Tell E.ON what your energy saving tips are - an iPad Air to be won! NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at E.ON to find your best energy saving tips - relating specifically to gadget use. This comes following new research from E.ON has uncovered that UK parents now spend almost £300 per household on gadgets for their kids each year.

E.ON know that with technology playing an increasingly significant role in family life – from helping the kids with their homework to listening to the latest music – there’s rarely a time when a gadget isn’t on the go. However, their research shows that under half of parents (44%) consider the impact their gadget use could be having on their energy bills.

That’s why E.ON is working with Mumsnet to highlight their Saving Energy Toolkit, which enables E.ON customers to monitor how much energy their family is using – and compare it to similar homes in their local area. E.ON’s research found that eight in 10 parents find gadgets useful in running their households.

The E.ON Saving Energy Toolkit also contains tips to save energy, and they are now keen to know more about the ways parents stay savvy with their energy use. Whether it’s getting the family to watch TV together – so multiple devices aren’t used in one go, or ways to incentivise children to turn off their bedroom lights, E.ON want to know how your family uses no more energy that it needs to. What are your tips to save energy? Please share them on this thread.

Everyone who posts a tip on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, where one winner will receive an 16GB iPad air worth £399.

Please note your comments may be included on E.ON’s social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

P.S. Please click here for the terms and conditions of this thread.

Line dry outside when at all possible (which includes in winter). Hang clothes out carefully, "beating" them as you do so, and fold them carefully as you take them off the line - it minimises the ironing required.

Leave the over door open when finished cooking - it both heats the kitchen and minimises the time the fan is on.

In winter, if you don't need to open the blinds/curtains (eg in bedrooms, which you leave in the dark and get home in the dark), leave them shut to mimimise heat loss (we live in a Victorian house with large but thin glass windows obviously no double glazing so this makes a big difference).

Keep doors shut so that the heated rooms stay warm.

Try top open the fridge/freezer door for as short a period as possible wish dh and ds would learn this lesson

Jumpers and long johns on before the heating goes on during the day

Only put the dishwasher on when it is full. Ditto with washing machine. Never use the drier except in dire emergencies

Sell the kids. Particularly the one who goes around the house obsessively turning every light on

Use a thermostat timer for the heating. Set it to default to a temperature low enough that the heating won't usually kick in at times of day when the house is quiet, eg when kids are at school or adults are at work.

We only have one tv downstairs and turn lights out as we leave rooms. The laptop computer is unplugged and put away when not in use and I try to turn the tv off at the plug at night.

Invest in timer switches for sockets, particularly the one for tv/broadband/ps3 etc.

It means you can set it to come on at say 5pm, and go off at 11pm, rather than wasting money having them on standby constantly

Maximise the oven when it's on - it's the most inefficient way to cook so when you've got it on bake as much as poss. Making your own bread helps!

Get a pressure cooker (saves loads of time as well)

We got a curtain over our drafty back door in our old house - made a massive difference. I also made a cover to go over our letter box as it let a vicious draft in!

If you have an open fire, invest in a wood burner - way more efficient and you can boil your kettle on the top

Wash at 30/40

To avoid tumble drying get a heated airer

Turn lights out.
Line dry clothes.
Turn everything off at the plug.
Defrost the freezer regularly.
Put another layer on before you want to turn the heating on and see if that works, avoiding the need for heating.
Close doors. (Put wood in hole)

Wash most things at 30 degrees, except towels and bedding
Switch tv off when kids leave the room rather than realising after being on mumsnet for an hour that I've had adventure time on in the background again!!!

We avoid using the tumble drier as much as possible.

Use the slow cooker to batch cook lots of meals at the same time for the freezer.

Always cook at least one extra serving where possible, for another day.

Don't leave anything on standby.

Turn wifi off on mobile when not using it to make battery last longer between charges.

Always make sure dishwasher and washing machine have full loads before using.

My tip is not to have your heating on timer unless it's deepest winter. You'll use less if you turn it on when you are cold and turn it off once the room has warmed up. Blankets and hot water bottles snuggling on the sofa watching a film is a far cheaper way to spend a winter afternoon indoors than putting the heating on.

1. Always switch off lights/TV etc when not in use. Plus never leave things on standby

1. Wash at 30 degrees where possible

1. Hang clothes out to dry if possible

1. Take items off charge as so as they have finished charging and use them until they are down to about 5% battery before recharging.

1. Get DP to go to the fridge for me to get my booze. That's a top tip, saves me loads of energy

1. Always switch off lights/TV etc when not in use. Plus never leave things on standby

1. Wash at 30 degrees where possible

1. Hang clothes out to dry if possible

1. Take items off charge as so as they have finished charging and use them until they are down to about 5% battery before recharging.

1. Get DP to go to the fridge for me to get my booze. That's a top tip, saves me loads of energy

I wash all our clothes on cold. Even whites.

I have a spin dryer instead of a tumble dryer.

I'm replacing all the light bulbs with LED bulbs. Even the one in the fridge is LED.

I use a halogen oven instead of the inbuilt oven. It cooks better than a conventional oven.

I cook on an induction hob with a timer, it switches the ring off when the timers up.

The water heats for 20 mins to 55c.

Nothing is stored in the loft so the insulation works properly.

I buy thermal linings for curtains, curtains shut at dusk.

