As inflation soars and energy bills rise, all of us are starting to feel the pinch. The cost of living crisis is really beginning to bite, prompting people to make changes to their lifestyles and habits. Here are some small changes you can make to help save money.

Be wise with your energy use

Go around your home or business premises and switch off any ‘vampire devices’ – those that drain energy even when not switched on. Items such as phone chargers are usually the biggest culprits. Switching these off can save the average household more than £100 a year. Get into the habit of only plugging electrical devices in when you are about to use them and avoid leaving things on standby.

Being tactical with your washing machine and tumble dryer could help you save money too. Just one less washing load a week could save more than £28 a year. Other small cost-cutting changes include washing at 30C, making sure the dishwasher is full before switching it on and air drying whenever possible.

If you have a slow cooker, try to use it rather than your regular oven. Slow cookers are a highly energy efficient appliances which use around the same energy as a light bulb. Kettles are one of the biggest energy guzzlers, so always try to only boil the amount of water you need.

Check your boiler settings

Many households could cut gas bills simply by turning down the heating flow temperature on their condensing combi boiler. Adjusting high flow rates can help the boiler run more efficiently as it extracts more energy from the gas that is burnt, meaning you will notice no change in the overall temperature of your home.

Now is also a great time to do a thorough MOT of your finances. Look at all your current contracts for items such as mobile phones, insurance and broadband. By shopping around, you may find you can lower your bills significantly.