However, there are lots of ways in which you can keep your energy costs down to ensure you and your family can keep warm.

Here are some handy energy saving tips to help you become more energy efficient.

What’s on this page?

Switch to LED bulbs

Do full laundry loads

Fill the Dishwasher up too!

Filling the kettle

Eco Settings

Use alternatives methods to dry your clothes

Use your Microwave

Use less water when showering

Keep the heat in

Identify draughts

Insulating your home

Update your heating system

Improve your EPC rating

Grants and Initiatives

Switch to LED bulbs

Switching your traditional light bulbs to modern LED’s, not only helps you save on your energy bills they’ll last longer too.

Do full laundry loads

While it can be tempting to put half a load of dirty clothes in the washing machine, it’s better to wait until you have a full basket of washing, as fewer full load washes are much more energy efficient.

Fill the Dishwasher up too!

The same rule applies to dishwashers, it’s more energy efficient to run a dishwasher when it’s full, according to the Energy Saving Trust, reducing dishwasher use by just one run a week could save £15 annually.

Filling the kettle

While it’s a good idea to fill up your washing machine and dishwasher, it’s best not to fill your kettle, especially if you’re only making a cuppa for yourself.

By filling your kettle to just the level you need, you could save up to a third of the energy that you’ve been using.

Eco settings

If you have eco settings on your washing machine, dishwasher, or boiler, using that will help heat the water more slowly and therefore uses less energy, it might take a little longer, but you’ll still get the same results.

Use alternatives methods to dry your clothes

While tumble dryers can be quick and convenient, they take a lot of energy. The Energy Saving Trust has calculated that you could save £60 a year if you don’t use one.

Instead of tumble drying, you could consider using an airer, though to avoid damp it’s best to open a window when using one. In the warmer months, if you’ve got a garden or balcony, do dry your washing outside.

Use your microwave

Microwaves are not only quick and convenient, but they also use a lot less energy than an oven or a stove.

If you have the time, a slow cooker is also a great option as they’re one of the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances.

Use less water when showering

Using less water not only reduces your water bills, but can reduce your energy bills too, because when you use less water, you usually heat less water.

One way of saving water is by taking less showers or by cutting down on the time you spend in the shower, cutting just a minute off your shower time could save you a few pounds each month.

If you don’t like the idea of showering less, another way you can save money on water is through a water saving shower head, thankfully you can purchase an eco-shower head without breaking the bank.

Your water supplier may also have some energy saving gadgets available too, so it’s worth getting in touch.  

Keep the heat in

The last thing you want when you’re warming your home, is the heat escaping and the cold getting in.

You can help prevent this by closing your curtains in the evening, this will help keep the warmth in the room – but try not to drape them over radiators.  However, don’t close your curtains in the day if it’s sunny, as the natural sunlight will warm your home.

It’s also best to keep your doors shut to stop any heat from escaping. 

Identify draughts

It’s a good idea to have a walk round your home and identify any window and door draughts. Decent draught-proofing could cut 2% off energy bills on average for a typical home.

Simple methods such as sausage dog draught excluder on your doors could also help!

Insulating your home

One of the best ways you can keep the heat in and reduce your energy bills is by insulating your home.

There are lots of different insulation options available at varying costs, Energy Saving Trust has a handy guide on the options available at https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/insulating-your-home-back-to-the-basics/

Update your heating system

If you’re able to you could also consider updating your boiler.

New boiler models are a lot more energy efficient and could make a huge difference to your monthly bills in the long run.

An energy efficient boiler will also help your EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating and could make your home more attractive if you’re considering selling.  

Improve your EPC rating

You don’t have to spend lots to improve or keep your EPC rating high, small changes like replacing your bulbs with energy efficient LEDs or insulating your hot water cylinder with an insulation jacket will help.

For more tips on improving your homes EPC rating visit https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/tips-to-improve-the-epc-rating-of-your-home/

Grants and Initiatives

There are many different grants and initiatives available which could help you save money on your energy bills.

To find out which grants and initiatives you could be eligible for visit https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/

If money does become tight and you’re worried about keeping up with your mortgage payments, it’s best to get in touch with your lender to discuss your payment options as soon as possible.

The post Energy saving tips to help you become more energy efficient appeared first on The Loughborough Building Society.

To help you through the Cost-of-Living Crisis. we’ve put together some tips which could help you manage your money more effectively.

What’s on this page?

Setting up a budget

Review your finances

Cutting your household bills

Be smarter when shopping for goods

Save money on food shopping

Save on your gas and electricity bills

Switching energy suppliers

Help if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

Setting up an emergency fund

Help managing your mortgage payments

Getting help if debt problems become serious

Helpful Resources

Setting up a Budget

A budget will help keep your spending in check, help ensure that you don’t spend any money that you don’t have and help shed light on any bad spending habits.

To set up a budget you’ll first need to work out how much you spend each month on:

• Household bills
• Living costs
• Travel (Petrol, maintenance, public transport etc.)
• Leisure (Holidays, meals out, Gym memberships etc.

