Skint Family

We all know how much the cost of electricity, gas and water is increasing, yet many of us continue to consume the same amounts without counting the cost to our pocket or perhaps worse, the environment. Spending time thinking about what energy we need to use and how much we could save can make a great deal of difference to your budget each month even if you just make a few small changes.

1. Fix your energy costs

Register for a fixed gas & electricity tariff to ensure you get through the winter without any surprise fuel increases. Combination packages where both gas and electricity are supplied by the same company can also add to that saving.

2. Change your light bulbs

It’s an obvious one but replacing normal incandescent bulbs with energy saving bulbs translates into lower electricity costs. It’s amazing just how many people still use the old bulbs when they could be saving money now. Okay, so they cost a little more than normal bulbs but in some cases, they can last up to 40 times longer!

3. Invest in solar water heating panels

It doesn’t matter if you live in a country where the sun might not shine all the time, modern panels are designed to capture even the slightest of light and convert it to energy for heating hot water. The initial investment is the hardest part, but you will be immediately getting a return on that investment as soon as you turn on your tap.

4. Unplug things when you are not using them

It’s surprising how much electricity is wasted on mobile phone chargers and televisions that are not being used but are still using electricity. Get into the habit of doing this at night before you go to bed and you’ll soon start to see a reduction in your electricity bills.

5. Invest in solar electricity panels

Although a long term investment, you will see a return almost immediately by being able to reduce your electricity costs and in some cases, selling back electricity to the power companies giving you an income you can use to offset your initial investment. You could even use that income to pay for some hot water solar panels.

6. Go inclusive

Subscribe to an inclusive telephone call package where you can call for as long as you want and when you want – look at your previous bills to see what, where and how long you are calling to help identify the right package for your household.

7. Buy an energy monitor

These little gadgets attach to your electricity meter and let you see just how much electricity you are using and what it is costing you. When you start to add up the costs of leaving things plugged in!

8. Invest in a home heat exchange system

This ventilation system will collect and distribute the warm air from warmer rooms and distribute it evenly to the colder rooms and it costs practically nothing to run while distributing up to 70{72e0c183b76d00505acb80044d41bd8698312617fca09fccc14f01610a84d946} of the heat generated in just one room.

9. Share an internet connection

Share the cost of your internet connection with your neighbour – most wireless systems can transmit beyond the four walls of your house and you will both get the same service for half the price.

10. Downgrade your mobile phone package

When was the last time you looked at your mobile phone statement to see if you were using the full number of free minutes and texts? If you are paying for mobile internet connection and not using it more than a couple of times a month get rid of the extra cost now. Opting for a more flexible, monthly contract will also give you the freedom to decrease or increase each month.

11. Turn the thermostat down

Turn the heating thermostat down a couple of degrees – you will hardly notice this small change in temperature but you will notice the difference in the amount of money you are saving!

12. Check your refrigerator

Turn the refrigerator temperature down a couple of degrees in winter and increase again in summer – most people don’t realise that their refrigerator is actually set on average 10{72e0c183b76d00505acb80044d41bd8698312617fca09fccc14f01610a84d946} too high!

13. Wrap those pipes

If you find you have to run your cold water for a minute or so until it gets cold or equally, run the hot water until it runs hot, you might benefit from putting insulation around your water pipes. Most pipes run alongside each other and if you think about it, hot will make cold warm and vice-versa! Adding simple insulation to pipes will reduce the amount of water you need to run off before getting the right temperature. Equally, if you have hot water central heating and the pipes to the radiators run under floorboards, you can also insulate these to keep the hot water hotter for longer.

14. Fill up your attic and your walls

Adding loft insulation to your attic may sound expensive but it’s not and you will recover the cost over two winters. A lot of heat escapes through the roof of a house and the insulation can be completed in day! If your house has cavity walls, consider having cavity wall insulation injected into the cavities. Again, you’ll notice the difference almost immediately and your heating costs will be greatly reduced!

15. Let the breeze flow

If you are too warm in summer, open a window on one side of the house and another on the other side. Most houses will experience a nice draft of air through the house without the need for fans or expensive air conditioning.

16. Turn down/turn off individual radiators

Turn down/turn off radiators or storage heaters in rooms that are not being used all the time. Consider that in the evening when most heating systems are on, you will typically be using one room so why heat the whole house if you don’t need to? With a bit of thought, you can always turn bedroom radiators up ten minutes before going bed and down again in the morning. You might also consider buying heat reflective panels that can be placed between the radiator and the wall so that more heat is directed into the room.

17. Make use of any available heat

Why not drag out that old clothes airier and place that in front of a radiator or storage heater instead of automatically using the tumble dryer? If you alternate between this and the tumble dryer you’ll greatly reduce your electricity bill and save wear and tear on your appliances. (Do not place clothes in front of an incandescent heater or an open fire.)

18. Close internal doors

It’s amazing how much heat is lost through an open internal door and it’s even more amazing that we have stopped realising why they are there in the first place. If you want a room to heat quicker and retain that heat, keep that door shut!

Ahh! – The joy of giving, the joy of receiving and the pain of the credit card you have to pay off in a month’s time.

Everyone likes to receive a little present now and then but does it really have to break the bank every time we give? Does it really matter if the gift isn’t as new as it could be or that it might not be from the latest range?

When it comes to what the word present actually means, it’s time to re-think the joy of giving and get back to basics.

1. Buy second-hand toys and computer games

Simply clean them up and wrap them up in a different box. If the original packaging or instructions aren’t included, look on the internet and print them out. If your kids demand new stuff all the time, it’s down to you to remind them that once they open the box, the item’s no longer new.

