Over Christmas, with people staying, we may have gone off the rails a little, but now that the New Year has arrived we have refocused again and are keeping an eye on our energy consumption.
The main changes I have made since having a smart meter installed are:
- Only heating the room that I am in (rather than the whole house.)
- Not filling the kettle to the brim when I'm only having one cup of tea (or coffee!)
- Turning the lights off when we aren't in a room.
We are yet to receive our first Smart Enegry Report. It will look something like this.
You can watch the video telling you more about the Smart Energy reports below, but in essence they provide insights on how you use energy in your house as well as providing you with tips on how to save energy.
I am particularly interested to see how we compare on energy consumption with similar households in our area.
If you are an existing British Gas customer you can register your interest in receiving a free smart meter upgrade.
British Gas have given me a Kodak easyshare sport camera to giveaway to one of my readers! All you have to do is to complete the rafflecopter below. The only mandatory option is to comment with your best energy saving tip. Please see the terms and conditions - UK entrants only. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't forget I also have a giveaway running to win a junior sleeping bag from sleeping bags outlet.
We were already British Gas customers, so the smart meter installation was free of charge, but I have been compensated for writing this post to raise awareness of their scheme
Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com
596 comments:
1 – 200 of 596 Newer› Newest»Do not leave electrical appliances on "stand-by"!
turn your heating down a notch
boiling the kettle too mich
Swap all your light bulbs for LED ones - save a fortune in electricity!
dry your clothes on the radiators, make use of them while you are using the heating anyway, also use draught exluders around doors xxx
Dryers uses a MASSIVE amount of electricity so get rid of and use a washing line or horse!
Wear a jumper rather than turn on the heating.
My biggest sin is leaving lights on in rooms when they're unoccupied!
My energy saving tip is turn the heating down a few degrees and do the housework in the style of a west end musical - it certainly warms you up.Recommend doing when no one else is in though..and probably best to shut the curtains which in itself will help keep the heat in!
Only put the heating on when it is really cold, keep an eye on the thermostat, and wear extra jumpers!
Turn heating down. Don't have windows when the heating is on! Don't leave the fridge door open. Turn lights off when you're not in the room. Use candles at night?!
don't use your dryer if you don't need too, as it uses alot of energy. We dry our clothes next to the radiator if it's on, works really well
only put the heating on when u need it, don't leave it on while you're out.
Never leave anything, IE T.V, on standby, a great saving has been made, to our bills, since my daughter God bless, left home!
Buy a halogen oven It can roast a chicken in 30 minutes. A halogen
oven uses 75% less electricity than a conventional electric oven. When you
combine this lower use of power with the 50% faster cooking time you are
can see a big reduction in your electricity bill.
switch to led lights massive savings and no long charge times on switch on
Turn the thermostat down on your water :)
use a blanket if you are cold, if you are still cold, turn on the heating
Turn the heating down a little
if its just me at home i turn the heating off and use a blanket.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room
Use a flask,great for the older generation,saves on energy,and gives you a hot drink in the comfort of your bedroom.
Turn off all lights and switch things off when you are the last person to leave a room!
Don't forget to turn off your electric blanket when you get up.
use a remoska for cooking (similar to halogen oven)
Wear warm clothes and get draft excluders
Always wear warm clothes indoors.
Close the curtains as soon as it starts to get dark outside (including door curtains if you have them).
Use a mini water bottle of water in your loo tank, the flush will use less water,.
Just heat the main room you spend most time in. Insulate any areas of the room that heat can escape from (close curtains, draft excluders on door bottoms)...make sure the doors are opened and closed quickly to avoid heat loss!
Wear warm clothes indoors. Then you can turn the heating down a notch
Always wear plenty of clothes so you don't turn up your heating! Sleep with two duvets (really snug!) and have a blanket in your sitting room/kitchen for when your watching TV.
Put jumpers on, instead of turning on the heating. Hot water bottles are also a good alternative.
Only boil the water you need in the kettle
When cooking, bulk cook. It saves the energy of the oven being heated up, and your freezer uses less energy when that's full of meals too. Turn the oven off early when cooking, as the oven will hold the heat, and then leave the door open when you're finished with the oven heat will warm the kitchen so hopefully you could turn thermostat down too.
Don't leave chargers plugged in when they're not in use, some of them use almost as much energy as when they are chargning
Only use what you need
Use timers on heating and leave the door open on the oven after you've used it to get a bit of extra heat!
Turn the thermostat down one notch
put small brick in toilet cistern...uses less water when flushing
put an extra layer of clothing on instead of turning up the heating
Put your washing on the line (yes even in the winter, it will dry most of the time)
Use a Slow Cooker, will also save you cost on Meat as you will get away with cheaper cuts.
Use low energy LED bulbs they are more efficient than normal energy saving oned
Mine it to avoid leaving things on standby!
turning off everything at the plug when going to bed and not leaving them on standby!
