With the cost of gas increasing significantly and industry experts predicting that the cost of the average household bill will increase by a massive 40 percent this year, many are starting to worry about the price of their utility bills and are looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy they use.

Here at MoneyTowers.com, we have put together our Top Five Tips for helping reduce your energy bills and therefore helping you to save money.

1. Tariffs
There is a lot of competition in the energy market therefore it pays to check out as many companies as you can to ensure you get the lowest prices possible. If you do not want to change suppliers, make sure you are on the cheapest tariff for your usage – simply switching to a new tariff could save you a lot of money. You can compare energy suppliers here.

2. Entitlements
There are many different forms of benefits available and many people fail to claim what they can. If you are aged sixty or over, you should be able to claim the Winter Fuel Payment – this should be paid automatically if you have a State Pension. If you are not receiving the State Pension and believe you are entitled, the claim form will be available from July 2008.

All six of the big energy suppliers have also started social tariffs. These tariffs are there to support the vulnerable – the elderly, the disabled and families with young children. There is no set criteria and the discounts will not automatically be applied – if you believe you may qualify for this social tariff, call your energy supplier to see if it is applicable to your energy bill.

3. Energy Efficiency
Poorly insulated walls and roofs can help a home to lose up to two-thirds of it’s heat, therefore good insulation can help you save on your energy bills. Government grants of up to £4,000 are available to help with this cost via the Warmfront scheme. The grants can cover a variety of different things from repairs of faulty boilers through to installing insulation. Unfortunately, Warmfront only applies to a small number of people who are on specific benefits. If you believe you may be eligible, call freephone 0800 316 6011.

4. Check your energy bill
If you are with Npower, it is worth checking that your bill is correct. Reports have shown that the energy giant’s billing system made some errors an over 2 million customers may have been overcharged. Even if you are not with Npower, it is important to check your bill to ensure you are being charged correctly. If you haven’t had a meter reading in a while, it is a good idea to check the meter yourself and call the energy company with the updated readings so that your bill is as accurate as it can be.

5. Save Energy
Saving energy is something that is a hot topic right now and there are plenty of ways you can save energy around the house.
- Turn off lights in rooms you aren’t using
- Use energy efficient light bulbs – the Energy Saving Trust estimates that every energy saving light bulb can save an average household £7 a year
- Make good use of your radiators – don’t put large items of furniture in front of them as it blocks the heat flow. You can also put tin foil behind the radiator to help reflect heat back into the room.
- Use thicker curtains to help retain heat – however, if a radiator is directly underneath the window, make sure the heat is funnelled into the room rather than between the curtains and the windows. Cheap net curtains can also help provide an extra layer of insulation.
- Turn off your electronic equipment and don’t leave any of it on standby.

Have you got any further tips to help save energy? Share your ideas using our comment box below!

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