How to cut your utility bills

Even little changes to your day to day routine become energy saving habits after a while. The following suggestion don't cost you anything and will make a difference to the amount you spend on gas and electricity:

• Turn lights off when you leave a room
• Turn the thermostat down a degree or too so you don't notice the difference but you still save
• Put on an extra jumper before you turn up the heating
• Move furniture away from radiators so that the warm air can circulate
• Bleed radiators at least once a year - particularly those that don't seem to be heating up properly
• Close your curtains at dusk so you get a little privacy and keep warmer
• Turn appliances off at the plug instead of leaving them on stand-by
• Only put as much water in your kettle as you need - don't automatically fill it to the brim
• Try washing on a lower temperature or on an energy saving cycle but don't overfill the wash
• Dry washing on a clothes horse or on the line rather than in a tumble dryer as these eat energy
• Use a tiered steamer instead of separate pans to cook so you keep the number of hobs you're heating to a minimum
• Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when full
• Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly
• Unplug chargers when they're not in use

You can also consider investing in inexpensive energy saving products like energy saving plugs or an energy monitor that tells you how much energy you're using throughout the day and how much it's costing you. Always read user reviews first though so you can find out whether they are a worthy investment.