All this information then needs to be recorded in a budget planner.

Money Helper has a handy free budget planner which gives you a detailed breakdown of your spending https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/budget-planner

A budget planner helps show you where your money is being spent and could help identify areas you can make adjustments and save money.

Review your finances

To help review your finances you could keep a spending diary and note down all that you spend in a month, or you could simply look at your latest debit or credit card statement.

By having a record, you can identify any unnecessary spending, i.e., an unused gym membership or magazine subscriptions or regular takeaways or meals out.

You can then work how much you can save each month by cutting out on these costs.

Cutting your household bills 

From gas and electricity to mobile phones and internet, the cost of household bills has continued to rise, however there are ways to reduce your monthly bills.

For example, you can

• Cut your water bills by taking showers instead of baths
• Match your mobile or internet contract to fit your lifestyle – i.e. if you use a lot of data and are charged extra when you go over, a deal with more data might be cheaper in the long run
• Reduce the cost of travel by finding cheaper car insurance, car sharing or alternative means of travel
• For more tips on saving money with your household bills visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/how-to-save-money-on-household-bills

Be smarter when shopping for goods

Being smarter when shopping for goods can help you save money each month, one of the ways you can save on goods is when you do your weekly grocery shopping. 

Instead of buying a branded product try a supermarkets own brand or their value brand to save money, more often than not, the only noticeable difference between these brands is the packaging!

Save money on food shopping

With increasing food prices, keeping your weekly food shopping bill on budget has become a lot more difficult.

However, there are plenty of ways to help keep those costs down, from planning your meals to batch cooking, ensuring you and your family don’t have to skip meals. 

For tips and advice on how you can save with your weekly food shop visit https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/save-money-food-meals.aspx

Save on your gas and electricity bills

There are a few changes you can make around the house to help cut down your gas and electricity bills including switching off devices that you’re currently not using at the plug, turning down the thermostat by a degree or two and washing clothes at lower temperatures.

Switching energy suppliers

Another way of saving money on your energy bills is to shop around for a cheaper energy tariff. The best way of finding cheaper tariffs is with Ofgem-accredited price comparison website such as Money Supermarket or Uswitch.

With a comparison website you’ll be able to find out what you can save by switching providers. If you find a cheaper offer elsewhere, you could also ask your current provider if they’ll match that offer.

For more information on switching energy providers visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/switching-energy-tariff-or-supplier

Uswitch also have a have a handy guide that offers advice on the ins and outs of switching energy suppliers https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/how-to-switch-gas-and-electricity/

Help if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

If you’re falling behind with your energy bills and risk getting into debt, there are numerous options available to you, from contacting your supplier to get help with payments to various government schemes and grants.

Citizens Advice has a really handy guide on the help and support available for people struggling with their energy bills https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-help-paying-your-bills/struggling-to-pay-your-energy-bills/

Setting up an emergency fund

It’s important to have an emergency fund in case something goes wrong, this could cover you in the event of an unexpected financial blow and could help prevent you from going into debt.

By putting some money in an easy access savings account each month where possible, you’ll have access to emergency funds when you most need it.

Help managing your mortgage payments

With rising prices, meeting monthly mortgage payments could become difficult.

If money does become tight and you’re worried about keeping up with your mortgage payments, it’s best to get in touch with your lender to discuss your payment options as soon as possible.

Getting help if debt problems become serious

If the worst happens and you do unfortunately go into debt, it’s best to seek support straight away.

There is plenty of free and confidential advice out there to help you from charities such as:

Payplan – 0800 280 2816 www.payplan.com

National Debtline – 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org

Step Change Debt Charity – 0800 138 1111 www.stepchange.org

Money Helper also has lots of useful advice and guidance on dealing with debt https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt

Helpful Resources

For more advice and support with managing your money please visit

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en

https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/

The post Managing your money through the cost of living crisis appeared first on The Loughborough Building Society.

By taking the time to manage your finances, you’ll not only be able stay on top of your bills, but you may even save money each year, money which you can put towards your pension or a holiday.

For advice on how to budget and manage your finances visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/beginners-guide-to-managing-your-money

The post Help Managing Your Finances appeared first on The Loughborough Building Society.

If poor mental wellbeing is causing you difficulties with your finances, we encourage you to seek advice and support, below are some websites that can help.

Advice and Support

For advice on dealing with money and mental wellbeing issues visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/money-problems-and-poor-mental-wellbeing

For mental wellbeing support visit https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/where-to-start/

If you’re worried about keeping up with your mortgage payments please get in touch with us on 01509 631952 to discuss your payment options.

The post Money & Mental Wellbeing appeared first on The Loughborough Building Society.

Financial abuse can not only lead to money issues but has a huge impact on mental wellbeing and limits personal freedoms. No one needs to struggle alone, there are things you can do and places to go for help and support.

For advice on how to protect yourself from financial abuse visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/divorce-and-separation/protecting-against-financial-abuse

The post Dealing with Financial Abuse appeared first on The Loughborough Building Society.