2. Set a spending limit

Decide on a present spending limit for all presents given between adults or better still, make a declaration that you all are going to give a specified amount to charity instead. It’s amazing how inventive people become when budget is limited and it also adds to the fun of giving and receiving. Whether you give just a little or you give a lot, remember that charity helps someone.

3. Make presents instead

Try knitting something or painting a picture for someone and see how pleased they will be with their handmade present. Okay, it might be an odd shape or not as good as Monet but be sure that the recipient will treasure the gift more than you think.

4. Swap last year’s unwanted presents

Everyone has presents they don’t particularly like and swapping them for someone else’s gift may redress that problem.

5. Get baking

Make some delicious cupcakes or even a small fruit cake and customise with some inventive decorative ideas. People love these as more thought and effort has gone into the present and they cost very little to create.

6. Grow and give

Buy some cheap terracotta pots, some potting compost and a packet of seeds. Everyone likes a plant or a flower and if you’ve grown it yourself especially, the present has much more of an impact as growing something from scratch takes time.

7. Shop in advance at sales

Always have a look at shops with sale items in. If you have a birthday coming up in the near future you may just find the perfect present at a fraction of the price. Also, buying a present now to give to somebody later means you’re fully prepared when their birthday comes and prevents you having to rush round at the last minute.

8. Consider buying music marked as ‘used’

If you are thinking of buying a CD as a present for someone, buy a ‘used’ CD instead from a website like Amazon. You’ll find that you can sometimes save up to 70{72e0c183b76d00505acb80044d41bd8698312617fca09fccc14f01610a84d946} on the price. Items re-sold this way are generally in very good condition and the only thing different from buying a brand new version of the same thing is the plastic film (the annoying bit!) – Quite a difference in cost!

It’s said that there is really no place like home but it’s hardly ever said there’s no place like a home that costs you a little less each month either!

Considering how much time we actually spend in our homes sleeping, eating, entertaining ourselves – not to mention keeping ourselves warm or cool, how much effort do we really put into thinking about how we could be making considerable savings?

Given that home is our Oasis from the often difficult and tiring world outside, changing our little safe haven might not seem like an attractive option. However, a few simple changes (for the better) will make a huge difference and will mean that the money you save can be spent on something else to improve your time at home.

1. Find and fix draughty doors and windows

In early autumn, buy draught excluders and fit them to all entrance and internal doors. If you are unconvinced this will help, light a joss stick and hold it near the bottom of a door and see how the smoke is affected by the draught blowing in. The same can be done with windows. Sometimes, the gaps are relatively small, but they still let in the cold. You’ll notice it more when the wind is howling outside.

2. Change curtains to suit the season

Invest in thicker curtains for winter time and close them when it gets dark or the temperature drops. Change the curtains in summer for lighter fabric such as muslin to provide privacy as well as letting the air through while deflecting the sun’s glare. In winter, thicker curtains will make a massive difference to your own comfort and your heating bill.

3. Reduce washing machine usage

Only put the washing machine on when you have a full load ready for washing – less hot water is used in the process because the drum is fuller meaning less water needs to be heated. If you think about it, most of us have more than enough clothes to last out until the next wash so why not see if you can half the number of washes you do each week?

4. Choose a lower temperature washing program

Most washing powders and detergents now promise to get clothes clean at 30C or even less. By turning the temperature down on the washing machine it saves money on the bills. Most of the clothes we wash may be only lightly soiled so choosing a quick, low temperature wash will be more than adequate to ensure a clean set of clothes.

5. Fill up the dishwasher

Wait until the dishwasher is completely full before you put it on. Use an economy or lower temperature program if your dishes are not heavily soiled and you’ll save plenty!

6. Change the program on your tumble dryer

When tumble drying clothes, tumble them on the iron program. Clothes will feel slightly damp but this is the point when you should iron them. Ironing them damp will not only reduce the drying time spent but also the effort needed to iron them and in turn, reduce the amount of electricity you will need trying to remove dried-in creases!

7. Put on extra layers of clothing

Unless you live in the tropics, consider putting on a sweater when you are in the house and then turn the heating down a couple of degrees. Simple changes like wearing slippers or adding an extra blanket to your bed help keep you warmer and the heating bills lower.

8. Keep your freezer full

Most modern freezers are ‘frost free’ but did you know that keeping your freezer full reduced the amount of space that needs to be cooled? Try to keep your freezer fully stocked with food or fill the space with empty plastic food storage boxes instead. If you have an older freezer, keeping the thing full will also help prevent it becoming frosted up.

9. Take a shower instead of a bath

Take a shower instead of a bath – ¼ of the water, ¼ of the electricity too, not to mention that you don’t have to clean the bath out afterwards! If you really want to save money, set a timer to two minutes and stick to it every time you shower.

10. Let nature cool you

Rather than switching on the air conditioning or an electric fan, open the windows on opposite sides of the house. Most buildings cause some sort of air disturbance and this means if you create a ‘channel’ through which the air can pass it will cool down your rooms without wasting electricity. Even on days when the air is still, there’s always some air flow.

11. Learn how to use your refrigerator correctly

Most modern refrigerators are ‘zoned’ into different cooling areas and by placing the correct food items within those zones will make the most out of the space. You should be able to reduce the cooling temperature a little – again, reducing electricity consumption.

12. Fill the oven before you fill your plates

If you are cooking a roast or something that uses the whole oven for just one dish, consider putting vegetables into a lidded container to cook in the oven too, rather than putting them on the hob. Why heat an empty space?