Share your tips and tricks for saving on your energy bill with ESB Energy - £200 voucher to be won

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During the winter months we tend to use more heating, hot water and electricity to combat the cold and the dark. This year, with many of us working from home the energy bills are likely to be higher than ever. Luckily there are many simple changes we can make as a family to reduce our energy bill, and with this in mind, ESB Energy would like to hear your tips for cutting down on your energy usage.

Here’s what ESB Energy has to say: “We know that as a parent you have enough to worry about. At ESB Energy we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, we have a 4.5 rating on Trustpilot, so with us you can be assured that your energy is being taken care of. We also offer 100% renewable electricity on all our green tariffs – these are our cheapest tariffs –so that you can save money, while doing your bit for the planet. What's also great is as soon as you become an ESB Energy customer, for every friend you bring over with you, we’ll give you both £50 bill credit each. That’s £50 for you and £50 for your friend. You can bring as many friends with you as you want. Bring two friends over, we’ll give you £100. Bring ten and you could get £500 off your bill! Another top tip to save money on your energy bills, by switching to ESB Energy.

Switch to us today to start saving on your energy and we’ll automatically enter you into a draw to win a £1000 Amazon voucher”

Do you take the old school approach and layer up with thermals and a wooly jumper instead of turning the heating up? Have you challenged your family to swap baths for showers or set forfeits when people leave the lights on? Or perhaps installing a smart meter has made all the difference in your household.

Whatever your tip for saving on the energy bill is, all who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

If you’re considering switching energy provider you can request call back from ESB Energy to find out more here. Plus, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £1000 Amazon voucher if you switch to ESB Energy.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

We have the heating set low, and turn up only when needed, along with hot water bottles

Keep curtain level above radiators. Draught excluders at doors and dogs on the bed at night (better than any electric blanket)

We have thermostatic valves on all our radiators, plus thermostatically controlled underfloor heating, and we have the temperatures higher in well used rooms and lower in less used rooms, and bedrooms.

We changed all our light bulbs to LEDs and it made a massive difference. We also took out our electric shower and replaced it with a thermostatic valve bar one which works directly off the combi boiler and this made a huge difference too.

Try to lower central heating i find 18-19c is sufficient. Turn electrical items off when not in use, stand by still uses energy. Only fill the kettle with enough water for what you need. Energy saving lightbulbs will reduce costs and also last alot longer than non energy saving bulbs also turn lights off when not in that room.

Add an extra layer and slippers!

LED Light bulbs, plus I always turn every plug of before I go to be I never leave anything on standby ( for fire safety as well ).
If I have been out in the cold all day and my body is very shivery I always jump straight in a hot shower to warm my body back up it works wonders. plus I have draught proofed everything in my house so I have not got any draught coming in.
I have my boiler serviced every year around October time ready for the cold weather.

I have saved a staggering £200 this winter just by putting the washing machine on after 10pm every night! The usage is a lot cheaper and it has clearly make a huge financial difference.

We wrap up before putting the heating on, only fill the kettle for the cups of tea needed, turn lights off in rooms that are not being used, unplug all unneeded appliances. The dishwasher only goes on with full loads, energy saving bulbs. We have curtains over external doors too.

we have a lot of smart lights and plugs all with led bulbs in. They turn off at certain times and also some are sensored to turn off if there is no movement.

Lights off when you leave a room. Find drafts and block them up. Insulation!

Blankets/ throws in the evening, fluffy bedsocks keep us warm. Closing curtains at dusk. And more short showers, less baths

Always cook with the lids on pots and pans. The food will cook quicker because the heat can’t escape. Cutting up food into smaller pieces will also speed up cooking time. And when using the oven, just before your food is about to finish cooking, turn off the oven. The food will cook in the residual heat and if you get into a habit of doing this it can save you money.

Snuggly layers, dressing gowns and blankets! Annoys me so much when dp Moans he’s cold whilst wearing a tshirt and then turns heating up!

I also leave the oven door open after cooking and try to use the whole oven, so a cake in cooking at the same time as dinner if possible. Also vests, you can't underestimate the power of a vest and two pairs of socks!

Close your curtains at dusk to save heat Thick curtains will keep heat in. Also, consider putting a thick door curtain up at outer doors- keeps a surprising amount of draughts out and warmth in. Only heat the rooms you use and if you have radiators dont cover them with clothes or block with furniture to feel the benefit.
Batch cooking will save you energy and time . Consider cooking other dishes in the oven when you have it on . For example, a casserole the same time as a sunday roast and an apple pie . Also cooking large quantities at the same time will save energy and money , making enough for several dinners , which can be frozen .
Use lids on pans and cook some veg together eg broccoli and carrots in same pan .All common sense really. Last one - dont use tumble driers if you have fine weather and outside drying capacity- they eat energy and your clothes will smell lovely

Regularly reviewing and switching your energy provider, you can literally save hundreds of pounds per year.

Definitely layers before heating on! We never have the heating on overnight and don't use a timer, just switch it on/off as we like but only up to max 19c. We use snuggly blankets when watching tv and try to turn lights off as we leave rooms - easier said than done with teenagers around!

Thick curtains to stop draughts coming in from the patio doors, energy saving light bulbs, using blankets and thick socks to keep warm when sitting down relaxing or working from home.

On your lockdown walks see if you can find some big, big stones.
(I mean pebbles the size of bricks or actual bricks)
Clean the pebbles/bricks and place them spaced out on the radiator when the radiator is on. (Place stones/brick in a cloth/plastic bag if sandy or crumbly.) Once warmed up, they make excellent lap warmers when watching telly, bed warmers etc etc. enabling you to turn off the heating earlier.
The stones can be decorated and personalised.

We wear layers and have hot drinks when it’s cold. We do put the heating on but usually only first thing in the morning, then in the evening in the winter. Shawls and blankets when sitting around are very useful!

use a dehumidifier for drying clothes instead of tumble dryer, don't put more water in the kettle than you need when boiling kettle, turn lights off when not needed, use low energy light bulbs or LED wherever you can, use solar powered garden lights

Thick, lined curtains at each window, making sure they don’t cover any radiators and close them as soon as it’s dusk.

Always wear slippers.

Layer on clothes.

Keep moving, don’t be static for long periods.

Wrap up in warm thick clothing

Use blankets and keep the door close