HOORAY. The clocks will spring forward this weekend marking the start of British summertime.
Even better, the change means you can trim your bills and save hundreds of pounds if you make the most of brighter days after the time change.
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Experts have estimated you can make big savings if you make a change in habits from this moment in the year.
Energy Doctor Steve Buckley, from energy saving app Loop, reckons it’s possible to shave over £350 off spending by following a few simple steps if you see the clock change as a cut-off point for high energy usage in your home.
He said: “The clocks going forward is a signal to spring clean your energy usage to make sure you’re only spending what you need to on your energy bills,” he said.
Using a smart meter app that analyses energy data from your smart meter can show you ways to save money.
Read more on energy savings
Loop is one option, and some energy suppliers also have their apps that give insights.
Other options include Uswitch’s Utrack and Samsung SmartThings.
You can also use smart plugs to see the individual energy use and cost of appliances around the home.
1. Turn your heating off – save £100
From the end of March, temperatures generally tend to pick up meaning there shouldn’t be as much of a need to put the heating on.
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Of course, some days and evenings can still be a bit chilly and coming out of winter we may be in the habit of whacking up the thermostat.
But if you instead make an effort to wear a jumper or curl up with a hot water bottle on the sofa from this point until next winter, the savings are significant.
Previous research by Loop showed many people keep their heating on until the end of April.
Mr Buckley said: “It’s very easy to forget to change it when the weather warms up, especially if your heating is on an automatic timer.”
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If you have the heating on for an hour a day, turning it off now rather than in April is estimated to save you around 10% in gas usage – that’s an average saving of £100, according to Mr Buckley.
The increased daylight and sunshine also allows you to naturally heat your home by opening curtains to let the sun in and heat up rooms during the day.
Closing curtains as soon as it gets dark helps to keep the warmth in for the cooler evenings.
Mr Buckley said: “There is an opportunity to save by minimising heating your house in the morning as it will naturally heat up during the day in spring, as the days become warmer and brighter.”
2. Check your thermostat – save £170
If your heating is on make sure you check your thermostat.
If the temperature is set too high, there’s a risk that your heating will run unnecessarily.
Mr Buckley said: “If you aren’t ready to turn your heating off completely, turning down your thermostat by as little as one degree can also result in savings, reducing gas usage by 10%.”
If you can turn it down further, from 21 to 18 degrees, for example, you could save around 30%, which is around £170 for an average home each year, the expert calculated.
3. Turn the lights off – save £18
It becomes easier to turn the lights off with longer days.
Using lights for an hour a day adds up to a saving of around £18 over the summer, according to Mr Buckley.
Save even more by swapping to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs.
Mr Buckley adds: “Make sure you adjust any lights that are on automatic timers to benefit from the extra natural light, and make the switch to LEDs as soon as possible – it’s the proverbial no-brainer.”
If you have outdoor lighting, consider swapping to solar power alternatives that will still light gardens and other areas without draining energy.
4. Retire the tumble dryer – save £110
The warmer weather makes drying clothes outside much easier, which means you can retire your tumble dryer for a few months if you’ve been using one.
This can save a bumper £110, according to Loop.
Even getting rid of heated clothes driers over the summer months will make savings.
Look at the weather forecast and try to time laundry loads around sunnier days to make the most of this free way to dry clothes.
5. Ditch the gym membership – save £150
Better weather means that exercising outdoors is far more appealing.
Going for a run or making the most of gym equipment at your local park can save you cash too.
There are also plenty of free training apps with workouts that can be done outside.
Typical gym memberships can easily be £50 a month or more.
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Even if you just drop the gym over June, July and August that could mean a £150 saving.
Not only will you save cash but the fresh air is also likely to help improve your mood. Win, win.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
