Indoor electric

The winter months are cold and dark.  They can also be depressing and expensive.  Gas and Electric bills can be difficult to understand, and there is a lot of information around that gives advice on reducing bills, but most of us are too busy to keep up with which supplier is cheapest in any given moment.  The only real way to avoid paying more on bills that you do on rent is to use less power.

Here are some quick tips to avoid paying your salary to the power companies.

Daylight bulbs

The days are dark, and the lights go on early and stay on until bedtime.  Most housing will have energy saving bulbs fitted, and although these are cheaper to run, I have found that they do not provide enough light in some rooms.  If you are from a warmer country, you may also find that these bulbs seem to give off a dimmer and more yellow light than in your home country.  I have found that for me, it is cheaper and a lot more comfortable for me to replace the light bulb in the main living area with a "Daylight" bulb.  They are marketed locally as bulbs to combat SAD.  They might cost a little more per bulb, but just one of these will provide a lot more light than the alternative, and I have found that replacing just the one in the main sitting room means that I do not need additional lamps in the sitting room, and that the light travels a lot further, into my hallway and kitchen. 

Torch 

Winter time is the the season for power outages.  Having a torch in each bedroom (they are cheap, including batteries if you look in Poundland, Lidl and some supermarkets)  is very sensible.  The torch gives enough light for any loo trips, and saves lights being turned on and off through the night.  A torch beside a child's bed helps them feel more secure through the long nights.  A torch near the front door provides enough light to guide a person to their room without waking others, and saves switching the hall light on.  If you get into the habit of using either a torch, or the torch setting on your mobile handset when you come home, you will save money.

Flask

One of the most expensive appliances to run is a the kettle.  Have someone turn yours on and you can watch your electric meter spin!  It is worth the effort of filling a thermos flash from a kettle to provide free boiled water for hot drinks through the evening, rather than boiling and reboiling a kettle throughout the day and night

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