MANY Brits are worried about rising energy prices this winter, but there are some gadgets that can help to reduce bills by hundreds of pounds. With Black Friday coming up, it could be a good time to invest in an energy saving device. According to research by Uswitch, replacing household items with certain gadgets can […]
MANY Brits are worried about rising energy prices this winter, but there are some gadgets that can help to reduce bills by hundreds of pounds.
With Black Friday coming up, it could be a good time to invest in an energy saving device.
According to research by Uswitch, replacing household items with certain gadgets can help to save you money on your bills.
Families are keen to cut bills as the price of gas and electricity has soared due to rising wholesale costs, and the energy price cap jump.
Meanwhile, around 20 suppliers have gone bust over the last few months.
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch, said: “Black Friday is commonly associated with fancy new technology and big discounts off fashion items, but spending on the right gadgets could save consumers money on their energy bills in the long run.
“At a time when many people are trying to save money on their bills, now might be a good time to make relatively inexpensive changes to the home that can make a big difference to your energy consumption.
“Many of the energy efficient items on our list will pay for themselves in a year or less through savings on your energy bill, and the fact that they will last for many years means they come with a long-term benefit.”
For example, slow cookers and microwaves use less energy than ovens and using an electric blanket in the evening means you can turn thermostats down by a few degrees.
Meanwhile, draught excluders will set you back just £4.79 but could save you £25 a year.
Replacing your shower head with an energy efficient version will cost you £34.99 but will save £55 a year, paying for itself within around seven months.
Other items such as radiator reflectors that reduce heat loss and smart power strips, which turn off standby mode, take longer to pay for themselves.
But they’ll last for several years meaning they could start saving consumers money within just 12 months.
You could also consider using a heated clothes dryer rather than a tumble dryer in the winter months.
A tumble dryer could cost 9p per cycle per kg of clothing, compared to an air dryer costing 5p to run per kg.
Replacing your halogen bulbs with LED light bulbs is also more energy efficient.
If you’re considering buying energy-saving gadgets this Black Friday, you should compare prices to make sure you’re getting the best value for money.
MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis said shoppers should check the value of items they’re interested in now to see how much the discount is worth on the day.
There are other simple ways you can save money, such as scrapping paper bills.
Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you £55 a year.
If you’re worried about paying for your bills this winter, there are government schemes you can apply for.
Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk
