With energy prices always in the news, it is important that we understand our energy usage in order to reduce our energy bills and save money.
I have recently been introduced to a very clever device called Joulo, which provides personalised energy advice on how to save energy by remotely and digitally logging how much energy your devices are using. It sounds complicated but Joulo can help you save energy in three simple steps:
Record
Place Joulo on top of the thermostat in your home and press the button to begin. The button will flash green to show that logging has started.
Upload
After a week, the button will flash red. Plug Joulo into your computer’s USB port then log on to our website and follow the steps to upload your data.
View
The algorithms analyse your data and give personalised advice on how to save energy and make your home more comfortable.
I cannot believe that such a small device can help us understand better how our home consumes energy and reduce our energy bills with personalised advice from Joulo.
This new innovation is part of the Hive technology group by British Gas. You can read more about the award winning device here: http://www.joulo.com/
The Hive group have offered 10 of my readers the chance to try their very own Joulo device.
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Follow the kids about, turning everything off behind them saves no end of electricity! (Yes, they do get told to turn things off, but kids…..)
Put a pair of thermal socks on before turning the heating on, they really do make a difference and make you feel so much warmer, I wouldn’t be without mine x
Turn off all the lights and anything else you aren’t using when you leave the room.
Jumpers, socks and throws go on before the fire does! I don’t have central heating, so no thermostat, can I use it on other electrical items?
jumpers rather than heaters!
Dont leave anything on standby and turn all lights off when not in room
Switch things off at night. Common mistake, people leave things on round the clock.
Have the heating set just high enough to take chill out of air and wear a jumper
I do washing machine overnight at low cost energy – I only put hot water on for 1 hour in a morning (again on low cost) – when on lower rate – mine in BST is 0130-0830 – another 2 tips are
ont waste electric by just cooling down air.
I keep a large bottle of water next to the kettle and only top up to the minimum mark (adjust when friends around) – uses much less electric, amazing how much you can save
Spencer
Turn the central heating down a couple of degrees really does save money and you don’t notice the small difference in temperature
Turn down the Central heating. Try doing it gradually one degree at a time. Remember to dress warmly in layers :- So as to stay warm enough. Bear in mind anyone who is young, old, ill etc :- As those who are ill, frail etc require adequate regular heating (e.g.Chest, heart conditions etc).
The easiest is too turn lights off in unused rooms
Switch the lights off as you exit a room, my eldest is now doing this too x
don’t waste any
Candles from Ikea!! Turn the heating down and the lights off and use candles. Heat and light and very cheap.
wear another jumper and woolly socks when i feel cold
Put your computer into sleep mode if you’re going to be AFK for a short while.
Fill your mug with clean cold water – pour this into your kettle and mark on the fill guage – then only fill to this mark to oly boil 1 cup of tea/coffee.
Only heat the rooms you’re in at the time and turn off your appliances at the socket and don’t just leave them on stand-by
Turn your oven off five-ten minutes before your food is due to come out. All those few minutes add up and the oven will stay hot enough to finish cooking the food.
Don’t leave appliances on stand by!
don’t leave things on standby
I ensure that all electrical equipment is turned off when not in use
Hang clothes on the washing line in good weather instead of using the dryer
Turn all appliances off at the wall when not in use
Always switch lights off when leaving the room or when watching TV at night 😀
Make sure all appliances are turned off when not in use.
Dont let the kids use anything electrical as they are GUARANTEED to leave it switched on no matter how many times you tell them!
I good weather hang clothes on washing line in bad weather use your radiators to dry them as this does 3 things heats your home dries your clothes and spreads the scent of clean laundry around your house
put on a jumper.
Don’t leave items on standby
Wash dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher
Put the wifes dressing gown on
Turn off thing when you are not using them
hi turn off the tv dont leave it on standby also switch off lights when you leave an empty room x
My best tip is to reduce usage.
Don’t have the TV on as ‘background noise’. Don’t run the water whilst brushing your teeth. Fill a sink to wash instead of using running water. Keep doors closed to keep rooms warm – and don’t be scared to put a jumper on rather than going straight for the heating switch. Once you’ve done all that, replace bulbs with LED lights, update heating and insulation to the most appropriate for your area/building.
Go Vegan is the best advise i’d give to anyone trying to leave less of a footprint!
I only fill my kettle with quantity of water I need and I go around and turn off lights!x
switch everything off and shut doors
Turn appliances off at the wall when not in use
Don,t leave the lights on and change all bulbs to energy saving ones
Turn off thing when you are not using them
Don`t leave anything on standby,turn all lights off when not in room.
Keep moving to keep warm.
Educate kids not to waste energy, which has been fairly successful, surprisingly.
Do as little as possible, saves loads of energy.
Oh, you mean Gas & electric.
turn things of when not in use
turn all units off instead of on standby
Turn the heating off and use a hot water bottle
Turning off lights not being used
change GU-10 light bulbs from halogen to LED! – Our kitchen used 8 GU-10 bulbs which were 50watts each (400 watts total). We now use LED ones which are 1.2 watts each – so rather than using 400 watts to have 1 rooms lights on, we now use 9.6 watts!
Big difference!
Line your curtains with fleece to insulate more.
Only boil the amount of water you actually need in the kettle
Tin folk down the back of the radiators with blu tai is the same as expensive radiator reflectors.
Turn off PCs, TV’s, Lights.
turn off the tv
When using the dishwasher/washing machine always run a full load
Boil cooking water in the kettle then pour into saucepans – more efficient than heating water from cold in a saucepan
Replace expensive to run Halogen GU10 bulbs with much cheaper LED or fluorescent GU10 bulbs – just as bright but much cheaper to run
unplug everything at night and dont leave it on standby.
Only use what you need – water, light, power, etc. Dry wet laundry on a washing line where possible, and not in a tumble dryer.
make sure all lights are turned off when not in use and unplug tv and other appliances overnight or when not being used.this doesnt just save energy it also gives u extra safety in the home
Get shut of the husband and kids
gosh theres loads, only boil the water you need, dont leave your freezer with only a few things inside put some bread in if you have to, turn off switches and lights, get energy saving bulbs, extra layer of clothes rather than extra notch on the heating
Get yourself an energy monitor!!
Turn off thing when you are not using them
Boiling a kettle is expensive so when you have boiled it keep the rest of the water in a vacuum flask for the next drink.
turn the lights of when you go out
Put a jumper on & turn the heating off
Pull the plugs out
Put your computer into sleep mode
Turn off lights and appliances when not being used
not useing it then turn it off
Don’t leave appliances on standby. Turn them off
Turn things off when not in use
turn the lights off!
Stay in bed.
Peg washing out on the line instead of putting it in the tumble dryer, put a line in the garage if it’s raining
Unplug everything not required and heating on 18c.
Switch everything off at the main switch and don’t leave anything on standby
Change to Led lightbulds
Turn everything off
Don’t wash your clothes till you need to!
Use energy saving light bulbs and turn the thermostat down 1 degree (hardly noticable)
LED Bulbs
Dry washing outsde whenever possible
Teach children to turn off the lights when they leave a room
Always turn of phone chargers x
Pop on a jumper and turn down the heating
Cashmere drawers!
Have solar panels installed through a government savings scheme is a good one.
Drive your car carefully, not accelerating too fast, and watching the road ahead to predict when you’ll need to slow down, so you don’t need to brake so much 🙂
In the winter I put extra blankets on the bed and only put the heating on for the first hour whilst we are getting up.The rest of the time the heating is off and we are all wrapped up in layers.It’s amazing how quickly you adapt to the cold.
switch the lights off if not in use
Use your washing machine at a lower temperature.
Add a reflecting panel behind radiators. A reflective shield works by reflecting the heat that would normally go into the wall behind the radiator back out into the room. You can make your own, Blue Peter style.Measure the space in between your radiator brackets and cut a piece of strong cardboard to that size.Stick foil to the front of the board using double-sided tape.Flip the panel over and run a strip of double-sided tape along the top and bottom edges.Peel off the tapes backing and arefully slip your reflector panel in behind the radiator and press firmly to the wall. You might even find you have to turn down the heat!!!
Don’t use stand-by, turn it off.
Switch off chargers when not being used as they still use electricity even if not conected to a phone, tablet etc.
Use rechargable batteries. Uses a bit of electricity to charge but much cheaper and more environmentally friendly than normal batteries.
only use correct amount of water when boiling the kettle.
make sure that all switches are switched off when not in use, better still pulled out
Only fill your kettle every time, only boil the water you need.
Turn off at the plug not just individual appliances
If you’re not using it, switch it off at the wall!
Turn off phone chargers after use and don’t leave things on standby
clean the back of your fridge to help it be more energy efficient
Simply unplug devices not in use
Thermal underwear !!
Use small strips of coloured electrician’s tape to mark on the side of your kettle where the level for, say, 1, 2, 3 cups comes. (get these levels by measuring out in cups beforehand). This should save on electricity.
don’t charge phones overnight
Use only enough water to cover your veg when cooking as it won’t take as long to bring to the boil
Turning off all wall sockets when not in use
Turn off sockets when not in use where you can without damaging the apparatus like a refridgerator
Turn off all electrical appliances from the power source when not in use 🙂 x
Turn off or Hibernate your computer rather than leaving it on Standby
Teach the children to switch off lights when they leave a room
Turn everything off when not in use!
Energy saving bulbs.
I’M A REAL STICKLER FOR TURNING LIGHTS OUT WHEN I LEAVE A ROOM AND I LOVE A HOT WATER BOTTLE RATHER THAN LEAVING THE HEATING ON!
Do not leave things on stand by. use a good old blanket instead of putting the heating on.
turn lights off
Have your boiler serviced regularly.
turn lights off as you leave the room
Turning the heating down and putting on a jumper 🙂
Use dishwater to feed the plants
Turn off all lights and plugs when they are not in use, always use your washing machine on a 30 degree setting and use low-energy lightbulbs in all your lights.
turn the heating down and wear your outdoor clothing inside (after all you have paid for them clothes as well)
turn off appliances at the plug when not in use
Have energy saving light bulbs fitted in every room of your house.
wear more clothes in the house to save on heating
turn the heating down
save cooled boiled water for watering lime hating plants
Turn off unused sockets at the plug
turn off lights in rooms when you leave a room
Don’t use the tumble drier – line dry, use the airing cupboard or a maiden whenever you can.
You shouldn’t leave appliances on standby – turn everything off at the mains.
Keep the lights off!
Always try and fill your oven when cooking even if it is just items liked baked potatoes etc for future lunches as it cuts down on bills
Too bad I missed it!