Winter is coming, bills are increasing, and minimum wage stays the same.

The cost-of-living crisis is not getting any better, and with no MP we must take matters into our own hands. Relo has you covered with the best tips and tricks to lower those ever-growing energy bills.

1. Let’s start with a smart meter

How will you be able to start using less energy if you cannot track your own usage?

Smart Meters help you track your usage so that you can see what you are spending daily, weekly, and monthly letting you review and reduce your energy use.

Check out our Smart Meter Guide

2. Switch off standby mode

An easy habit to introduce into your home life is to UNPLUG all your many technical devices!

By turning standby mode off or unplugging you can save up to £65 a year alone, according to the Energy Saving Trust, you just need to remember. Majority of technology today like your 4K TV or that PS5 will save all the data and not upset the programming if you unplug it.

If you find it hard to remember what is plugged in or not you can purchase a standby saver or smart plug, allowing you to turn all your devices off in one go. You now have no excuses!

Easy peasy why have you not thought of this sooner?

3. Turn off those lights

The easiest and oldest tip on this list, yet lighting still takes up 11% of the average   UK household’s electricity consumption.

Let’s all switch to LED bulbs they are brighter, cheaper, last longer and have 90% less energy than traditional light bulbs, so why are you keeping that old dusty light? LEDs cost less than £3 a blub compared to a 100-watt incandescent bulb which can save you up to £15 a year according to the Energy Saving Trust.

That is a huge saving, especially in the darker winter months!

4. Washing at a lower temperature

I know we have heard that this is better for the environment, but it is also going to save you energy. By decreasing the temperature, you wash your clothes and only doing one full load a week for a year you could save £34 a year in accordance with the Energy Saving Trust.

5. Shower more, Bath less

Start timing those showers!

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that if you shower for four minutes or less and exchange that one bath a week for a four-minute shower you can save up to £115 per person, per year. If you fit an eco-shower head into your shower it will feel more powerful than a regular shower and cut down on the amount of hot water, you are using.

6. Kettles

We are British and there is no way we will cut down on a hot cup of tea why should we, with the cold weather coming!

Let’s be honest how many of us overfill the kettle with more water than we are going to use, if we fill it to the exact amount we need for that pasta and that teapot we could save up to £13 a year on our electricity bill, Energy Saving Trust estimates. If you boil a full kettle twice a day for a whole year, it can cost up to £49.64 according to Goodto Know.

That might not seem like a lot but how many times are you boiling that kettle? Maybe it’s time to invest in an energy-efficient kettle, that can boil you 1 cup in 45 seconds, thus saving up to 66% energy, in accordance with Beeco Green.

These tips not only lower the amount of money you are spending monthly, but they also get you in a good habit that will help the planet one house at a time!

If you are struggling with rent and bills, don’t be ashamed to speak up and get help by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment