Hive shares tips to save you money

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As we edge ever closer to the most expensive celebration of the year – Christmas – many of us are struggling to make ends meet and are considering changing a lot of our usual habits. 

Thermostats are going up and the children are excited about the presents that are yet to be bought. But prices of food, heating, and fuel have been increasing and unfortunately, wages and benefits are not keeping up with inflation.

In a recent study of 2,000 UK adults, Hive has found out exactly what is worrying Brits the most. It discovered that 63 per cent have already been affected by the cost-of-living crisis and have had to change their lifestyle as a result.

Sixty-nine per cent of people are worried about the cost-of-living crisis as we move into winter, and many have taken new measures to help reduce their monthly outgoings. In a bid to cope with the rising prices, 42 per cent said they have used their heating less, while 41 per cent are searching for cheaper groceries each week and 36 per cent are cutting back on going out for meals.

Over three-fifths of people are ensuring they turn off the lights when they leave the room and electrical appliances when they’re not in use, in the hope of cutting costs. 53 per cent said that they are worried they won’t be able to pay for their heating bills this winter, while 35 per cent are worried that they won’t be able to afford their weekly food shop or even afford to enjoy Christmas as they once did.

Hive has provided us with helpful advice on how to budget and make your money stretch a little further. Following these simple tips and tricks could reduce your worries. Will you be adopting any of these?

Try to dry your clothes more efficiently

Tumble dryers can be really helpful and save you time but they are also very energy hungry. So try to dry your laundry outside when you can, although we know this can be difficult during the colder months. If you dry on a radiator instead, hang clothes nearby rather than directly on the radiator. Wet clothes cool the radiator, which makes your boiler work harder to keep things warm and cosy for you. If you do need to use the tumble dryer, using the auto-dry setting is better than using a timed cycle, and eco-balls are also a great way to speed up the drying process.

Invest in a smart home thermostat

Smart thermostats can help by keeping house temperatures as low as possible for as long as possible, says Hive. This is done by specifying your chosen room temperature alongside details of your typical daily schedule. Hive’s smart thermostat, which costs just £119, heats the house accordingly, helping you to save up to £311 a year as your heating will automatically be turned on and off as needed – ensuring no wastage. And with Geolocation, Hive will send you an instant reminder if you’ve gone out and left the heating on.

There are many benefits to owning a smart thermostat and the results of the survey reflected this. More than 70 per cent enjoyed the fact that the app on their phone allows them to control what times their heating comes on remotely so that they are not heating an empty home. 51 per cent said that a great benefit was that it also allows them to see the different temperatures throughout the home and adjust accordingly within that section only.

Frozen pipes can be a serious problem in winter. But with built-in Frost Protection on the Hive Smart Thermostat, you don’t need to worry. If the temperature drops below 7°C, it’ll automatically turn on the heating to warm your pipes and keep things flowing.

The new Hive Thermostat Mini is smaller, sleeker, and has all the benefits of smart heating, at an even more affordable price. With features like instant alerts, frost protection, geolocation and holiday mode, it’s certainly worth the investment.

Turn your thermostat down by just one degree

This is one of the simplest energy-saving tricks there is but turning your heating down by a single degree can make a significant difference. You might not think such a small amount would be beneficial – but according to the Energy Saving Trust, going from 20C to 19C, for example, can cut your heating bill by 10 per cent. For the average three-bed house, that could be up to £130 every year.

Improve your home’s insulation

Around 25 per cent of the heat loss in your home happens through the roof and about 35 per cent through the walls. This means that investing in quality insulation can really pay off through lower energy bills in the long term.

Use more energy-efficient cooking appliances

Traditional ovens use a lot of energy, so air fryers and slow cookers can help you cook for a fraction of the price. In fact, with a slow cooker, you can cook a meal for about the same cost as powering a lightbulb!

Heat only the areas that you need

It’s worth considering alternatives to turning on the heating at every opportunity. Hive believes it might be cost-effective if you’re working from home to consider only heating what is necessary and not the entire house. Using smart radiator valves like the ones from Hive will allow you to heat only the rooms in use. They are easy to install and let you heat each room just how you like. Perhaps also consider buying yourself a heated blanket that you can put on your legs while working or when you’re sitting watching tv at the end of the day to reduce the amount you use your heating.

Fit radiator reflector panels

On exterior walls, reflector panels that are fitted behind your radiators can help direct more heat back into the rooms, making them cosier overall. They’re relatively cheap and easy to install too. You can also get a similar effect for less money by putting aluminium foil on the wall behind the radiator.

Wash your clothes at a lower temperature

Many of us wash our clothes at 40C or above out of habit, but modern washing powders work well at temperatures as low as 20C. Why not try making 30C your standard wash? The lower the temperature, the more energy you’ll save. Although it’s probably best to wash bedding, towels and underwear at a higher temperature – at least 40C.

Move your furniture away from radiators

If you have a bed or sofa right next to a radiator then you could be stopping the heat from reaching the rest of the room. Moving it at least an inch or two away can make a big difference. This will improve the air circulation and you’ll notice the room gets warm and cosy much faster.

Bleed your radiators

Bleeding your radiators sounds difficult but it’s surprisingly simple and can make your heating system more efficient. If you have cold spots on your radiator, bleeding them can really help.

Use eco mode whenever you can

Unknown to many, lots of household appliances have eco modes that are designed to use less energy – usually by running at different speeds or lower temperatures. Try using these as your standard option and you should see some good savings over time.

Keep your appliances clean for efficiency

It’s important to clean the lint filter of your tumble dryer as often as possible. By doing this you will save energy as you are making sure it runs efficiently. Similarly, if you can access the back of your fridge, give the coils a quick hoover every now and then to keep it working efficiently.

Consider using more smart home devices

Smart lights have the same fittings as normal bulbs and setting them up doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes. Being able to control your smart lighting system from your phone is super useful and means you can always check if a light’s been left on – then turn it off if you need to.

They’re also the perfect shortcut to having dimmable lights in your home because you can do that from the app. So there’s no need to spend money installing a dimmer switch!

Another great device to consider is a smart plug. They work just like adaptors: plug in your appliance then plug it into a power socket. Now you can turn that appliance on and off from your smartphone. Connect one to a fan in the bedroom and schedule it to turn off automatically after an hour or so you’re not wasting money while you’re snoozing.

Visit the website to discover more about how to turn your home into a smart home.

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