With energy costs rising significantly in recent years, it is without question that we have all felt the pinch financially. Whilst it may seem like we are over the worst of it with a fall in the price cap coming in October, it is expected that this will rise again in January.

So whatever the situation ends up being, we have Winter coming up which is typically the most expensive time of the year for our energy bills as the weather draws in colder and we resort to putting the heating on, however reluctantly. That’s why I thought it would be really useful to look at some of the best ways to reduce our energy bills.

Switch suppliers

It has been a bit of a sparse landscape when looking at fixed deals recently, and E.On Next have come out of the woodworks as the first “big name” with a fixed deal that currently sits under the energy cap. This will be fixed above the cap from October though!

Personally, I would recommend checking whether you can lower your costs by moving to a different supplier though (even if a variable plan). They will all give you a rough quote to have a look at and compare against the others, or you could use a service like the Uswitch comparison here: https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/

We have recently moved from E.On Next to Octopus Energy due to the lower prices available, and it seems to have been worthwhile already. If you also end up making a move to Octopus, you can get your hands on £50 credit by signing up with my link here (thank you in advance!): https://share.octopus.energy/maize-hare-467

Quick Energy Saving Tips

• Turning off appliances at the wall socket can save an average £30 per year

• Turning your thermostat down by 1 degree, could see a saving of up to £80 per year

• Washing clothes at lower temperatures can save £5 per year (assuming 1 cycle per week)

• Try and reduce the amount of running water you use for washing up by using a washing up bowl

• Draught-proofing your house can save the warmth from escaping

• Avoid using appliances during peak times (6-9pm in the UK)