All the doors have brush draught excluders on them.

Our heating only goes on when we are in, no point heating a house if you aren't there.

All the radiators have radflex foil panels fitted.

Doors shut on rooms that are heated.

I have thermal leggings, long sleeved tops & long sleeved vests and heat holder socks to wear in the winter. If you buy M&S ones in the clearence they are really comfy, better than cheap ones from the supermarket.

We both have fleece dressing gowns, much warmer than towelling ones. Mines extra long so it's toasty.

Shower water saving device fitted, free off the water board & I switch it off while I'm soaping up or washing my hair.

Kettle de-scaled weekly so it doesn't have to work harder to boil.

Slow cooker for cooking whole chickens, much cheaper than using the oven.

All the hot water pipes surrounding the tank that get warm are lagged with thick foam, almost no heat is generated from the cupboard unlike previous houses we've had that have pumped the heat out which is very wasteful.

We've got an E-Cloth mop so no big bucket of water is needed for the floor. Dh used to boil 3 kettles to mop the floor .

The fridge and freezer are run on the lowest settings, freezer defrosted monthly. We don't leave the door open ages either.

We only have one tv.

The kids only have computer access in the living room, so it's only one lot of power, & easy to see that it's been turned off.

We often use candlelight, although I'm sure the carbon footprint of that will work out poorly!

Lids on pans.

If its an oven tea, it's an oven pudding too.

Trying to train the kids to use a towel more than once - my pet bugbear!

Noodles can soften in hot water with a lid on - no need to cook - as can fresh pasta, & rice can partly.

Soak porridge overnight - less cooking needed the next morning.

Unplug chargers & adaptors!

Don't leave gadgets running in sleep mode while you wander off to eat/shower etc.

Have a box of 'things to do' easily to hand in a cupboard, to help with getting kids off gadgets. We have crafts, & some decorate-your-own Easter eggs (bought at 75% off & still in date).

Close curtains when it's cold.

Leave the bath water in - it gives off heat, ie less heating needed.

Have a cuddle to keep warm :)

We always turn lights off when leaving the room. I also always unplug all chargers (I also worry about fire hazard of leaving them plugged in).

I use lids on pans, turn the stove/oven off before finishing cooking and just use the residual heat to finish the food off.

Have a wife. She can then run round after you and the rest of the family turning off things that are not in use.

Cook cookies in the car on hot days.

Car cookies

Here are the things I have done to reduce my electricity bills (I have cut them by a 1/3 this year):

1. Everything (except fridge and freezer) is switched off at the wall after use - even cooker/microwave/TV/computer - nothing on standby
2. Only wash clothes that are actually dirty - most of the time a good airing perks them up.
3. Stopped using tumble dryer and line dry instead
4. Lights are only on when and where needed
5. Only boil a cupful of water rather than a whole kettle. Or make a thermos of tea at the beginning of the day.
6. Use the microwave instead of the cooker when appropriate.
7. If using the oven for dinner I might use it for baking biscuits at the same time.
8. Hot water tank heated for 1 hour a day only
9. Heating is on for 30 minutes before we get up and for an hour in the evening 5.30-6.30 (in winter only). We like hot water bottles and bed socks.

Try and get dc to share a bath.

To turn off chargers overnight.

Not leave things on standby .

And sick of hearing myself asking everyone to turn off the lights.

Only fill the kettle with the actual amount of water you need

hot water bottle at night rather than heating on
boiling on small amounts of water for cups of tea
shower at the swimming pool if I'm already there
sealing around the front door
slippers in the house

YY hot water bottles in bed to preheat before getting in. Dressing gowns/warm cardigans in the evening instead of heating, also hot water bottle or cat or dog to snuggle up with when sitting still.

Thermal lined curtains, and even better staple a space blanket between the curtain and the lining.

Only one bath and one shower each a week unless there is some kind of exceptional dirt event - wash with flannel and warm water the rest of the time.

I use one of those gadgets that measures the electricity I am using, and set the alarm on it reasonably low, so it bloody beeps if I start using a lot of energy, makes you think!

Slow cooker for nearly all joints of meat
Rarely wash above 30c or and only when needed! airing out clothes worn for one day means another days wear
Don't own stumble dryer, too tempting!

My tip is to turn most appliances off and not leave them on standby.
It's the fire hazard aspect mostly.

Another tip is if I'm using the oven I'll see if there's anything else I can cook in advance whilst it's on. Roasted some peppers and tomatoes for tomorrows lunch whilst making potato wedges tonight for example.

Nothing left on standby - always turned off properly when we're out or when we go to bed.

Avoid putting the heating on until it's really cold - use the, 'Put another jumper on' line for as long as we can. Slippers and dressing gowns encouraged!

Energy saving light bulbs in all rooms.

Draught excluders on doors.

We turn lights off when not in the room. Use candles in lieu of lights in the evening obviously only downstairs and never unattended .

Never leave things on standby

Turn the oven off five or so mins before the end of cooking time. My oven always stays warm and it saves loads!

Quick showers.. Both kids in together when possible.

Tumble dryer is the last resort. Line drying whenever possible.

Heating is limited. Layers are the way forward plus hot water bottles warm drinks etc etc.

We have solar panels, so I make sure anything that uses a lot of power is done during daylight hours while we are generating power, and not taking it from the grid. For example, washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer...