A man has revealed his savvy tips and tricks which are seeing him save £150 per month on his energy bill – ahead of the expected winter hike.
From October, it’s been predicted that the average cost for gas and electricity across the UK will increase by 10%.
Under the new price cap, the average dual-fuel bill will rise to £1,717 per year – up from its current level of £1,568, according to forecaster Cornwall Insight.
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Now, as people scratch around trying to find a way to cut costs, Samson Dada, 32, claims he has the answer after saving over £150 on his own monthly fuel cost.
And he says there’s one vital thing everyone must do before October.
“Fix your tariff now,” the publicist, from Manchester, told Need To Know.
“If you’re worried about fixing and losing out on a better deal later on, it’s unlikely you’ll get a good rate.
“I fixed mine back in February and got a great deal.
“I use an energy app to study the data to know what uses the most energy.
“Quickly, I realised that the busiest period for my energy usage is generated when my immersive hot water comes on.
“So I switched my tariff for my day and night rate to a much lower one.”
Samson used to pay out £300 a month for his electric-only household, but now, he’s paying just £150.
Due to this, he’s cleared his £500 debt on account and instead, is currently in credit.
He said to ensure you’re getting the best rate, look for tariffs offering as close to 5p/kWH for gas and 20p/kWH for electricity day usage, with under 15p/KWH at night.
And that’s not his only tip.
Samson said: “Never leave your hot water meter on whenever going on holiday, as this uses up a lot more than you think.
“Make sure that if you’re also switching account that your energy supplier has a direct debit option.
“An advantage of this system is that if you get a larger than expected bill in winter, you don’t have to pay it all immediately.
“Your payments in the warmer months will balance out anything paid when it’s colder.
“Also check if your employer offers any subsided benefit heating schemes.”
Aside from shopping around for the best deals, he says there are other general ways to ensure your home is kept toasty this winter – at a fraction of the cost.
He added: “Put draught insulators underneath doors to keep any cold or draught out.
“Check windows – if they’re letting in any cold air, place insulator tape around them.
“Alternatively, use thick brown tape.
“Turn your heating on about half an hour before going to bed.
“This means you’re likely to be warmer during the night and in the morning, so you won’t need to turn the heating on first thing.
“Or get a thick onesie to wear around the house, as I often find myself not needing to turn the heating on for at least two hours per day.
“Across a week, multiplying that across a month, that’s a lot of money saved.”
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