Saving money on energy bills
October 10, 2008
Over recent months the cost of heating has soared, and this is the result of energy companies hiking up the cost of energy usage twice since the start of this year. Households, many of which are already cash-strapped, have found that they can barely afford to make ends meet as a result of the various rises in bills and living costs. All of the major energy firms have now increased the cost of energy usage, and this move is set to plunge many people into fuel poverty.
There are, however, some steps that households can take in order to try and cut the cost of their household bills, and it is particularly important for households to try and take action now because the summer is pretty much over and the colder nights are set to draw in. For many people it will be necessary to try and cut the cost of energy usage and minimise on the financial damage that the price hikes have caused.
Although it can be expensive to get some energy saving works carried out in your home there are various grants available for some people, especially for the elderly or those on low incomes. It is worth finding out whether you are entitled to grants or assistance from the government or other sources, and this could prove even more likely in the near future due to different measures that the government is bringing in to help more vulnerable households to stay warm this winter.
In the meantime industry officials have suggested some simple yet very effective steps that could help to cut the cost of bills by reducing energy usage, and best of all these measures won’t cost households a thing. One suggestion is to delay putting the central heating back on if possible. A lot of people put their boilers back on in October regardless of the temperature, but unless it gets really cold try delaying this until the real cold weather comes along, as this could save nearly £20 a week in some cases.
If you do have to have the central heating on turn the temperature down, as a small drop in temperature can result in a lot of saved energy and money. Just 1-2 degrees lower on your temperature could mean savings of around 10% on your monthly bill. You also need to try and keep the heat in, so invest a few pounds in some draft excluders and sealant so that you can fill any gaps in window frames and under doors to stop the heat from escaping.
Of course there are other measures that do involve some cost for most people, such as replacing an old boiler with an energy efficient one, getting double glazing fitted, having the home insulated, etc. but whilst you are getting the money together to have work like this done you can make a start on saving energy with the measures outlined above.
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