With the cost of living at its highest in a decade, and over 22 million people affected by the recent increase in household energy bills, it’s more important than ever to save money where you can.

We know it’s not always easy to make change – especially when they cost money – so we’ve put together some ideas to help.

Quick wins

None of these ideas will cost you any money but will help you save both energy and money in the long run.

• Turn off your lights while they’re not in use and save around £20 a year
• Filling your kettle with only the water you need to save you £11 a year
• Reducing your washing machine usage by 1 run a week and using a 30°C cycle could save you around £28 a year and avoiding tumble dryer usage wherever possible can save £60 a year
• Run your dishwasher only when completely full to reduce the amount of water you use and cut down by one run a week and you’ll save £14
• Switch your appliances off – don’t leave them in standby mode – and you’ll save approximately £55 a year
• Turn your thermostat down by one degree and you’ll save £105 a year (be sure your home is warm enough during cold weather though, especially if you have young or vulnerable people living there)
• Spend one less minute in the shower each day and save £75 a year on your bills (plus an extra £60 if your water is metered)
• Ditch the bath: based on a family of 4, if you each replaced 1 bath a week with a 5-minute shower, you’ll save up to £20 a year on gas and water bills

Total potential savings = £448

Small initial cost

If you’ve worked your way through the above list and can afford to spend a little money to save more, you can:

• Replace your lightbulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. These use around 90% less energy than a traditional lightbulb and can last up to 30 years, saving you around £55 a year on average
• Draught-proof your windows, doors and chimneys. The cheapest way to do this is with draft excluders which start at around £10 and can save you up to £65 a year
• Swap out your showerhead for a water-efficient one from around £5.99. This can save you up to £55 on your gas bill and £45 on your water bill
• Fit an aerator onto your kitchen tap: this will reduce the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes. These cost from around £5.00 and could save you £25 a year

Total potential savings = £245

Bigger initial cost

We know the below suggestions won’t be an option for everyone but if you can, they’re worth keeping in mind when making any major home improvements.

• Installing heating controls/thermostatic radiator valves: these will ensure you’re only heating the rooms you need to and can even learn your habits and adjust your heating accordingly. You can expect to pay around £600 for full installation in an average semi-detached home, and you’ll save £130 a year – you’ll get your money back in less than five years
• Replace your boiler: if your boiler is over 10 years old, it may be time to start thinking about swapping to an A-rated replacement. You could save around £200 a year on your energy bills

Total potential savings: £330

Check what benefits you’re entitled to

• Cold Weather Payment: you may qualify for this if you’re getting certain benefits and would receive a payment for each 7-day period of very cold weather (0°C or below) between 1 November and 31 March
• Winter Fuel Payment: you may qualify for this if you’re on certain benefits or born before 26 September 1955 and could mean you get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills
• You can also find impartial advice for reducing your energy bills and along with details of home energy grants you may be eligible for on the government’s Simple Energy Advice website

To find out more about our Complete Home Emergency plans, boiler and central heating insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as plumbing and drainage insurance and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

*figures from energysavingtrust.org.uk

Over the last year, we’ve been at home more and so our energy use has been on the rise. It’s important, therefore, to try and save energy – and money – where we can.

According to a recent study, the average household in the UK does around 270 wash loads a year and 95% of the energy used by your washing machine is used purely to heat up the water!

We’ve put together some simple tips for you to save money (and the environment) below.

Wash your clothes at 30°

Just by washing your clothes at 30° instead of 40°, you’ll use up to 38% less energy. Not only will you save money on your utility costs but you’ll save energy and therefore help the environment.

Although some materials may need a higher temperature, 30° is the recommended setting for most clothing types (including wool) and if you use the right detergent, can work just as well for other fabrics too.

Fill your washing machine up

Filling up your washing machine helps conserve energy, by limiting your need to do two or three washes instead.

However, it’s important you don’t overload your machine as this will impact the efficiency of the wash and potentially damage your washing machine’s drum. If you can’t place your hand into the top of the machine’s drum, you’ll need to remove some clothing.

Avoid pre-washing where possible

Typically, you’ll use this to tackle stubborn stains, but it can waste litres of hot water each year.

Nowadays however, washing machines and detergents have become advanced enough that pre-wash settings are generally not needed.

Quick wins

• Washing your clothes at a higher speed spin will allow your clothes to be as dry as possible if you’re planning to use your tumble dryer
• If you’re planning to buy a new appliance, you can check the product’s energy rating. Anything above a C is considered to be energy-efficient.