Use the convection oven option on your microwave when cooking small amounts of food. It save s heating the main oven and you can control the heat and time accurately. I also put the food in as it is warming up to use every bit of heat.
turning off sockets when not used
only boil enough water in the kettle that you will use straight away and when you buy new electric stuff buy an energy efficient one
turn lights off- I always forget
don't leave anything on standby
never leave your moblie charger plugged in
Shut the doors in your house - keep the heat in
dont leave electrics on standby
Pull your curtains before dusk to avoid losing heat as the outside temperature drops.
Hazel Rea - @beachrambler
Do not fill the kettle up only use the amount you need
foil behind the radiators
turn off lights
Use draught excluders if your doors and windows don't seal properly
Turn off lights when not in room and use lamps instead of main lights where possible
Use a energy saving monitor, It really makes you think!
Keep the freezer full as it will use less energy. Also keep the dorr to the fridge & freezer shut ie Don't leave it open while pouring milk etc as you will be putting it back in a minute. The cold is escaping all the time the door is open meaning it will use more power.
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you actually need.
turn off lights when they're not necessary ;)
instead of turning the heat up of a night use a good old fashioned hot water bottle in bed x
make sure your loft is well insulated, saves loads on heating bills
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you actually need.
Wear a good thick jumper in the house and don't have the heating on so high.
dont leave tap running while brushing your teeth
only fill the kettle with as much water as you need, we have been doing this as we gave the kettle on all the time.
Make sure that you switch all appliances off on the wall not just leave them on standby
Turn of all the appliances before you go to sleep
Switch all the lights off :)
Carsharing with colleagues to work! We all take it in turns to drive and it works out perfectly.
turn the heating down by just 1 degree - makes a big difference
my hubby has put kitchen foil behind all our radiators to reflect the heat back into the room x
Use energy saving light bulbs - they are brighter and last longer
Put an extra layer of clothes on instead of putting the heating on :)
Loads of insulation in the loft
Wear extra layers and have a blanket for when sitting on the sofa rather than have the heating on for longer.
turn lights off when leaving room
never leave things on standby
don't leave things on stand by
Insulation of your loft and walls now will save on energy bills in the future.
To close the doors to toeep the heat in.
close all curtain at dusk
turn switches off when not in use
Put on an extra layer of clothing and turn down the heating a couple of degrees.
Make sure all appliances which are not in use to be turned off by the mains - this does truly save
Don't leave items on standby
Turn things off at the mains
Chuck a jumper on rather than turning the heating up
Only boil the water you need in the kettle, most people put far too much in.
Turn everything off at the wall
Turn off the lights
this is great
Spin dry clothes before putting them in tumble dryer and keep that lint filter lint-free!
Turn appliances off at the wall when not in use
Turn the lights off
Compare the energy usage of products before you buy.
Always turn lights off when not using a room
Don't leave items on standby
Turn things off at the wall x
Turn off the lights
Turn items off at the plug and don't leave them on standby
leave heating on a low constant setting in the winter, rather than turning it up high then low again.
don't leave electrical items on standby
Turn you shower down a fraction. You'll save a bit because of the temperature, but also you'll be encouraged to get out quicker!
Forget items on standby and focus on the the high energy equipment like turning down the heating
peg washing outside and do not use a tumble dryer
Put extra clothes on rather than putting the heating on.
Turn off and unplug appliences when not in use
turn the lights off when you leave the room
Leave your boiler on constant and adjust the temp as needed, turn down low when not in.
Turn the heating down by one degree and make sure all windows and doors are draft-proofed
Turn PC's off, rather than leaving them on standby.
turn the heating down a bit
Turn off lights as you leave the room
Only heat the rooms that will actually be used rather than turn the heating on everywhere.
Turn the TV set off instead of leaving on standby
Dont put large items of furniture in front of radiators as the furniture takes the heat instead of putting it into the room. Also have thick curtains and close them after sun goes to keep hint inside
Unplugging electrical appliances after use.
Pop on an extra jumper and thick pair of socks rather than turning up the heating
Unplugging electrical appliances after use
turn of tv at the wall
Don't have anything on stand by. Turn off switches when not being used.
use timers on electrical appliances
I usually have a cold and fast shower to save on bills :D
Use energy saving light bulbs.
have the heating on timed, unplug electrical items that are not being used turn off phone chargers thats are not being used, limit TV time and spend some time playing board games cards or reading, wear a dressing gown and socks with your pjs to keep you warm and use the age old mans brilliant invention of hot water bottles to heat up your bed, use the radiators and/or clothes airer to dry clothes instead of using the dryer
Not leaving things on standby and chargers plugged in
Don't just switch off, unplug. Have heating on a constant super low setting, rather that on and off. Dont' fill up the kettle.
When you do a wardrobe sort out, you often find you have a collection of jumpers and towels that are too raggy for the charity shop. Unscrew the side of the bath, back them around the bathtub and screw the side back on.
