Save money with good energy habits

If you are anything like me, you are always looking for ways to save a little bit of money. This has become even more important now that I am a full time student, and we have been looking for ways to cut back on all our daily living expenses – water, food, insurance and energy – every little helps! 

Energy bills are often one of the biggest expenses after mortgage and food, so it’s a really good place to start when looking for ways to save cash. There are some really simple changes you can make that would make a real difference.

• Shut doors and close curtains in the evening. This helps to retain heat inside the rooms, meaning that you can use less heating. 
• Turn down your thermostat. Turning this down by just 1 degree can save you money every winter. You really won’t notice that small temperature change, but you definitely will notice the extra money in your pocket!
• Batch cook. Not only does this save time and stress at the end of a busy day, it saves energy too. Spend a few hours at the weekend preparing and baking for the week ahead. When you come home at the end of the day you can simply microwave most things, saving the energy used by heating a whole oven.
• Keep the fridge stocked. A full fridge/freezer works more efficiently than an empty one. 
• Make use of the sunshine and line dry your clothes. Tumble drying uses a lot of energy, so avoid it where you can. Even when it’s not super sunny, the breeze will dry your clothes pretty quickly. In wet weather, use a clothes airer inside. 
• Don’t use standby. It’s such an obvious one, but one we all forget! Unplug anything you aren’t using, and don’t leave TVs and computers on standby. 
• Turn off the lights. When you leave a room, turn off the light. Get the kids into the habit of doing the same, and it will soon become routine. 
• Consider cavity wall insulation, loft insulation or solar panels. There are some amazing energy savings to be had here, so do some research. 
• Take the first step to making your home energy efficient and working for you. Installing smart meters is one of the best ways to keep track of the energy you use in pounds and pence – so it’s easy to understand, and they automatically send your meter readings so you don’t have to. British Gas Smart Meter credit customers have access to an online tool which gives you more tips on saving energy – and money – and gives you an estimated energy use for common activities such as cooking a Sunday roast. 

Making some small changes to your daily habits and routine can save a decent amount of money each year, which can be put towards anything you like! If I can save a bit of money on my energy bills this year, I would love to take the kids out to the zoo for the day. What would you do with any money you saved?

This post is in association with British Gas, but all thoughts are my own.