Energy and water bills are rising, meaning we’re all forking out more for the general cost of running our home.
Many households are looking for ways to lower their energy bills after the regulator Ofgem confirmed it was hiking its price cap by an unprecedented £700.
For those on a default tariff who pay by direct debit, the price cap has gone up from £1,277 to £1,971 - a rise of £693.
Prepayment customers have seen a bigger jump, with their price cap going up by £708, from £1,309 to £2,017.
The price cap limits how much households can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity they use.
Meanwhile, the average water bill has risen as high as £420 this year, in another blow to household finances.
But if you're looking to lower your bills, one place you could start is with your washing machine.
Are you worried about affording your energy bills this year? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
Plenty of us are guilty of not washing our clothes in the most economical way - either on too high, or too long of a setting.
Experts at British Gas estimate that running your washing machine on a 30° cycle instead of using higher temperatures can save around £28 on your annual bill.
Joanna Flowers, engineer at British Gas, said: “There are several things you can do to be more energy efficient with the washing machine.
“Use the economy settings to save water and energy and drying your clothes outside as much as you can when the weather allows.
“In the winter, you should also avoid drying clothes on radiators as much as you can as it will make your boiler work harder to heat the room.
“Setting your washing machine to wash at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures will save around £28 a year on energy bills.”
For other ways to lower your bills, The Mirror has looked at whether it is cheaper to have a shower or bath and whether you're better off using an electric heater or gas radiators.
We've also highlighted a simple fridge freezer mistake that could be pushing up your energy bills.
And here is whether you're better off using a microwave or regular oven when cooking, to keep your costs down.
When it comes to the best way to use your kettle, you should only fill it up with as much water as you need.
Many of us are guilty of not sticking to this rule - and it could be adding £87 to your energy bill.
