Are you aware of what is eating up your electricity?😲
Would you like some tips to help you save on your bills?
Then take a read of this article. 🧐
The cost of living crisis is very real and is threatening to be an extremely difficult and worrying time for many. We are keen to do all we can to support our tenants and landlords. Here we go though some of the most commonly used appliances to help you get a grasp of what is eating up your electricity and ideas of how to save.
The following costings are provided by Uswitch with all prices rounded to the nearest pence. Exact costs are not the same for everyone, as what you pay for electricity will depend on your tariff and also how large and efficient your appliance is, but this does give you a good idea. It is also the time for me to ask Have you checked you are on the best deal for you?
Lets take a closer look 🧐 …………….
IN THE KITCHEN
A kitchen is where typically the most energy is used, but the great news is there’s a whole host of measures you can take to limit the amount of energy you use when cooking.
Oven (2kW) – using for 1 hour currently costs 57p – but this will rise to roughly £1.04 in October under the new price cap.
TIP 💁♀️- We need to use our appliances less, so I am now batch cooking when I can. I’m using the oven less and putting more in my pans! The freezer has to stay on anyway so why not cook meals together and freeze the. You may find it needs a little more organisation at first but actually saves time & money as you don’t have to cook every day….which I really like 😉
Slow cooker (0.32kW) – using a slow cooker for 8 hours costs around 73p – rising to £1.33 in October ….but this is a heck of a lot cheaper than using an oven and if you want your food cooking while you are out or getting on with other things.
So perhaps now is time to try a new way to cook & there are no shortage of tasty recipes you can try. I’ve found some delicious and simple ones on here Easy slow cooker recipes – BBC Food
Microwave (1kW) – using for 10 minutes currently costs around 5p – but this will rise to roughly 9p
TIP 💁♀️- It may be worth investing in a multi-use microwave. This is generally the most efficient way to heat up and cook food. It’s quicker because it reaches higher temperatures, and its smaller size means its heat is more directly focused on the food.
Air Fryers
These have shot to popularity recently- but do you know how much it costs to run one? You can buy them pretty cheap and they take up less space than an oven. Experts at Uswitch estimate using an average air fryer for 15 minutes costs around 10p under the current price cap. They can be more cost effective than an oven as it can take 20 minutes to get your oven up to temperature, but most air fryers will be ready in just 3minutes. Plus, the cooking time in an air fryer is usually shorter because the area is smaller, so heats up more quickly.
Washing machine (0.712kw per cycle) – one washing machine cycle currently costs 20p – but this will rise to 37p
TIP 💁♀️- Do Less Laundry- It saves water, time and energy. On average one wash uses between 30 and 70 litres of water. If you are anything like me I hate leaving the laundry to pile up, especially with my child uniforms filthy every day! But most items can be worn more than once before a wash is needed (except sweaty gym clothes!) ….ask yourself does it really need a washing machine clean or can I just give it a sponge wipe?
Use Quick Wash – make use of the minute quick wash feature to reduce wash time (if it’s available in your washing machine and they do vary- mine is 20mins) .
TIP 💁♀️ Timing Is Everything– Run your machines late at night or early in the morning. It’s worth knowing that energy prices can be at their lowest between 10pm & 5am. If your house comes in an area where there is a TOU (Time Of Use) plan then check the time when the electricity tariff rates are minimum and do your washing during that time. However, make sure you follow fire safety guidance and never put a load on then head to bed for the night. For more laundry energy saving take a quick read of a previous BLOG Ways To Save On Your Energy Bills – Northwich (belvoir.co.uk)
Tumble dryer (1.14kW per cycle) – one tumble dry cycle currently costs 32 p – but this will rise to 59p
Why not try a Heated Airer. Ours has been ana amazing saver for us . They cost just pennies an hour to run & much kinder to clothes than tumble drying, efficient & neater than laying laundry all over your radiators…not too mention you cant shrink things by accident….or is that just me!
Kettle (3kW) – using a kettle for 3 minutes costs roughly 4p to run – but this will rise to 8p
TIP 💁♀️- make sure if you are only having one drink you do not boil more water than you need. This could save £11 a year on your electricity bills. Seems obvious but I bet you have done it, I know I have!
Coffee maker (1.25kW) – using a coffee machine for 10 minutes costs roughly 6p – but this will rise to 11 p Maybe you could choose the kettle over the coffee maker a little more if you have one…its these small swaps that can make a difference over time.
LIVING ROOM
This is where you maybe spend most of your time at home, so there’s a lot you need to be aware of when it comes to limiting our energy usage, but there is a great deal you can easily do.
Uswitch website give some great tips on how to save money on using your tv alone 102 energy saving tips for your home (uswitch.com)
Television (0.091kW) – using the TV for 1 hour costs around 3p – but this will rise to 5p
Laptop (0.1kW) – having your laptop plugged in on charge for 1 hour costs around 3p – but this will rise to 5p in October under the new price cap.
TIP 💁♀️- In our homes how many appliances do you leave on standby when you are not using them? A quick money saver is to just switch off more appliances off at the wall as leaving things on standby still uses unnecessary energy.
BATHROOM
Electric shower (7.5kW) – using an electric shower for 10 minutes costs roughly 35p – but this will rise to 65 p . I’m sure most of us could shower quicker if we knew what money was going down that pug hole! An idea could be to use a shower timer to help save water and. A 4 minute shower could save an average household £70 a year on energy bills.
Bath (3.26kW to heat water) – filling up 1 bath costs around 92p – but this will rise to £1.69
If your anything like me, I love a long soak in the bath & I don’t want to give up my pamper time. Swapping just one bath per week for a 4 minute shower could save you £12 on your energy bills 😲. Maybe you could snuggle up in a cozy bathrobe to relax with your face pack instead?
Heated towel rail (0.1kW) – using a heated towel rail for 1 hour costs around 3p – but this will rise to 5p. These are handy to dry more than just towels so make use of these when they are on but beware of condensation build up & ventilate your bathroom!
TIP 💁♀️- I know you may have read this tip a few times before….I have too…but still forget . So here is your reminder…. TURN OFF LIGHTS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM 😉. If you want to have a light on for security reasons when you are not home, get yourself a timer to minimise the time its on a& the cost.
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