General Maintenance

Keeping your washing machine well maintained will help you save money and energy, as well as prolonging the lifespan of your appliance. It will also help to keep your clothes clean and fresh after every wash, as you’ll prevent the build-up of limescale, mould and detergent.

Find out more about keeping your washing machine clean.

To find out more about our home appliances cover or other types of home care cover plans, such as boiler and heating insurance, plumbing and drainage insurance and Complete Home Emergency plan contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can also request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a free quote online in minutes.

Dripping taps aren’t just annoying – they have the potential to add as much as £100 onto the cost of your water bill and waste up to 5,300 litres of water a year!

If you take out Premium Complete Home Emergency Cover, we won’t just help in the event of emergencies – we’ll help with dripping taps, and other non-emergency problems too.

Find out how to look after some of the basic problems yourself with our guide below. If you don’t have the right tools, or you’re unsure of how to carry out the work, it’s important to call in a qualified plumber.

Turning off your water supply

Before you start working on your taps, you’ll need to turn off your water supply.

1. You might be able to turn off the water to specific areas of your home (therefore you won’t have to turn your water off at the mains). Looks for a shut-off valve close to the area you want to turn the water off for. These are usually hidden behind – or under – fixtures.
2. If you can’t turn off the water for a specific area, you’ll need to locate the stopcock. These are typically found under the kitchen sink, but if you’re having trouble locating it, simply trace the pipes back from your tap until you find a valve on the main water supply.
3. Turn the stopcock clockwise to turn the water supply off.

Before you start

• Put the plug into the sink so you don’t lose any small parts down the plughole
• Take care not to scratch your chrome taps with any of the tools you use – where you can, use a soft cloth to protect the finish
• Don’t overtighten washers or valves when reassembling, as this may damage the joint
• Make sure you have the right tools for the job and use protective equipment to avoid injury

Fix a dripping tap

You can then check to see the reason why you have a leaking tap by opening up the tap and inspecting the washer (only do this if you feel comfortable doing so).

If you can see a build-up of debris, clean this away, close up the tap and see if this resolves the issue.

Alternatively, you may see that the washer has become damaged. If this is the case, it’ll need to be replaced. You can read how to do this in our step-by-step guide to replacing a washer.

Take out a Home Emergency plan

Keep on top of emergencies – and non-emergencies too – by taking out Premium Complete Home Emergency Cover. As well as sending out a plumber in the event your plumbing and/or drainage system fails, we’ll also help with clearing blockages, repairing your taps and storing toilet facilities too.

To find out more about how our home emergency insurance could be here to solve your home emergencies and our various types of cover, including plumbing and drainage insurance and boiler and central heating, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.

Like many people in the UK, you may not realise that your water use contributes towards your energy bills.

Not only can saving money reduce your water bill (if you’re on a meter) but it can also reduce your energy use and bills and your impact on the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by using less energy to heat the water. According to the Energy Saving Trust, heating water for use in our homes makes up around 4% of the UK’s total carbon dioxide emissions each year.

• Each household in the UK uses on average 345 litres of water a day
• Around 20% of a gas heated household’s bill is from heating water for showers, baths and taps
• This costs on average around £135 a year

How do I get hot water?

• Most commonly, your hot water is supplied by the main central heating boiler, either directly if it’s a combi boiler, or from a hot water cylinder. You may also have an electric immersion heater in the cylinder too.

Tip: if you have both a boiler and an immersion heater, use the boiler to heat water, even in the summer. Immersion heaters are generally more expensive and should only be used as a backup.

Saving water at home

It’s easier thank you think to save water. By making some simple changes at home, you can save energy and money.

• Ditch the bath: based on a family of 4, if each of you replace one bath a week with a 5 minute shower, you can save up to £10 a year on gas bills and £10 a year on water bills
• Swap out your inefficient shower head for a water-efficient one. This can save you up to £40 on your gas bill and £55 on your water bill each year
• A dripping tap can waste more than 5,300 litres of water a year, so turn your taps off properly and change your washers quickly when taps start to drip
• Make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are full before you use them and select the most efficient energy and water settings

Five quick tips to save money

The Energy Saving Trust have put together five quick tips to help you save money on your hot water bills.

1. Use less water; hot water in particular
2. Insulate your hot water cylinder – this will save more energy and help your taps run hot more quickly
3. Make sure you have the right controls for your boiler and heating and set them correctly
4. Switch fuel: gas is cheaper than electricity and oil
5. Consider solar energy: once fitted, solar water heating can provide a good proportion of hot water with virtually no running costs

To find out more about how we’re here to solve your emergency breakdowns with our boiler and central heating cover including service and other types of home emergency cover, including plumbing and drainage and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.