Martin Lewis has shared some more tips and advice for cutting energy use and saving money on energy bills. The Money Saving Expert shared a video to his Twitter profile yesterday. In the video, which showed a clip from ITV's the Martin Lewis Money Show, the money guru listed some handy tips and tricks for staying warm while not forking out for high energy bills.
Tips included nabbing free shower heads, resisting the urge to touch the thermostat and even how to get the best use out of your curtains. He also urged people to try a number of challenges and lifestyle changes to save money, too.
The first suggestion was to fit free water-saving shower heads. Martin said that some 900,000 freebies were available on the Save Water Save Money website, from different water companies. This includes things like aerated shower heads, where some air is pumped through instead of water, so it feels a somewhat similar pressure and this could save you £50 a year off your heating bill.
Read more: Martin Lewis' two minute trick that could save you £200 on bills
The Money Saving Expert then asked his audience to take his 'one degree challenge'. He said: "The World Health Organisation says that 18 degrees is fine for healthy adults.
"If you're younger, older or ill you might need more. Try reducing your thermostat by one degree, it could save you around 10% on your heating bill and don't turn up the temperature when it's colder outside, which is usually the panic reaction - that's the thermostat's job.
"This isn't scientific but if your heating is only kicking in at around 15 degrees and you're heating to 21, only heating to 20 is actually a really significant saving. Don't think 0 to 20, think 15 to 20 to get it in your head."
Another suggestion he gave surrounded how we use our curtains during different types of weather and times of the day, something he said might sound obvious to some but could really help to keep the heat in. He said: "When it's light outside you want to keep the curtains open to let light and warmth in, when it gets dark you want to keep the heat in, so close the curtains - doing it regularly can help insulate and lining it with a fleece can help, too."
In the video, Martin also spoke about the MoneySavingBoilerChallenge.com (not linked to Money Saving Expert) which could cut your gas bill by £100 a year. According to the official website, which takes you through the steps as you go: "Turning down the flow temperature on your combi boiler to 60C or below can knock money off your heating bill each year and reduce energy waste from your home."
It goes on to say: "If 10 million households turned down the flow temperature on their combi boilers to 60C or below this could wipe £1billion off UK energy bills and save 1.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions - the equivalent of nearly six million people taking transatlantic flights."
The Money Saving Expert website has more advice to save energy on appliances around your home, including:
- Knowing how to check how much appliances cost you
- Washing clothes less often and on a colder setting
- Minimising tumble dryer use, maximising load
- Not running your dishwasher half empty
- Checking if your fridge and freezer are too cool (they should be kept at 5C and -18C respectively)
- Using an air fryer or microwave instead of an oven
- Boiling less water in the kettle
- Turning off devices instead of leaving them on standby
- Knowing your energy saving lightbulbs
- Making your own draughtproofing items
- Lining curtains with fleece
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