With energy prices soaring, one thing you want to really check is how much you are paying in month for your energy bills. I own a three bed flat in Guildford, and at the moment I have four people living under that roof. Yet, I have managed to keep my utility bills under £35 a month, which I think is a great deal for the four of them. I used to pay more than this when only two of use where living in a smaller one bed flat. Below I will share how I do it so you can replicate at home.
Check and negotiate your utility bills
One thing I am always looking after is how much I pay each month on utilities. Be it the internet or the electric bill, if there is a discrepancy with the previous quarter, you can be sure I am on it. There are plenty of calculators online to help you make sure you are getting the very best deal on your utilities, and you just have to fill in a quick for with your postcode, provider, and average usage for the past few months to know whether you are on the best package or you are paying too much for the same service. Every few months, I input all the data into a calculator, then I try to find an energy package that allows me to switch without penalty, should a better deal come around. It only take a few minutes and you can save hundreds of pounds in a few clicks. You are getting the same service anyway. Moreover, a lot of companies will make switching a painless process for your and take care of everything. Usually, the best tariffs are to monthly direct debit customers, which makes things even easier as you don’t have to worry about deadlines and payments. The money comes out of your account in the form of a set payment, so you know exactly how much your utility bill is going to be for the next few months, then they take a meter reading and adjust your payment for the following few months.
Insulate your home
Insulating your home is another quick fix that can save you hundred over the course of a year. Your return on investment is much better than leaving your money on a savings account and letting those poorly insulated windows convert into a high electric bill every winter. Some energy companies will even diagnose your home and help you get the best insulation so you can lower your energy bill. Ideas include installing some Duette® blinds so you save on both your cooling and heating bills, installing some energy efficient windows or a better boiler. My house has most of those fixes, and I think our energy bill would be about twice as much if we hadn’t.
Cook smart
A lot of the money you spend on your energy bill comes from your fridge, oven and hobs. It is easy to save money on your bills by cooking efficiently. For example, instead of cooking for two every night, I would cook for 6-8 portions. You use the same amount of energy boiling water for a little bit of pasta as you would for 8 portions. Same goes for sauce, stews, and anything that can be frozen afterwards. So I would take a day a week to cook most of the food for the coming days, then let it cool down and freeze one meal portions to thaw on a busy night when I feel too lazy to cook. It also saves a lot of prep time, as you only need to chop and clean once. You also just get to open the fridge once to gather all the ingredients. And you save on ton of money on those lazy nights, since you have a meal all ready to warm up and eat instead of expensive take out.