It acts as insulation for the bathtub and keeps your water lovely and hot. You don't need to top up the water - which saves energy - and so you feel a little less guilty about having the occasional soak! Just make sure you check them periodically to make sure there are no leaks.
If you have a pond in a garden, turn the filter off for a night - it's real energy eater!
Only put the amount of water in the kettle that you intend to use - save water and energy!
Share a bath or shower with your OH.
Installing loft insulation is my top energy saving tip; it's surprising how much heat you lose through your roof.
turning lights off
I always switch my oven off about 5-10 mins before food is ready to come out. The oven doesn't cool down very quickly, food is still cooking and I can save energy every time I use it.
Turn the oven off earlier than you normally would as it will still cook for a while longer
Make sure nothing is left on standby. Switch everything off at the sockets.
Turn heating down by 1°C.
Don't leave anything on standby,turn everything off properly.
The good old fashioned draft excluder, the double ones in particular as they allow you to open the door and give better protection against cold.
i dont leave the electrical machine standby
Don't put the heating on unless you really NEED it.
I use a thermal slow cooker - saves a fortune :)
leaving the heating on very low so the house doesn't get freezing, then you don't have to whack the heating up full letting it get too warm
Turn off radiators in the rooms you dont use much
when you boil a kettle, boil a full kettle and then fill a thermos flask - the kettle will not need to be boiled again.
use an electric blanket instead of heating the whole bedroom
Wear more layers and turn down the heat
Wash everything on a cold water wash, it comes out just as clean!
When showering turn off the shower in between soaping and the final rinse. Not only saves energy but water too.
Always use a full load in a washing machine
Only boil the amount of water you need in the kettle
Leave the oven door open when you've finished using it to let the heat out
Turn things off at the plug when you are done using them.
Turn off lights
We do loads of energy saving as our budget is tight! We heat the room we're in and wear extra jumpers rather than having the heating on constantly. My wardrobe is full of huge jumpers!
Turn lighting off when not in use
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need
I only keep lights on where needed and keep a bottle of tap water next to the kettle so it's only ever filled to minimum
Put on an extra layer before turning up the heating
turn the heating off for a couple of hours and put a bigger jumper on
Turn the thermostat down a couple of degree, you will barely notice but will save energy. Also make sure you turn radiators off in any rooms you don't use. Turn lights off as you leave a room. use only the amount of water you need in the kettle.
Let Laptops run from battery when able, they use almost as much power as a PC when plugged in all the time.
Switch lights off in unused rooms
Make sure that you only do washing when there is enough for a full load, and I only use the dishwasher at weekends!
If you have a wood stove or fireplace, use it! It saves us so much on our heating bill each year.
Live in a flat above people who feel the cold - haven't put the heating on all year!
Try layering up rather than turning the heating up.
take a hot water bottle to bed
Wear thermal underwear and socks under your clothes and you can quite easily turn the thermostat down or even off if you snuggle under a fleece throw as well, which could save you a lot of money on your bills throughout the year.
Use a thick ton duvet! No need for heating.
No extra washing.
No excess water running while using kettle, brushing teeth etc.
Turn the thermostat down a couple of degree and where an extra layer
I'm going to invest in little brushes that you install under the door handle to stop the draught whistling through the keyhole.
keep warm. blankets, more clothes in order to save on heating
Thanks for this! we're with BG so I'll look into the smart meters. My tip is a hot water bottle! In bed or just on the sofa watching the telly, saves turning the heating up.
Put a jumper on before turning the heating on - if you want to sit around in t-shirts in winter then expect big bills ;o)
only fill the kettle with enough water for what you need
only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need
Turn the light off when not in the room and if it's not needed, extra layers instead of turning the heating up and use energy saving lightbulbs :)
Invest in extra duvets and hot water bottles to save on heating at night And don't forget to let the man of the house get up first in the morning to turn it back on :)
Unplug things at the wall
jumpers or cardies on if you feel the cold - heating on only if still cold (most of the time in this house nobody is still cold!)
turn off radiators in rooms that aren't used often
Do not leave things on standby
I have changed all of my bulbs to low energy ones.
Don't leave things on standby
put on a jumper rather than turing the heating up
Turn the lights off when you aren't in the room.
i taught my daughter that running round turning all the lights off is a great game :)
Turn heating down by 1 degree, you won't notice
I light up my log fire, looks great as well
having ocd (checkers) im always turning things off when i finish with them. saves loads
Turn the lights off when you aren't in the room but only if you are not coming back shortly, otherwise it won't be saving.
Of an evening I watch TV upstairs so I can get under the duvet which means I don't have to put the heating on very much!
I always open the oven door once dinner has finished cooking, to let the heat escape into the house. It might not do a lot, but it's wasted if the oven just cools down without helping to heat the house just a little!
invest in making your home more energy-efficient, insulate walls and loft.
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