The energy crisis is on everybody's mind right now as bills keep climbing, with suppliers announcing price hikes every week.
This week saw Energia become the latest energy supplier to increase their prices after announcing their second hike of the year. The company said that from October 7, its electricity customers will see an increase of 29% on their bills.
This will cause the average electricity customer to fork out an extra €9.82 a week, while their gas customer bills will increase by 39% or an average of €10.02 a week. Dual fuel customers will face a rise of 33% will amount to an average of €19.84 per week, Energia said
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As households are preparing to face a difficult winter, there are ways you can try and prevent your bills from spiralling out of control. Here are 50 steps you can take right now to cut your energy bill.
Washing
1. Wash your clothes on 30
Set your washing machine to 30 degrees which will use around 40% les energy compared to higher settings. The higher temperature forces the washing machine to work harder which then costs more money. Most washes can be done on 30 degrees, especially towels and sheets. Tougher stains may require a higher heat.
2. Use a shorter washing cycle
Shorter washes will use less water and therefore cut down on electricity.
3. Skip the dryer
If you have an outdoor space, hang your clothes out on the line and avoid the tumble dryer. The dryer is a heavy appliance on electricity so best to avoid when possible.
4. Avoid peak times when running your washing machine
The cheapest time to run your washing machine is between 10pm and 5am. However, Dublin Fire Brigade have warned people not to turn on appliances at night while in bed. So if you do want to avail of the cheapest times, pop on your wash at 10pm when possible and stay up until it's finished (maybe one for the weekends). The most expensive time to run your washing machine is between 4pm and 7pm so if a 10pm wash doesn't suit you, simply try to avoid these expensive times.
5. Change the setting on your dishwasher
Very simple one - just put your dishwasher on an eco setting to save some money.
Heating
6. Turn the thermostat down
If you turn down the thermostat by just one degree you could save 10% on your energy bill. One degree should not make a major difference to the heat in your home. The ideal temperature range to set your thermostat is between 18 and 21 degrees.
7. Bleed your radiators
You need to bleed your radiators once a year to get the most out of your central heating. This will get rid of air trapped inside that causes warm water to stop circulating around your radiator. You will need a radiator key, which can be bought in most DIY stores, and a towel to catch any water.
8. Move furniture away from your radiator
Don't have your sofa or other furniture up against the radiator if possible. This allows heat to circulate around the room more freely.
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9. Try tin foil radiator trick
Stick some tin foil on the wall behind your radiator. This stops the heat from going into the walls and instead reflects it back into the room. This works best with reflective sticky-back aluminium foil, which you can pick in a DIY shop. However, if you want to save money, you can pick up a 450mm roll of kitchen foil in Tesco for just €1.45. It might not work as well but worth a try as it's a fraction of the price.
10. Fix draughts
Check under your doors and windows for signs of draughts entering the house. Rugs up against doors should help minimise draughts coming into the home. Weather strips are also available in DIY shops which can be used to reduce cold air coming in through doors and windows.
11. Close your curtains in the evening
This simple trick could save you a few euro and makes sense as the evenings get darker. Keeping your curtains closed in the evening could reduce heat loss by up to 17%, according to research at University of Salford.
12. Turn down the boiler temperature
Most experts recommend that boilers should be at 55 degrees for a natural gas boiler. You save roughly 6% to 8% for every 10 degrees you take it down a notch.
13. Programme your boiler
You should always programme your boiler to come on when you need it, so you’re not wasting heat when you’re out or asleep. For example, you should make sure your boiler is off during the day if you are at work.
Showers
14. Take shorter showers
It is recommended that showers should not last any more than four minutes, according to an expert from Irish Water. This not only will cut down on your bills but it is better for the environment.
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15. Change your shower head
You may not have realised this but some shower heads are more efficient than others. Some shower head products claim to save 70% of water. Here is one that you can get for €30 ex vat.
Appliances
16. Don't have appliance on standby
If you are not using an appliance, be sure to switch it off at the wall. Appliances such as TVs, microwaves and computers are known as 'vampire devices' and are adding up to 20% on to your monthly electricity bill, according to paylesspower.com.
17. Don't charge your phone overnight
There is no need to keep your phone charging overnight. Once it is fully charged, plug it out (including the plug - this is also a vampire device). Charging your phone overnight is also a safety issue. A device charger recently caused a fire in a Dublin home and fire fighters warned: "We appeal to people not to charge devices overnight."
Cooking
18. Boil your kettle once for tea throughout the day
A TikTok hack has shown us how we can save a bit of money no matter how much tea we drink. @costoflivingcrisistips on TikTok had the clever idea to boil the kettle once a day and then use a flask to keep the water hot. They said: “Boil your kettle once a day to save money. Put three teabags in a pot of tea. Fill up your flask. Brews all day.” Another idea uploaded by the account says you could fill up your flask with boiling water, then use a teabag in a cup for stronger tea.
19. Use the lid on your saucepan
Popping a lid on your saucepan will save energy by trapping the steam and heat in the pot while you cook. Using a lid uses roughly 10% less energy than leaving it off.
20. Clean your hob
If your hob is dirty it will take longer for the heat to come through. Giving your hob a good scrub will decrease your cooking time.
21. Use the microwave
The study by supermarket chain Iceland and British energy firm Utilita found the most commonly used appliance that costs the most to run is the electric cooker which can take up to €376.30 a year, the Irish Mirror reports. The microwave is the least costly appliance at just 9 cents a day which totals €35.69 annually.
22. Bulk cook in the oven
Make maximum use of your oven by cooking a few items at one time. If you have a few items in the freezer that you will eat later in the week, cook them together and then chill for another time.
23. Shut the oven door
It's tempting to pop open the oven door now and then to check on your food, however every time you do this your oven is losing heat and uses more energy to bring it back to the required temperature.
Read more: Five top tips for saving money in the home this winter
Food storage
24. Defrost food in the fridge
Use your fridge to defrost your food. Rather than using the microwave, you will save money by putting the frozen food in the fridge for a few hours.
25. Clean behind your fridge
It is recommended that you clean behind your fridge and freezer on a regular basis. Dust building up on the condenser coils can causes appliances to slow down when cooling, meaning to takes more energy to keep food cold.
26. Defrost your freezer
Ice building up on your freezer forces the motor to work extra hard to keep food frozen. You should defrost your freezer regularly to avoid wasting energy.
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More tips to save money
27. Switch energy provider
Journalist and broadcaster Conor Pope recently told Late Late Show viewers that switching energy provider every year could save you hundreds of euro. He said: "500,000 households have not switched, every single one of those households is wasting money. I’m not talking 50 quid, or 70 quid - they’re all wasting up to €1,000 a year."
“Because the way the business works is when you move from company A to company B, they give you a discount of up to 40% for the first 12 months. But if you don’t move after the 12 months, you go back up to paying the standard rate which is 40% higher.
“It’s not tricky to switch electricity or gas.”
Daithi O'Se put Conor's advice to the test and saved €450 on his bill.
28. Check for grants
There are grants available to improve the energy efficiency of your home. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administer these grants. You can find more here.
29. See if you are eligible to claim benefits
The Household Benefits Package (HBP) helps with the cost of your electricity or gas bill and the TV licence. More information can be found here.
30. Get energy debt advice
If you’re in debt, don’t suffer in silence. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free and confidential service for people who are having problems with money management and debt. MABS money advisers provide advice and practical help to people to review their debts, deal with their creditors and work out solutions.
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