Saving Energy – Top tips for the New Year

Does the thought of an electricity or gas bill fill you with dread? Perhaps you avoid heating your home on a cold evening to save some money. We have pulled together some ideas that will help you save on your fuel and electricity bills and stretch your money a little further.

We will look at habits and best practices you can develop daily to help you make some immediate savings. 

Saving energy – in the kitchen 

• When making a cuppa, only put as much water in the kettle to make what you need. If you are making tea for one, there is no need to fill the kettle up. Try not to keep pressing the kettle switch back on. When the water boils, make the tea or the coffee.
  Bonus tip: some older kettles have a minimum of half a litre (500ml) level, which might be more than you need. If that’s the case, you can put the extra water in a thermos flask to keep for your next cup or cooking later. 
• Always put a lid on the pot when bringing water to a boil, as it will use less energy. The contents will come to the boil faster, and make sure to turn down the heat once the contents have come to the boil so that the heat doesn’t escape while the food is simmering. 
• Use the microwave instead of the oven to reheat food. The microwave is much more energy-efficient and takes a lot less time. 
• Use a basin instead of the sink when washing the dishes, as it requires less hot water and holds the water hotter for longer. 
• Wash full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Halfloads waste energy even if your machine has a half-load setting. 

Saving energy – around the house 

• Understand your heating system and its controls. Some houses will have ‘zones’, meaning you have greater control over how your home is heated. Understanding how the system works may result in more efficient use of heat. 
• If you don’t have zoned control of the heating in your house, then make sure to turn off the heating in the rooms you don’t use. Heating a room that nobody uses will result in waste. 
• Use a hot water bottle to heat the bed at colder times of the year.
• Keep your curtains closed at night to conserve heat. Doing this in empty rooms or rooms that you don’t use often will reduce the heating bill. 
• Invest in a lagging jacket for the hot water tank. This will help to keep the water hotter for longer.

Short showers & close the windows!

• Be sure to close the windows when the central heating is on. 
• Take shorter showers to save hot water. Having a shower instead of a bath will result in the use of less hot water.
• Dress for the weather. Just because we have central heating doesn’t mean we should walk around the house in short sleeves. Put on your jumper or cosy up with a blanket when watching TV or relaxing in the evenings with a good book. 
• Ensure curtains and furniture are not too close to the radiator. Furniture will block the radiators heating the room. Curtains will push the heat up and out through the window. 

Have you got some ideas?

These are just a few ideas, tips, and life hacks that will help to impact the cost of running your home positively. The best thing is that you can start them today. Do you have any ideas to share or great ideas to help reduce energy consumption? We’d love to hear them. Head over to our Facebook or Instagram  pages to share. 

Contact us

Increases in the cost of goods and services are having an impact on many people living in Ireland. This blog’s tips are suggestions to help you find better value and stretch your euro.

MABS advisers are here and ready to help you through the MABS 6-Step Money Advice Process. This process will help you maximise your income and tackle and prioritise debt and spending. Advisers can help you access social welfare entitlements and hardship funds to get you through.

You can contact your local office here, call the MABS Helpline on 0818 07 2000, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 8pm.

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