THE cost of living crisis has meant we're all trying to tighten our belts where we can and live more frugally to save cash.
But while there are obvious cost-cutting we can do, like cut back on takeaways, there are ways we could be wasting money without even realising it.
Here savvy saver and NerdWallet expert Connor Campbell shares his top tips to save cash, and the common errors we make in our own homes that could be costly…
Look after the pennies
Firstly, keeping track of your outgoings is absolutely vital to ensure you aren't paying for services unnecessarily.
Connor says: "With the current economic climate, now is a really good time to reconsider any unnecessary payments and direct debits that you may not even realise are still coming out of your bank each month.
"If you have decided to cancel a subscription for a service you no longer need or want, it’s essential to also check if the direct debit has also been cancelled.
"Otherwise, you end up paying for things you’re not using, which is essentially money down the drain."
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Load up the washing machine
Washing and drying clothes affects the cost of your energy bills quite significantly.
Connor says: "It's a lot more economical to wash bigger loads less often than regular half-loads.
"Filling the machine to capacity will use the same amount of water but it means you’re using it less often.
"Try and keep the temperature as low as possible too, as this uses less energy and will help keep costs down."
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Wash up
If you're lucky enough to have a dishwasher, use it.
Connor says: "A common energy-saving myth is that hand washing the dishes instead of using the dishwasher can help save money – but this isn’t the case.
"Hand washing actually uses a lot more water, which is more expensive to heat.
"When using the dishwasher, ensure you’re putting on a full wash to make the most of the water, energy, and detergent.
"It’s also a good idea to figure out what time of day is the most effective to run your dishwasher.
"Energy companies tend to charge higher rates for energy during peak times, so working out what time works best for you can help to lower your bill."
Heat the human – not the home
It's an obvious one, but only heat areas you're using in the home, rather than the whole house.
Connor says: "Another common mistake made around the house is keeping the heating on a low setting at all times to heat the whole house, rather than turning it on and off when needed, which uses less energy throughout the day.
"It’s also a lot more energy efficient to only heat the rooms you are using and avoid heating empty rooms, such as a spare room or storage room.
"In other words, heat the human, not the home!
"This can be done by turning off the radiators only in those rooms and keeping doors closed in the rooms you want to keep warm."
Other top tips to start saving at home
Here are some ways to ensure you’re cutting down the cost of your household bills as much as possible…
Turn your thermostat down by one degree – You could save up to £80 a year. Making a small change to the temperature in your home can make a big difference.
Investing in a smart thermostat, like the Google Nest Learning Thermostat. This gives you full control over the temperature of your home from wherever you are.
Use a smart meter – they can help you better understand your energy usage via the in-home display that comes with your smart meter. With more information on your day-to-day energy use, you can see when you’re using the most energy, and identify ways to cut back and in turn save money.
Make sure you have the best boiler for you. This will depend on your lifestyle, the size of your home and the number of people living there.
Use insulation to make sure no heat is being wasted. In addition to wall, roof and floor insulation keeping the heat in your home, insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to improve efficiency. Options such as a hot water cylinder jacket you can fit yourself and only costs around £15.
A turn off
Finally, unplugging electronic devices from the wall instead of just leaving them in sleep mode or standby will save a lot more money and energy.
Connor adds: "This stops the devices from draining electricity even when they’re not actively being used, helping to annually save more money on your bills.
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"Consider which devices you can unplug when they’re not in use, such as a television, games console, microwave, washing machine, printer, or computer.
"This will not only help cut down on costs but is also friendlier to the environment."
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