help the environment in the process.

Turn off appliances at the wall rather than leaving them on stand-by. Some electrical products use almost as much energy in this mode as they do when on, with around 6% of electrical usage in the home being appliances on stand-by
Mobile phone chargers are a big drain on electricity. When the phone isn’t charging, make sure you turn the charger off at the wall
Turning the thermostat down by just 1 degree can save you over £30 a year
Set your heating to turn off a little before you leave the house, and to turn on 30 minutes before your expected return
Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly
When making a cup of tea, only boil the water you will need
Use a lid on saucepans where possible as this contains the heat and cooks the food quicker
In summer, dry your clothes outside rather than using a tumble dryer
Bigger projects such as having a loft installation or double-glazing fitted can be cost effective after just a few years
Contact the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 for further free advice

Useful links

Being green in the kitchen
The UK still puts around half of its rubbish into landfills compared to some countries like Germany who only bury 1% of their waste. The kitchen is one area that can become more environmentally friendly.
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Making your household more 'green'
Despite our best intentions, we all sometimes go for the easy option and are not as environmentally friendly as we could be. When one person in a household is trying to make it more green, they have to work on everyone to break bad habits and encourage good ones.
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Home improvements
British homeowners are big spenders when it comes to improving their homes but hundreds of thousands of home improvement jobs are started with the best intentions, then left unfinished when DIY-ers get bored and lose interest, according to research by Saga Home Insurance.
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