FAMILIES might not know they’re adding hundreds of pounds onto their energy bills because they’re using household appliances wrong.
Brits are battling against a crippling cost of living crisis, facing record-breaking hikes to bills from energy to food and more.
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One in 10 families are on the brink and falling into the red, unable to cover the cost of essential bills as costs spike.
Energy bills in particular are pummelling household finances, with Brits having to find an extra £693 to pay their bills after the new price cap was confirmed last week.
The cap, which sets the maximum amount providers can charge customers, will come into force from April, rising from £1,277 to £1,971.
That’s because the wholesale price of gas is soaring, and costs are being passed down onto customers.
It means many families will be looking at cutting costs on their energy bills.
Here’s how using these four common household appliances all wrong could be adding £301 onto your energy bills – and how to avoid it.
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Washing machine – £87 a year
The next time you put a load on, you might want to bear in mind that making a few simple tweaks to the way you use your washing machine could save you cash.
Switching to a 30 degree wash from a higher temperature could save you £12 a year, while setting your machine to eco-mode could save you £10.
You don’t want to miss out on the high speed spin cycle – which means clothes come out almost dry, stopping you from using the tumbledryer.
That means you can cut out using the tumbledryer at all – which will save you £40 over a year.
Cutting out just one load of washing per week can save you £11, and if you are on an Economy 7 tariff, make the most of your night rate to wash your clothes for less – saving you £13.50.
Kettle – £22 a year
You might think making a cuppa is straight forward enough, but do it wrong and you could be adding £22 onto your bills a year, according to British Gas engineer Marc Robson.
Overfilling it with water and boiling it means you’re wasting money heating up water you don’t actually need.
To avoid this, take your mug, fill it up with water and pour it into your kettle – that way you are only heating up the water you’re wanting to use.
Fridge freezer – £150 a year
If you tend to stuff your fridge full with grub and forget to defrost your freezer regularly, you could be wasting hundreds of pounds.
If you don’t get rid of the ice that builds up in your freezer, the motor in the freezer has to work harder to keep the temperature low, which uses more energy.
While cramming food in your fridge or freezer means it has to work more to keep everything cold.
Slow cooker – £42.63
Slow cookers are great for time-strapped parents looking to make a hassle-free dinner for the kids.
But the handy appliance could be causing your bills to soar.
It could be costing you £85.26 to run a year if you use it every day for seven hours.
But just cutting the amount of times you use it in half could save you £42.63.
Instead, opt for using your oven, which is cheaper to run according to research from Magnet.
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