A SMART woman has revealed how she cut her energy bill by £150 a year using a bargain high street find.
Deirdre Mc Gettrick, 36, couldn’t believe how a simple solution could dramatically reduce the time it takes to heat during the colder months.
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A bargain at a high-end store helped Deirdre save money
With the cost of living rising, last year the entrepreneur started thinking about the parts of her home where she could reduce energy consumption.
She told The Sun: “When I realized that my heating was one of the biggest energy guzzlers in my flat, I decided to do something about it.”
Deirdre, who lives in a two-bedroom flat in Woolwich, south-east London, with her husband Ray Wright, 42, spotted the curtains in Dunelm for just £24.
She said: “By putting up curtains, I’ve been able to ditch my central heating at night during the winter.
“It also means I use it a lot less during the day.”
Extra insulation was added to the couple’s living room, which has floor-to-ceiling windows.
It is also where they spend most of their time, so they made the biggest savings by avoiding heating.
She also increased energy efficiency around her home by investing in a combination of curtain liners and thermal curtains.
These are heavier versions that help keep the heat in your rooms longer.
They can be a valuable investment for a living room or bedroom.
Although the price cap is set to drop from the start of October – from £2,074 to £1,923 – many are still worried about high gas and electricity bills as they are still far higher than in previous years.
But Deirdre, who co-founded furniture comparison site ufurnish.com with her husband Ray, says it’s worth the cash and you don’t have to spend a fortune.
“It’s possible to do all this on a budget,” said Deirdre.
“Dunelm is a great place to buy liners, with lots of options for under £30.
“You can also get the great lined thermal curtains from La Redoute, available in a range of colours, from £35.
“And there’s a great ‘over the door’ option at Argos for £30.”
According to The Eco Experts, a comparison website, high-quality thermal curtains will reduce the heating bill of an average three-bedroom home by more than £300 a year.
As Deirdre lives in a two-bed flat, the energy expert reckons she will save just under £150 a year on her bills.
Separate findings by SaveMoneyCutCarbon, a money-saving platform, show that around 25% of heat is lost through windows and drafts around the house.
Thermal curtains and blinds work to reduce heat loss.
From draft to cunning
To further increase your savings, get into the habit of drawing the curtains at dusk to keep the heat generated in your rooms.
Also remember to keep doors and windows closed when the heating is on.
Drapes aren’t the only step Deirdre has taken to cover up the bills.
The savvy businesswoman made further changes, including investing in a thicker comforter.
“This helps keep me warm at night when the temperatures drop,” she said.
“I also bought draft preventers for my kitchen and dining room to reduce the amount of heat escaping under my door.
“They make my apartment more comfortable, because less heat leaves and less cold air enters.”
For something a little unusual, Deirdre chose the caterpillar version for £22.50 at M&S, although there are plenty of fabric ones you can pick up on Amazon or Etsy for less than ten bucks.
Better yet, why not save even more by fashioning your own from a blanket, towel or old tights stuffed with rags, as it won’t cost you a penny.
The money-saving man added: “Until recently it was costing me a fortune to heat.
“But investing in a few smart furnishings, such as curtain liners, draft preventers and a high-performance duvet, really helped keep costs down.”
According to Uswitch, based on typical consumption, the average household with gas central heating spends around £400 for three months of heating.
Deirdre added: “Now, when the temperature drops, I only need to turn on the heating occasionally.
“I saw my energy bills almost cut in half because I didn’t have to turn on the heat as often.”
Another simple tip from Deirdre is to only fill the kettle with the amount of water needed to make a hot drink.
“I don’t overfill it anymore,” she said. “I put in enough water to make one or two cups of tea or coffee, so I don’t waste energy.”
According to figures from Electricityprices.org.uk, boiling a full kettle of water once a day can cost you 4p per use, while a half-full kettle costs 2p.
Other simple energy saving tips include unplugging your appliances.
Speaking of which, instead of leaving your cell phone to charge overnight, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of charging your device for a few hours in the evening.
Also be disciplined about turning off the lights when you leave the room.
Figures from National Energy Action show that leaving one standard 60W light bulb on for 12 hours could cost you 24.5p a day – a whopping £89.50 a year.
At the same time, try lowering the thermostat by just one degree. This could save you £100, says the Energy Trust.
Another quick win for anyone looking to reduce energy use is ditching the tumble dryer and hanging clothes outside to dry instead.
If you don’t have an outdoor space, an indoor air conditioning heater will still be a lot cheaper than turning on the heating to dry your clothes on radiators.
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Source: HIS Education