6 Ways to Save Money on Household Bills
Household bills are the bain of everyone’s lives, but, sadly, there’s just no getting around them. However, there are ways to reduce them though.
Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you to stop watching TV and start eating cold tins of beans forevermore. But, if you follow these 6 simple tips, hopefully, you’ll see a big difference in your overall bills.
1. Use power timers
If you’re not confident you’ll remember to unplug your devices and you use power strips, another option could be a power timer. Basically, this just automatically turns your power strip off and blocks the phantom charge from whichever device(s) it’s connected to. These are also a good option when it comes to your heating and can save you a lot of your heating bills.
2. Plan your meals in advance
So you can defrost anything you need overnight or during the day. This can half your cooking time, eliminate the need to defrost it in the microwave and save a whole load of money. Your shopping bills will be a lot cheaper too as you will only be buying your necessities rather than impulse buying.
3. Switch providers
Whether it’s for gas, electricity, broadband or water, don’t get complacent; your current provider isn’t necessarily the best or cheapest. Shop around, compare quotes and see if there’s a better deal to be had elsewhere. Don’t be put off by the smaller suppliers either. Tip: when you’re shopping around remember to use comparison sites and go directly to providers.
4. Get dimmer switches
They let you set how bright you want your lighting and cut the amount of electricity used. For example, if you’re eating your dinner on the sofa you probably want the lighting on full pelt so you can see your food, but if you’re winding down to a film you might only need it on quite dim. Also, be sure to update your lightbulbs as older bulbs are less efficient and use up more energy.
5. Unplug unused devices
iPhone, tablet or laptop chargers are the most common culprits for this one, but, did you know, they can be drawing a small amount of electricity even when your device isn’t charging? It’s what some call phantom charge. It might not be much for just one device, but when you count up how many are in your house and then multiply that by how many hours they’re plugged in for (which, for a lot of people, is 24/7) it can soon add up.
6. Change the way you pay
If you’re not already, update your payment type to direct debit. It usually works out cheaper and also removes the worry of missing a payment – which can play havoc with your credit score.
Thoughts?
Trying a few of these strategies could lead to huge savings down the road. Meanwhile, trying all of them could literally transform your financial future – one pound at a time.