10 Practical Tips to Lower Your Gas and Electric Bills

The cost of heating your home is pretty horrible at the moment, and it’s only likely to get worse as the year continues. The good news? There are practical ways to keep bills down without sacrificing comfort. Here are my top 10 tried-and-tested ideas…

1. Lower the temperature on your boiler

Most boilers come with a pre-set temperature that isn’t always the most cost-effective. Adjusting it can make a big difference:

• Combi boiler – set your flow temperature to 50 °C for heating and 55 °C for hot water. It may take slightly longer to heat up on cold days, but the gas and CO2 savings make it worthwhile.

• Boiler + hot water cylinder – set the flow temperature on your boiler a few degrees over 60 °C for heating and hot water, and set your hot water cylinder to 60 °C. Don’t go lower than 60 to stop bacteria like Legionella from multiplying.
  

This one tweak can save you around 8% on your gas bill. For the average UK household spending about £1,000 a year on gas, that’s £80 back in your pocket.

Many people confuse flow temperature with the thermostat setting. The thermostat controls the room temperature, while the flow temp controls how hot the water leaving your boiler is.

If your shower is so hot you have to add cold water, your flow temp is too high, and that’s money wasted.

2. Use cold water for washing your hands

Hot water doesn’t kill bacteria; soap does. Unless you genuinely need warm water, stick with cold and save on both gas and water.

3. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature

30 °C is plenty for most washes. Modern detergents are designed to work effectively at lower temperatures, and increasing the temperature only uses more energy.

There’s a double win here: clothes last longer, too. Hot washes fade colours and shrink fabrics, so by washing at a cooler temperature, you also reduce the frequency of wardrobe replacements.

If your tariff offers cheaper off-peak rates, use the time-delay function on your machine to run washes overnight or early in the morning. Just avoid tumble dryers at night for safety reasons.

4. Skip the tumble dryer when you can

Air drying can save you £ 40 or more per year. If drying indoors, place a clothes horse near (not on) a radiator or invest in a heated airer, which uses less energy than a tumble dryer.

5. Switch to LED bulbs

LED bulbs are up to 90% more energy-efficient than standard ones. They’ve dropped in price over the last decade and pay for themselves quickly.

If replacing every bulb feels expensive, consider swapping the most-used ones first, such as the kitchen, living room, and hallway. That’s where you’ll see savings fastest.

6. Turn off lights when not in use

I used to roll my eyes when my dad nagged about lights, but now that I pay the bills, I see why! Simply switching off lights can save an average family about £20 a year.

Want to make it effortless? Install motion-sensor lights in hallways and bathrooms. Or try smart switches like the Kasa ones I use, which let me monitor and switch lights off from my phone anywhere in the world.

I also use Equiwatt, an energy-saving app that pays you to switch off nominated appliances for up to an hour during special “Equivent” events. Over the last two years, it’s earned me several hundred pounds.

7. Turn the equipment off standby

That little red light on your TV or console is costing you. Standby power, sometimes called “phantom load,” adds up across all your devices.

For example, a PS5 uses about 3W on standby. That doesn’t sound much, but left on 24/7, it costs around £6 a year. Multiply that by 10–15 gadgets: TVs, routers, consoles, smart speakers, and you’re easily wasting £30–£50 annually.

8. Invest in a service such as Hive

I’ve used Hive for over six years, and it’s saved me a lot of money. Hive connects to your boiler, letting you adjust the temperature through the app or control unit with just a tap.

What I’ve found really handy is being able to set temperature limits, so you’re not overheating your home. Most importantly, it can be controlled from anywhere. You can keep the heating off during the day, or when nobody’s in, and then switch it on before you head back, so you’re not wasting money heating an empty house but still walk into warmth.

Hive also sends monthly reports about your home heating, showing when it’s being used most compared to the previous month. That makes it easier to identify areas for improvement and reduce your consumption. You can read more about Hive in an earlier blog post.

It even has a geolocation feature. Hive can detect when you’ve left the house and switch the heating off automatically, then fire it up as you head back.

Alongside smart controls, don’t forget that the physical condition of your boiler has a big impact on savings. Regular checks by a qualified engineer can detect problems such as incorrect pressure, worn components, or inefficient burners that counteract the work of your thermostat.

An inefficient boiler can use up to 30% more fuel than necessary. Spending £100 on a service could prevent hundreds wasted on energy.

Local homeowners often pair app-based controls with an annual boiler service bishop auckland to keep systems running safely and efficiently, and to get impartial advice on whether repair or replacement will be more cost-effective. This combined approach helps protect comfort while reducing fuel bills over time.

For some households, especially in rural areas, traditional heating options are just as important as smart tech.

If you're fortunate enough to have either a wood fire or food-fired heating system, it always pays to have a reliable supplier of firewood that can keep you supplied with high-quality, properly stored wood to ensure you get the best results.

Wood and pellet stoves provide direct warmth. They use wood logs or pellets as fuel.

These stoves create a cosy atmosphere in the home. Pellets burn cleaner than wood. They are a good backup option during power outages.

Modern stoves are efficient and produce less smoke. A chimney or vent is required for safety. Some stoves can heat multiple rooms. Regular cleaning keeps them working well. This heating method is best for rural homes.

In addition to wood and pellet stoves, propane space heaters are also a strong backup option during power outages. They offer clean-burning heat and are ideal for rural homes where electricity may be unreliable.

Propane can be easily sourced from trusted providers such as KellyPropane.com, ensuring households have access to a steady fuel supply when it’s needed most.

9. Take a shower instead of a bath

A standard bath uses around 80 litres of water, while a 10-minute shower with a water-efficient shower head uses about 40 litres. That’s half the water, and half the heating.

If you’re on a water meter, that’s extra savings too. Some water suppliers even give away free water-saving devices like shower heads and tap aerators.

10. Don’t overfill your kettle

If you’re making one cup of tea, only boil one cup of water. Overfilling wastes both energy and time.

Bonus tip: descale your kettle regularly. Limescale reduces efficiency, making it take longer (and cost more) to boil. Energy-efficient kettles with minimum-fill markers also help.

Bonus tip: Check your meter readings

Estimated bills are often way off. Sometimes you end up paying too much, sometimes too little. If it’s underestimated, you’ll eventually get hit with a catch-up bill, and I’ve seen people land with thousands in back charges.

Send regular readings to avoid surprises. Smart meters make this process automatic, and in-home displays allow you to view real-time usage. Spotting that your oven is costing 20p a day just sitting there on standby can be eye-opening.

If you’re struggling with bills, don’t bury your head in the sand. Contact a dedicated energy helpline like Simple Energy Advice for guidance on Winter Fuel Payments, Warm Home Discount, and Cold Weather Payments.

For wider debt support, trusted organisations include Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline, and Christians Against Poverty. Explore every option before considering an IVA or bankruptcy; they carry long-term consequences. I’ve been there myself, and years later, I’m still dealing with the impact.