See if you can save €200 in 30 minutes with our energy tips.

See if you can save €200 in 30 minutes with our energy tips.

Here are five quick and easy ways to save approximately €200 a year in energy costs.

In just thirty minutes you’ll make savings that will dramatically reduce your annual energy bill – one of the biggest drains on the household budget.

1. Save on your TV and gadgets

Switch off your TV, DVD player, the TV box, the games console and any other gadget you constantly keep on stand by.

That “on” but not in use gadget is costing you money every second.

Turn it off and feel good about yourself, because,  if you keep doing that you’ll make an average saving of about €30 a year.

You might even save more, depending on the age and condition of your television – and whether it’s  a plasma TV which is the least efficient, a conventional set which is middling, or  a most efficient LCD.

And, because there has been a digital explosion small household appliances such as TVs and gaming gear now account for an average 7 per cent of household spends on electricity, far behind heating water at 24% but ahead of lighting at 6% and cooking at 3%.

2. Warm up your immersion

If you were going out into the winter chill you’ll pull on a coat, jam on a hat and tug on a scarf. Now, feel pity for your cold and unloved electric immersion.

Where’s his lagging jacket?  He needs it in the summer and winter – the poor thing- and he’ll show you how grateful he is by saving you approximately €70 a year in heating costs.

3. Don’t splash that cash

Now that you have lots of cheap hot water don’t splash it around.  Don’t take a bath – you can have five showers instead for the same cost.

4. Clean your bulbs

On the subject of cleanliness, did you know that keeping your bulbs clean can save you money? Dirty bulbs can reduce their efficiency by up to 25%.  (But don’t clean them when they’re on, especially not with a damp cloth!)

5.Get energy efficient bulbs

While you’re up that ladder, replace three conventional bulbs with energy saving CFLs to save up to €37 a year.

You probably have a multiple of that number of bulbs in your home – replace them all and multiply your savings – and turn them off when you’re not using them.

Finally, now that we’re done here, remember not to   leave your computer on stand by overnight– switch it off and save an average 25% off its annual energy bill.