Autumn is arriving and winter isn’t far behind, and that means that most of us are starting to think about our energy bills creeping back up as the nights draw in.
With energy prices set to increase again on October 1, and the temperatures already plunging, the stress of battling rising bills is returning in earnest.
That’s why this is a good time of year to get on top of your usage, before your bill starts to get away from you.
According to Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert site, energy advice shared by supplier British Gas says to target three key ‘vampire power’ devices.
MSE reports that, contrary to popular belief, chargers and other appliances still use electricity when plugged in, even when not in use.
And other devices – namely games consoles, laptops and TVs – still draw power when plugged into a switched-on socket, MSE says. And British Gas says that a fourth appliance – kettles – can also save money when switched off.
It says: “British Gas says that chargers and appliances will still use electricity when left in sockets – so it’s important to turn them off at the plug when you’re not using them.
“A lot of devices, such as games consoles, laptops and TVs, draw small amounts of power when not in use but still plugged in and turned on at the socket. This is sometimes known as ‘vampire power’. You can easily avoid using this standby power by switching devices off at the wall.
“The Energy Saving Trust says you can save about £45 a year by turning off your appliances at the plug when you’re not using them.”
British Gas, on its energy saving tips website, says: “Switching electronics off instead of leaving them on standby can save you up to £55 a year.
“Small changes to how you use electricity can add up. Unplugging appliances like kettles and other appliances instead of leaving them on standby are good habits to get into and every little counts towards lower energy bills.”
