Everyday money-saving tips

What's the most energy-efficient way to heat a room if I don't want to put the central heating on?

Even in the summer it can be necessary to put the heating on from time to time. Central heating is generally the most cost-effective way to heat your home, but make sure it's working efficiently and use timers, room thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to control which rooms are heated and when.

Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature: we estimate turning it down by just 1°C can save you around £100 a year.

What's the most energy-efficient way of cooking?

Electric ovens, whether part of a cooker or a built-in oven, are more energy-efficient than their gas counterparts. Similarly, electric induction hobs are the most efficient as they supply heat only to the pan, and not out into the kitchen; electric ceramic hobs are second best, while gas trails in third.

However, it's worth noting that, because gas is cheaper than electricity, your energy bills will be lower if you cook on gas.

Using a slow cooker is a smart choice as, although it may be on for a number of hours, heating a small space requires less energy than cooking the same kind of meal in an oven.

Microwaving cooks food quickly, so is another option for keeping cooking costs low.

A combi microwave or airfryer may also be more efficient than a standard oven for cooking small items quickly.

Wash laundry on eco, on a lower temperature

‘A lower temperature uses less energy. And energy rates are cheaper during the night, too, which are charged at off peak rates, 'If you have a timer delay function, set this to finish when day breaks so the laundry is ready to hang up to dry.

Go for an extra spin on your washing machine

If you use a tumble dryer, set the extra spin setting on the washing machine so it wrings out your washing out a little more. Or if your clothes can handle it, use a higher spin setting from the off. The tumble dryer then doesn’t need to work so hard to get the laundry ‘hanger dry’, or you don't need to whack up your heating quite so high to dry laundry indoors.

Turn off electricals on standby

Unless you switch off the appliance at the plug, it'll continue to drain energy. Energy Saving Trust reports that appliances on standby consume 9-16% of electricity consumed in homes, which will make a big dent in the monthly and yearly energy bills.' 'Appliances left on standby are not only eating up more energy, but they are also wasting heat and light.'.