Whether you’ve noticed it at the pump or supermarket checkout, the is soaring.
Add the huge hike in energy prices and it’s no wonder many households are feeling the pinch.With at 9 per cent and likely to reach double figures later in the year, the truth is there could be far worse to come.
Which is why it’s more important than ever to tighten your belt, and that is where I come in. In Saturday’s Mail I told how I pulled myself out of debt.Today, starting a week-long series, I offer my top tips for making savings.
ACT NOW TO TRIM HOME ENERGY COSTS
Rising wholesale gas costs pushed up the energy price cap by 54pc in April, and it is set to rise further in October.This means unless you locked into a fixed-rate tariff before the crisis, your energy bills will soar.
With cheap fixed deals no longer available, it is best to stay put for now. But there are still ways to keep the cost in check.
It has become more important than ever to tighten your belt as the cost of living crisis hits Bitons
Whether you’ve noticed it at the petrol pump or supermarket checkout, the cost of living is soaring
Submit meter readings regularly to ensure you are not paying over the odds.Without these your supplier will estimate bills based on how much power it thinks you use.
If you have been reducing energy usage, you must provide up-to-date readings to benefit from any savings. And keep the direct debits going. If you cancel these and pay when the bill arrives you stand to lose any discounts.
If you think your direct debit is too high, challenge it — some providers have come under fire recently for unjustified bill hikes.You may be able to save money by foregoing paper statements and managing your account slot online. It’s worth investigating.
ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT
Anyone struggling to pay their bills should ask their supplier for help.British Gas, for example, has a £6 million fund that gives up to £750 in grants to vulnerable households.
Millions also qualify for the warm home discount and winter fuel payment, worth £140 and up to £300 a year respectively. These are paid automatically if you claim certain benefits.Some on low incomes may need to apply.
RESIST SWITCHING ON THE OVEN
Save hundreds in a year by a using smaller, cheaper appliances instead of the oven.
The Remoska, a mini oven that you plug in, cooks meat, fish, cakes, potatoes and more.Costing between £149.99-£199.99 at Lakeland, many users say they no longer need to use their main oven, which uses 80 pc more energy.
A microwave is also more cost efficient. According to uSwitch, it costs 27p to cook a baked potato in an oven, yet 3p in a microwave.
changing habits will have the biggest impact.Cutting your shower time from ten to four minutes will mean a saving of about £70 a year for the average household
And air-frying food is not only healthier, it costs far less. A cooking time of 40 minutes in an oven takes just 15 minutes in an air fryer and costs 22p less.
They’re not costly, starting at £35 for a Tower Air Fryer at Wilko.
TURN DOWN THE HEATING
Boiler maker Worcester Bosch says turning down the thermostat by one degree saves £105 a year.
Keep heat in by hanging curtains over doors and stop draughts with rolled-up towels.On chilly evenings, have a jumper and blankets handy while watching TV rather than switching the heating on, or just bring your duvet downstairs. It’s a cheaper way to stay warm.
KITCHEN FOIL AT THE READY
If you have radiators against outside walls, put foil behind them to stop heat escaping through the bricks.
Ordinary kitchen foil will do, or buy 10m of radiator foil from B&Q for £12.56.If you do this, you can turn down the thermostat a little and not feel any colder.
Filling in tiny gaps around windows to stop heat escaping and you will save £45 a year on bills.
SWAP OVER YOUR BOILER IN SUMMER
Upgrade your boiler in the warmer months when there’s less competition for plumbers and there are offers on appliances.
Swapping a G-rated boiler to a more sustainable A-rated model working at 90 pc more efficiency could save you £580 a year, says Worcester Bosch.
Upgrade your boiler in the warmer months when there’s less competition for plumbers and there are offers on appliances
There are also 0 pc finance deals on boilers at this time from firms like British Gas and E.on.
TRY A HEATED CLOTHES DRYER
IF you afford the initial outlay, heated clothes airers are relatively cheap to run. They also take the chill off your room while drying you clothes.
The Dry-Soon 3-Tier Heated Airer from Lakeland costs £149.99 but costs pennies per hour to run.
A tumble dryer, though, costs about £223 a year to dry three loads each week, says Uswitch.com.
SAVE ON CLEANING PRODUCTS
Is your kitchen full of half-used cleaning products?Have a moratorium on buying more.
When you do come to replace these, save money by using white vinegar and newspaper for windows, and a mix of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda as an all-purpose cleaner. This costs about 9 p a litre.
Find more cleaning products to make at friendsoftheearth.uk.
KITCHEN AT A DISCOUNT
Want to update your kitchen? If you’re willing to buy second-hand or ex-display units instead of brand new, you could save thousands.Try theusedkitchencompany.com.
<div class="art-ins mol-factbox floatRHS news" data-version="2" id="mol-de91aca0-da15-11ec-8db3-a1fbf3c789d4" website tips in money-saving guru's guide to beating the squeeze