Top 5 tips for saving on your gas and electric bill

When you're on a tight budget, even the essential bills can sometimes stretch your finances that bit too far. And if you don't usually have any money left after the bills, it can take just one payment to be slightly higher than usual and you're starting to struggle.
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Recent research for Debt Advisory Centre found that one in six people in Yorkshire say they are in gas arrears, and one in seven say that they are behind on their electricity bill. But it doesn’t need to be this way – by following a few simple tips, you can save money on your energy bills.

Finding it difficult to meet your monthly commitments every now and then isn’t necessarily something to worry about. After all, you might have had an unexpected expense to cover one month, which pushes you over budget.

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But if you’re constantly finding it difficult to afford the essentials like your gas and electricity or your water bill, it may be a warning sign of a wider financial problem. If you start to miss too many electricity or gas bills, you might find that your energy supplier puts you on a prepayment meter. Prepayment tariffs are usually more expensive than standard tariffs, which can put even more strain on your finances.

If you are struggling to afford your energy bills, make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep the cost down. Here are our top tips for saving money on gas and electricity.

• Check that you’re on the cheapest deal by running a quote on a price comparison website. You might not even need to change suppliers – sometimes you can just move onto a more affordable tariff with the same provider.

• Make sure you don’t lose too much heat through your roof by not having enough loft insulation. The recommended thickness is 270mm – if yours doesn’t measure up, you might be eligible for a Government grant to get extra insulation. Call your energy provider to get a free assessment and find out if you qualify. Without enough insulation, you’ll need to blast your heating more to keep it warm during the colder months.

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• Check for draughts around your home as they could let out the heat. Have a look around your window frames, under your doors and any chimneys that aren’t blocked up. You can pick up insulating kits from any good DIY stores relatively cheaply.

• Switch any old-fashioned light bulbs for energy efficient alternatives. These will be more expensive initially than traditional bulbs but they use less energy and they should last longer too.

• You can wash most clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees – this will also help to save energy. And always go for a full load of washing rather than just doing a couple of items each time.

Debt Advisory Centre: 0161 871 4881

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