Whether you’re looking for ways of becoming more eco-friendly, or simply want to keep to a tighter household budget, reducing your energy usage is a great way to cover both grounds.

If you’re wondering how to go about this, especially in the colder months when you feel like keeping the heating on, you might be relieved to discover there are all kinds of small steps you can take to cut your outgoings as well as to reduce your carbon footprint.

Heating

The cost of heating your home may have risen over the years and if you’d like to use your boiler less often, a great way to improve your property’s efficiency is to make sure you have insulation in your loft and walls.

Have your walls filled and you could save up to £135 per year on energy bills, as well as cutting your property’s CO2 output by 550 kg. The job costs a few hundred pounds but usually pays for itself in around three years – plus you can usually receive a grant towards the price of installation.

If you haven’t got much cash to splash, consider investing in some draught excluders. These can help stop chilly breezes running through your house and ensure a room keeps its heat.

Layering up your clothes or using a hot water bottle are traditional ways of keeping warm and will work to an extent, but if you simply must switch the heating on you could find turning the thermostat down by just one degree could wipe £30 off your annual bill and save 300 kg of CO2.

If you’ve been thinking of replacing your boiler, this might also have an effect on your energy bills. Swapping an old gas boiler with an A-rated high-efficiency condensing alternative could garner savings of as much as £300 a year, while significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Water

If you’re keen to save money by reducing how much water you use at home, there are all sorts of tips to consider. Simple things such as not leaving the tap running when brushing your teeth can help you to avoid throwing water down the drain, as can fitting your shower with a low flow aerator. The latter can be used in faucets on sinks as well as showers and works by reducing the amount of waste water while not affecting the pressure.

To cut how much water your toilet uses, you could think about fitting it with a displacement device, which you can buy or – to save even more money – make yourself. Simply fill an old plastic bottle with pebbles, screw on the lid and place it inside the cistern.
It’s also possible to invest in low-flush lavatories, which use one to two gallons of water per flush rather than the usual three to five gallons.

To conserve water and save money, make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are fully loaded each time you use them. If you can, avoid extra rinses, and when it comes to investing in a new washer, look for energy-efficient options.

If you need to put on a wash before the machine is full, make use of the half load function many products feature, rather than allowing the machine to fill to capacity with water.

Electricity

In terms of reducing how much you spend on electricity, there are many small things you can do that will add up to hopefully generate savings. If you need to boil the kettle, for instance, only use as much water as is needed. This prevents electricity from being wasted by heating a full kettle if only one person requires a drink.

Turning off lights where they are not needed is another useful tip, while opting for energy-saving light bulbs can be an effective way of helping the environment while also potentially reducing your costs. These bulbs typically last longer than conventional types and use less energy.

If you have technological gadgets in your home, such as televisions, laptops and hi-fis, it’s worth turning these off when you’ve finished using them. Leaving them on standby wastes power – and money.

When drying clothes, hang them up rather than using a dryer, or if you simply must use it, fold the clothes immediately afterwards so you don’t have to use the iron later.

These are just some of the ways you can save money in the home every day. For more ideas and all the latest news for your home, visit formyhome.co.uk.