Articles supplied by Xelecta plc, Warranty Direct Ltd and Brightside Plc
Top 10 Tips for Saving Money on Energy
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Compare your energy prices online regularly with eMoney
If you have never switched energy supplier before, you could save up to £170 per year. Even households who have
switched before should look again for a better deal – savings of 15% can be achieved quite easily. Remember - check whether you’re
still getting the best deal every six months!
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Pay by monthly Direct Debit
Rip up those cheques and see if your current supplier can offer you savings by moving to a cheaper payment method. Consumer
watchdog energywatch reckons you could save up to £67 per year by moving from cheque to monthly Direct Debit.
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Don’t use prepayment energy meters
Prepayment meters usually accept tokens or coins that can be bought or topped up. If the customer stops paying, the supply is cut
off. The advantage is that you can budget your expenditure, however, this is also the most expensive way to buy your energy. If
you have a prepayment meter in your home, contact your supplier for advice on having it replaced with a credit meter.
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Insulate your home
Did you know that 40% of heat in a typical home is lost through the walls and loft? Make your home more energy efficient through
draught proofing, cavity wall insulation, double glazing and by putting a sleeve over your water tank. And before you worry about
the cost – help is at hand: The government, energy suppliers and local authorities all have a range of grants to help pay for
making insulation improvements. Check the energy savings grant search tool and check if a grant is there for you:
http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid/.
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Get energy-saving light bulbs
Every time you switch on a regular light bulb, 90% of the electricity is wasted as heat, and only 10% is converted into light.
And while these special bulbs cost more, you should consider that they can last up to 12 times longer than
standard bulbs.
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Make your own electricity
Government grants are available for a range of technologies to generate electricity in your home. Visit
http://www.clear-skies.org/ for more information the amounts available.
Download an application form and get that solar panel on your roof!
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Get a gas boiler that generates electricity
Innovative new gas boilers provide hot water around the house, while absorbing the heat that would normally be wasted through the
exhaust to generate electricity. The energy can then be used in your home or exported back into the electricity grid – saving up
to £200 per year. Read this document by the European Association for the Promotion of CHP (Combined Heat and Power) for more
information about this technology and its availability in the
UK FactSheet_MicroCHP_UK.pdf.
(This requires that you have the Adobe Acrobat viewer installed on your PC).
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Take the Energy Savings Trust Home Energy Check
Still not convinced this is for you? Use this simple online tool by the Energy Savings Trust to generate a personalised report that
shows where you could cut back on your energy consumption.
http://www.est.org.uk/sense/propertyDetailsPublic.do?action=view.
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Financial help for elderly people
The government operates a £200 Winter Fuel Payment scheme for pensioners over the age of 60. More information on how to apply for the
scheme is available on this link
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/what-is-it.asp
or by calling the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 08459 15 15 15 .
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Think you know it all now?
Visit the website of the National Energy Foundation and test your knowledge about renewable energy sources. Get it right and you could
win a Solar Sunhat. http://www.nef.org.uk/energyadvice/quiz.htm.
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