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.

Don't leave things on standby

When you have the oven on try and make the most of the heat. Ie do some baking at the same time.

use washing machine on 30 degrees.

charge gadgets overnight.

wear several thin layers, instead of one thick jumper.

Lights off, TV off when not in room.

1. Only use a low wattage energy saving lamp at night - no need for an overhead light glaring
2. Make up a flask with hot water for use during the day - saves on kettle boiling
3. if it's towards the end of the month and the freezer is almost empty fill it with cheap loaves of bread or empty food containers - saves on electricity
4. keep thermostat for central heating lowish and keep doors shut in the winter - saves on hearing bills
5. use power down plugs in kids rooms so that nothing ias on stand by and turn the TV off hu the switch and not the remote control - saves electric
6. try to only do washing in full loads on 30 or 40 degree washes - saves electric
7. block draughts in doors etc in winter to save on heating costs

Pull the plugs out of the sockets when gadgets/appliances are not in use and Do not leave the television on Standby! my boyfriend is fed up with me nagging about both of these but still don't listen....grrr ;)

Switch the ceramic hob off early and use the extra couple of minutes of residual heat to finish cooking.

After years of 'Blackpool Illuminations' comments from my Mum when I was younger I automatically turn off lights when leaving rooms - I'll be using the same broken-record technique with my children

We also have the rule that TVs and radios are turned off if you're not watching/listening or are leaving the room they're in for any length of time - I hate the background row and the waste of energy.

I charge my phone at work ;-), put on extra sweaters or blankets instead of turning up the heat, we still use a baby bath for our toddlers instead of the full tub, lights off when a room isn't in use.

As soon as you need to put the lights on to see, then shut your curtains. Studies has shown that this makes a big difference to the heat lost out windows, even those that are double glazed.

Use a slow cooker as much as you can, you can put almost anything in it.

Only allow them to have a set amount of time on their gadgets - it saves energy, money and their brains!

my tips are: save energy by only hoovering once a week, only washing my hair (and thus blow drying it) every other day (this is more due to sensitive skin tbh), and generally lowering house keeping standards to reduce energy usage. Honest, that's why it's a mess, nothing to do with inherent idleness :o

Electric blankets on the bed instead of heating all the bedrooms
Cosy throws on the sofa and a cat on the lap

Kettle on the gas hob draws so much less power than an electric kettle
Avoid ironing except for weddings, funerals and job interviews

Putting a fleece layer on before turning up the hearing. Got fantastic fleece baby grows when my little ones were still crawling and that kept them very warm.
Blanket for the sofa in the evenings as heating set to go off by 8.30pm
No bare feet in the house - moccasin socks or slippers for everyone.
Turn everything off when finished with it - tv/lights etc
Air dry clothes as much as possible.

Check you have no unnecessary outside lights on. My friend left hers on for over a week before I pointed it out to her!

Just boil enough water per cup.
If oven is on cook several meal.
Shower rather than bath.
Install a water butt.
Never leave things on stand by.
Walk rather using the car.
Use energy efficient appliances.
Wash using 30* cycle and line dry whenever possible.
Load dishwasher meticulously to get as much in as possible then use least cycle.
Watch tv together rather than several tvs on at same time.
Use grey water to help hydrate plants.
Do have the tap running when cleaning teeth.
Fit draft excluder around undouble glazed windows and doors.
Use solar outside lights.
I could keep going but if you've read all the above you most probably have given up the will to live haha!

Lights on in the room we are in and switched off elsewhere.

Energy efficient lightbulbs everywhere possible - a slight obsession of DH!

Rarely use the tumble drier preferring to line dry. Washing is done at 30 degrees bar bedding. I use economy quick washes for things like dogs blankets, nursery clothes that have been worn once.

Installed a log burner. We hardly had the heating on last winter and stayed in one room with a roaring fire. DH has access to free wood :)

Encourage giant Labrador to sit on my knee for warmth

Chargers unplugged or switched off when not in use.

Energy efficiency kettle - noisy and a faff when doing lots of brews but DH insists it's worth it.

Turn things off when not in use - I turn lights off when I leave a room even if I'm going to go back in it in 5 mins time. I know my dad does this and it used to annoy me as a child but I can now see where he's coming from!!

We don't have a dishwasher or a tumble dryer.

Close doors / curtains / blinds to help keep heat in.

We have special plugs (sorry, don't know what the technical name is?!) which mean things can't be left on standby - when you turn it (ie. the TV) off, it goes completely off, not just to standby.

Try to limit using the washing machine - tough with a 2 year old but I always ensure we have a full load before using it and sometimes just do a quick wash (15 mins) if I think that will do.

Once a gadget (ie. smartphone) is fully charged, turn the charger off - plus don't charge it until it really needs it (ie. the battery is literally gone).

put foil behind your radiators; use heavy door curtains to stop draughts in winter

Wash clothes as low as temperature possible for them
Only use hot water from the kitchen tap when needed
Layer your clothes in the house as much as you can before using the heater
Lower the brightness of tablets and smart phones and turn off their bluetooth and wifi when not in use to get more use out of charged batteries
Take a shower
Don't leave the tap on when brushing
Close windows to keep heat in and delay turning on of heater
Turn off from the socket if possible and not too inconvinient

Never leave nothing on standby as this is costing you money
washing at 30 degress saves money and does just the same job as a wash on 40.....Ose blankets in the winter and cut back on the heating bills, its quiet romantic tucking up under the blanket with ya hubs

Do not wear something for 2 hours then put in the linen basket!
Always wait for a full load before washing.

Proximity sensors, set to a reasonably low time. So dear partner cannot forget to switch lights off. A lock on the fridge to stop him forever opening the door too (not done but and idea that's just come to me)

I have a retractable washing line across my landing hat I use in winter.

On hot wet days I dry washing on an airer under the gazebo.

In the winter we use draft excluders which although a pita make a huge difference.

We also keep a double duvet hidden behind the sofa to snuggle in

Limiting washing machine and tumble dryer use. Turning oven off a fw minutes early and letting things finish off on the heat. Ditto pasta/rice. Lights off in empty rooms, short showers, energy saving lightbulbs.

No particularly interesting tips am afraid.