A SAVVY dad helps saves £2,000 a year on bills with a blackout hour each day.
Emmanuel Asuquo, 37, gets his four children, aged three to ten, to turn off screens and read or do homework instead.
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The financial adviser rewards them with sweets for switching off lights.
The family’s monthly energy bill rose from £200 to £450 so they now eat together and use one device for TV and games.
They have also swapped expensive cinema trips for at home movie nights and spend time doing free outdoor activities such as walking.
The financial advisor also recommends getting the boiler serviced and investing in draft proofing to keep costs low, as well as getting a smart meter and putting the heating on a timer.
Emmanuel, who lives with partner Mariam, 38, in Bromley, London, said: “There are six of us in the house and we had to learn how we can manage as a family.
“Everybody can do their bit to make a difference.
“You just have to ask yourself – ‘do I really need to wash my clothes at this time?’
“If not, perhaps you could wash them overnight or in the morning to reduce the likelihood of a power cut.
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“Reading has become such a big thing in our family, we go to the bookshop and buy physical books.
“We don’t need so much influence from social media and the outside world.
“We book things further in advance, for example we booked Chessington World of Adventures off season and it was a lot cheaper.”
The dad-of-four claims his consumption has reduced by 40 per cent by making these changes.
