In modern Britain, with soaring energy costs and a growing gap between average wage and cost of living expenses, saving a bit of cash is always on our minds.
We all know how to cut our energy bills down. Limit water use, turn off lights when you’re not in the room, get some proper insulation, etc. But these are all old and obvious. We’ve been practising these techniques for years now, so there must be new ways to save on utility bills
Right?
Well, yes: there are a number of modern ways to save on utility bills in 2017 — these four tips in particular could bring those bills down in a hurry…
- Save On Utility Bills With Smart Meters
Smart meters have been given a pretty bad rap in the media recently, but it’s important to note that it isn’t their ability to save us money that is under fire. It’s the promises from overestimating politicians.
Smart meters, for those who are not aware, are energy readers installed into the home that provide real-time updates on energy usage to both homeowners and suppliers. The idea is to eradicate estimated usage, ensuring homeowners know exactly how much energy is being used and how much it is going to cost them.
The new technology is available for free from all energy suppliers, with the government hoping to roll out a universal system by 2020. The negativity behind smart meters has emerged simply because the state-backed program has been shown to have overestimated the savings you could actually achieve.
Despite this, it is believed that roughly 3% of annual energy bills can be cut by installing this free technology, with greater savings — nearly £50 a year — expected in the future.
Energy-Efficient Movement
The rise of energy-efficient technology has picked up a lot of steam in recent years — and with good reason. Estimates state that changing from an old boiler to a newer, energy-efficient model could save up to £340 per year. Another £100 in savings is up for grabs for those who use energy-efficient light bulbs.
This is before we even get into the rest of the tech on offer with energy-efficient variants — cookers, washing machines, even toasters and kettles. The potential savings by upgrading your home appliances and getting on board with the energy-efficiency trend are enormous.
However, like all good things in life, there is a catch.
Energy-efficient technology is more advanced and, therefore, more expensive than their less efficient counterparts. So are they worth it?
From a financial point of view, they are. The savings to be had from using energy-efficient tech adds up fast, but it is not instantaneous. These types of savings are long-term investments that won’t just help you save on energy bills in 2017, but into the future.
A good energy efficient boiler is going to cost you at least £1500. Which means your annual savings of £340 will only dent the initial spend. However, an energy-efficient boiler will also last around 15 years, which means you are looking at a total save of over £5000 during its lifespan. Not a bad way at all to save on utility bills.
Consistent Maintenance and Repair Work
They say they don’t make things like they used to, which is often very true.
Modern appliances that are used to provide and enable the consumption energy are vastly more complex than their predecessors. As such, there are more things that can go wrong.
To keep your appliances working and operating correctly, ensuring efficiency, no early replacements and cheaper energy bills, it’s important to look after them properly.
The modern appliance should be considered in a similar fashion to a car, not least because many are nearly as expensive. They are just as susceptible to both faults and wear-and-tear, yet if properly maintained, can last a lifetime.
If you’re looking to save on utility bills In 2017, it is vital that you pay attention to your appliances, looking out for warning signs of impending disaster. Catch them early, like a knocking sound in the engine, and you’ll save yourself a fortune. The cost of boiler repair, for example, is nothing compared to the cost of replacement, or the additional costs of losing energy efficiency.
Taking Yourself Off the Grid
Taking yourself off the grid might make it sound like we are suggesting you become feral and move into the forest, but that’s far from the truth. Many people are becoming more eco-conscious and more self-sufficient, and they’ve found it has saved them considerable chunks of their utility bills.
Of course, becoming totally self-sufficient is nearly impossible for the modern homeowner, but there are ways you can reduce your reliance and save.
- Harvesting water: Setting up a system of harvesting natural water sources, filtering it and using it with the home can save as much as 40% on water bills per year.
- Solar power: For your average three-person house, you can save around £800 per year by installing solar power and reducing your reliance on the national grid for energy. While the cost installation and purchasing is around £7000 — not a small fee — the average solar panel lasts around 25 years or more, with some lasting up to 40, which means total savings of anywhere between £20,000 and £32,000 over the technologies lifespan.
To save on utility bills in 2017 isn’t always easy, or cheap to begin with, but such long-term foresight like this can result in serious amounts of money saved later down the line.
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