In the 2024 National Student Survey students were shown to be spending an average of £86 per month on their energy bills, and for many students this may be the first time that they’re having to budget for this cost, and with the added cost of living crisis things can be even harder for some.
In the 2024 National Student Survey students were shown to be spending an average of £86 per month on their energy bills, and for many students this may be the first time that they’re having to budget for this cost, and with the added cost of living crisis things can be even harder for some.
This time of the year is when bills tend to increase as we all rush to turn on our heating to stay cosy and warm, but we’ve put together a list of tips that will help you to reduce your energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and stay warm!
- Turn off lights – it seems simple but just switching off lights when you’re not in the room can save you around £55 per year!
- Use energy saving light bulbs – this is a common one but LED bulbs last longer and use more power, it’s a win win.
- Turn down the thermostat – this might seem counterintuitive try wrapping up with more layers, some nice cosy slippers, or a blanket to keep warm. Often this is all you need to keep comfortable and according to the Save The Student website reducing your heating by as little as 1°C could save you £100 per year. You can also turn the radiators down, or off, in rooms you’re not using or not in as much.
- Keep doors closed – when you’ve got the heating turned on keeping the doors closed will warm up the room quicker and help keep the room warmer for longer.
- Unplug unused devices – make sure you shut down your computer when you’ve finished using it and unplug chargers when they’re not being used as these are still using power.
- Wash your clothes at a lower temperature – unless clothes are really dirty then washing at 30°C will easily get them clean, also make sure you wait until you have a full load of washing and try to avoid using a tumble dryer as these cost a lot to run.
- Defrost your freezer – excess ice stuck to the sides of freezers make them have to work harder, so regularly defrosting your freezer can save a lot of money.
If you’re going away over Christmas, or any other time of the year, for more than a few days then these tips can help you to save energy and reduce your bills.
- Shut down and switch off appliances – making sure that everything that can be is switched off at the plug will save a lot of energy and make sure you’re not paying for energy you’re not there to use.
- Empty the fridge – this might not always be possible but if you’re going away for more than a week or 2 then try to use up or take food with you so that you can unplug the fridge whilst you’re away.
- Turn down your heating – there’s no point heating a house with no one in it, so make sure the thermostat is turned down to keep heating to a minimum.
Have we missed anything? If you have any other tips or tricks that we haven’t covered then we’d love to hear from you by commenting below.