1. Understand your bill

The information on a typical energy bill can be confusing, but understanding it can go a long way to helping you get to grips with your energy usage at home.

This video from Home Energy Scotland provides a helpful guide.

2. Switch off standby

You can save around £30 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.

Almost all electrical and electronic appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. You may want to think about getting a standby saver which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.

Check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record.

3. Careful in your kitchen

You can save around £36 a year from your energy bill just by using your kitchen appliances more carefully:

  • Use a bowl to wash up rather than a running tap and save £25 a year in energy bills.
  • Cutback your washing machine use by just one cycle per week and save £5 a year on energy.
  • Only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need and save around £6 a year.

4. Get a head

If you’ve got a shower that takes hot water straight from your boiler or hot water tank (rather than an electric shower), fit a water efficient shower head. This will reduce your hot water usage while retaining the sensation of a powerful shower.

A water-efficient shower head could save a four-person household (e.g. a family of four or even a shared student flat) as much as £70 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £115 a year on water bills if they have a water meter.

The calculation is based on the assumption that a family of 4 takes 20 showers a week and replaces a 13 litre/minute power-shower head with a 7.7 litre/min water-efficient showerhead, and the family are charged £2.97 per cubic meter of water used (includes sewage charge).

5. Spend less time in the shower

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £7 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter, this could save a further£12 off annual water and sewerage bills.

If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.

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