Top Ten ways to keep your energy bills down this winter

ALMOST every household these days has central heating – so people never thought we would never go back to the days when the onset of winter meant piling on extra jumpers, putting extra blankets on the bed, sharing bathwater and digging out the hot water bottles.But huge rises in the cost of household energy has led to a newfound desire to conserve heat and revived the habits of the 1950s and 1960s, according to new research by Asda Money, who asked people what they did to keep their bills down.

1 Change to energy-saving light bulbs (51 per cent)

If you replace a traditional light bulb with an energy-saving light bulb, you can save around £3 per year, or around £55 over the life of the bulb.

2 Wearing extra clothing in the house (50 per cent)

Stands to reason, wrap up warm if you’re cold – however, too many layers and mobility can become a problem! If you’re being forced to pile on extra clothes at home you should think about whether you’re on the right energy tariff for your heating needs.

3 Add an extra blanket/duvet to your bed (40 per cent)

Simple yet effective, but it won’t equate to a warm house.

4 Having a hot water bottle (31 per cent)

Nothing quite like snuggling down in bed on a cold night with a hot water bottle, apart from when you wake up at in the middle of the night when it’s gone cold and clammy – not quite so cosy!

5 Adding loft insulation (25 per cent)

When it comes to insulation, there are three main types: loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and solid wall insulation. Improving insulation around your home can reduce Co2 emissions by more than two tonnes every year and can save more than £500 per year on energy bills if done correctly.

It makes a huge difference to the warmth of your home. However, to enjoy the maximum benefit, make sure it’s adequate. Experts recommend that it’s 270mm thick.

6 Restricting hot water use on baths and showers (24 per cent)

In fact, you don’t need to have cold showers to save money on energy. To conserve your hot water, you can repair leaks, install fixtures that automatically restrict usage, and install an energy-efficient dishwasher and washing machine which you can buy on the high
 street.

7 Switch energy suppliers

Energy bills remain one of the biggest worries for families, but British households could save up to £331 a year by switching suppliers – one of the simplest and the most effective way of saving money on energy bills. Asda is aiming to save Britain’s 26 million households millions of pounds with its Energy Compare and Save service which exposes the significant price differences that exist between gas and electricity suppliers and makes switching easier.

8 Using electrical appliances/power later in the evening to use cheaper tariff

If it suits your lifestyle, using the cheaper tariff at night could save you quite a lot. It works well if you can do your washing and tumble-drying at night, most of the big energy companies offer Economy 7 tariffs so you do benefit from a cheaper tariff at night. It’s worth noting that the cheap hours vary according to the company, as does the cost of the electricity.

9 None of these – I’d rather be warm in my home
(9 per cent)

Of course you would, but apparently most of our houses are too overly heated anyway, and turning the heating down by just one degree can save you money.

10 Sleeping in one room
(6 per cent)

It sounds cosy, but it’s perhaps not the most practical or effective way of saving money on energy. There are other, equally simple measure you can take such as switching to a cheaper energy tariff.

• Asda’s Energy Compare & Save service is available at http://money.asda.com/energy-comparison/