How to reduce household bills without incurring extra costs?

LOL I should have mentioned that we've already switched over 5 months ago now.

Immersion is on the outside of the hotpress and like I say rarely used. It takes approx 20 mins to heat enough for 2 decent showers if we do use it.

I'm not a sewer although it is something I plan on looking into in the future. I intend to attach extra material to the curtains using strong "wonda-web". It was previously used for hemming my work trousers but as I'm not working atm I may as well put it to good use. :D
 
The reflective panels to the backs of the radiators are a great job, I submitted detailed information on the savings in our home since these were installed last year on another thread about them - still very pleased with them.

When replacing any glass make sure that it is "A" rated - our windows are also like radiators that take in the heat from the winter sun (which we seem to have more of than the summer sun).

Use solid fuel stoves instead of open fires.
 
Night saver rates during the day are higher than standard rates. So unless you are using it for heating its more costly to go for nightsaver.

Lots of cheap tips:
Let the sun in, pull back curtains as far as possible during the day and close in the evening.
We got a fridge thermometer, cost 10 euro, result: raise the temp of the fridge by 2 notches. Fridge is on all the time so good savings.
Agree about drying the clothes, a good rack is a lifesaver. Rads won't heat the house when they are covered
Watch the weather for good days and do loads of washing and put it on the line. Accuweather is way better than Met Eireann.
Cold water in the atic tank is freezing in the morning and warmer at 4 pm. Do your washing/showering etc then. Its less costly to heat the water from 10 degrees to 30 than from 2 degrees to 30.
Wash at 30. Its fine.
Full loads of washing
Seprate dishwasher stuff (rinse aid, salt, detergent) works better on the eco wash than the 5 in one. Tesco do very cheap Which rated tablets.
Buy thin towels, the dry faster, saving money. They don't feel as luxurious, but they do the job fine.
Boil only enough water to make 1 cup of tea etc.
Laptops use only 15% of the power of big computer is you have a choice.
 
- Insulate the area where the water tank is.
Indeed, if your water is freezing, it costs more to heat up.
- Insulate pipes.
- I changed the immersion tank lately, I got a smaller insulated tank with a timer: great savings!
- You may switch off the heating off at night, put extra blankets, wear a warm pyjamas with socks... Not very sexy but great savings.
- When the gas heating isn't used, eg during the summer, ensure to switch the pilot light and the pump off.
- When leaving your house for the day, a week-end or holidays: switch everything off, unplug everything: immersion, heating system, tvs, video, cable box, washing machines, computers, printers, mobile phone chargers, broadband modems, radio alarms, landline phone/voicemail chargers, baby interphones... (bar the fridge unless it's empty, make sure to leave it open then...)
- We switched to Bord gais for electricity and as we also use their gas, we get 14% off the electricity units vs ESB.
I might switch again soon as I see that www.flogas.ie are offering gas 9% less than Bord gais and airtricity are entering the gas market this Christmas.
I might switch to airtricity to get 13% off electricity vs ESB and
switch to Flogas to get 9% off vs Botd Gais.
All in all: Great news!

- One other thing I'm wondering though, alarms are constantly on, how much electricity do they consume, does anyone know? (I was tempted a while back to get a solar alarm system as our alarm doesn't work anymore...)
 
So we're over a month into the new energy-saving initiative and it's working out well.

We got our electricity bill this week and despite the fact that we have been using the lights more in the evenings/mornings our bill is €1 cheaper than for the last period.

Thanks to all for the great advice and fingers crossed the heating bill will have a good outcome too.
 
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