How to save on electricity bills has become an ordeal.
Prices have gone through the roof and have reached record highs due to the complicated international situation with the war in Ukraine and inflation at exorbitant rates.
Despite recent price drops, prices are still high compared to previous years.
This has led to a relentless search for ways to save on electricity bills, keeping household budgets in check and not suffering any unpleasantness at the end of the month.
How can we reduce this amount?By changing our consumption habits and implementing some tips such as adjusting the contracted power, comparing market offers or using electrical appliances efficiently.
That is why today we would like to talk to you about how to save on your electricity bill by following a few simple steps.
In this article we will look at:
- Tips for reducing electricity consumption
- How to make changes in your consumption habits to increase savings on your bill.
- How switching to self-consumption can reduce your electricity bill by more than 50%.
7 tips to reduce electricity consumption in your home
1. Optimise the contracted power
The most common and logical thought when we want to save more on our electricity bill goes directly to the consumption of electrical appliances.
Perhaps you have thought about the possibility of reducing the number of kilowatts.
But normally, we do not consider this fixed concept that most of the time is above what we need for our home and has a notable influence on the monthly bill. In fact, 78% of Spanish households have a higher contracted power than necessary.
If your daily consumption remains constant and you do not trip the fuses when you have various electrical appliances connected, it is probably higher than necessary.
In a home in Spain, this figure is between 3.45 kW and 4.6 kW. Therefore, if this last figure appears on your bill, check whether it is necessary to have so much power or, on the other hand, you can reduce it and enjoy greater savings.
On the other hand, homes that exceed 4.6 kW are larger homes with water purifiers or several air conditioners that require a greater number of kilowatts.
In any case, the supplier should inform you of your peak consumption in order to make the necessary adjustments and avoid higher costs. To make sure, take a look at your bills and check if you need to make any changes.
Finally, time discriminatory pricing also affects this concept. This means that there are two different billing periods and you can choose one power or the other according to the needs of each time slot.
2. Compare electricity tariffs
What other alternative can we add to save on our electricity bill?Go to the market offer and compare the different electricity tariffs.
Not all of them set the same amount and, of course, we must make a clear distinction between the free and regulated market.
There are different ways of contracting electricity and it is advisable to investigate all the options available to you, finding out which company offers the most benefits in your case.
How can you analyse the market quickly and easily?By taking a look at the price comparison websites where you will have all the detailed information with the costs and conditions of each one.
Don’t forget that the regulated market offers usually have cheaper prices than the free market and if you want to opt for the bono social eléctrico, it can only be through the regulated market, which can be applied for until 31 December 2023. However, prices are less stable and fluctuate daily.
3. Take advantage of the hourly rate
At the same time, you can take advantage of the new hourly rate. It is true that the difference between the two is not abysmal, but you can achieve greater savings on your electricity bill.
What is the most economical timetable? Depending on the time of day, there are the following time bands:
- Peak hour: the price per kWh is the most expensive between 10 am – 2 pm and 6 pm – 10 pm.
- Flat hour: this is an intermediate price between peak and off-peak hours, which occurs between 8 – 10h; 14 – 18h and 22 – 24h.
- Off-peak hour: this is the lowest price and is between 00-8:00h, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
If we opt for this mode and the maximum energy consumption is made in the cheapest hours, you can achieve greater savings.
4. Use LED bulbs
There is a wide variety of light bulbs on the market, but which are the most energy efficient? LED bulbs.
Although their price is higher than conventional bulbs, the savings on your electricity bill are much more significant with up to 80% more and a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs.
And be careful, it is also important to know that they produce less heat. In summer we benefit economically, avoiding turning on our air-conditioning devices for longer hours.
To finish this section, we are going to give you some pro consumer advice. You have the possibility of accessing intelligent lighting systems that keep the devices connected to a remote control, where you can regulate the intensity of the light as you wish.
5. Don’t forget the standby or pilot light on electrical appliances.
The famous standby allows us to save a few small amounts of money.
And sometimes we are not aware of how much we spend when we leave the pilot light on. The television is a common example.
On numerous occasions we forget to switch off the electrical appliances completely and the following happens: An expenditure of 11% due to this phantom consumption. This is according to a report by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE).
Switching off all devices that are left on stand-by saves your pocket between 30 and 58 euros a year.
Changing your consumption habits will avoid spending money on this consumption. We are not only talking about television, but also computers and coffee machines, among others.
One last tip: Avoid leaving mobile phone or computer chargers plugged in. Even if the devices are not plugged in, the so-called vampire consumption is taking place, i.e. the devices consume energy from all of them even if they are not in operation.
6. Make the most of the hours of natural light and improve the insulation of your home.
Do you receive a lot of natural light in your home? Make the most of it!
It’s perhaps the most obvious tip, but a house that receives light almost all day long is a monumental advantage.
You’ll only need to have the lighting available in the hours close to evening. It’s an easy habit to implement if it wasn’t on your list of priorities for saving energy and reducing energy costs.
When you work from home, look for that little corner where the sunlight received is higher than the other rooms. You will appreciate the reduction at the end of the month.
On the other hand, a good insulation of your home will avoid using the air conditioning devices for several hours. For example, curtains, airtight windows and even carpets maintain the temperature of the room.
It is unpleasant to turn on the heating or air conditioning and feel that the house is once again outside the ideal temperature shortly after switching it off.
7. Choose energy-efficient appliances.
Pay attention to the following fact: 62% of household energy consumption comes from household appliances.
More than you expected? Maybe. Is there a solution? So does it.Look at the energy efficiency labels on appliances before making any purchase because cheap can be expensive.
Those that are more efficient will have a slightly higher price, but in the long run the investment will pay off in less time, reducing electricity consumption.
In winter, the cost of gas increases the amount of our bills, but are there other devices that can help us to reduce the cost?
Of course there are. You can opt for the alternative of low-consumption radiators and cookers to reduce your dependence on gas. You will notice big changes.
Finally, you can check your old appliances and look at their energy label. Do they consume more than expected? Take a look at what’s on offer and replace, where possible, the appliances that are costing you extra every month.
Other tips to save energy and reduce your electricity bill
In addition to all these tips, to find out how to save on your household electricity bill, you can add other actions to your daily routine by changing some consumption habits:
- Wash clothes in cold water: Avoid using hot water in the washing machine except in specific cases. It is not necessary to use this type of programme to get your clothes clean. It is easy to implement and you will get the same results.
- Turn off the lights in your absence: Why keep the lights on if you are not in a certain space? Avoid unnecessary expenses.
- Take advantage of the dishwasher’s ECO programme (if you have one).
- Programme household appliances. Some of these appliances have a programmable option. However, you can use timers to start appliances at the cheapest times. Don’t worry about the price, they are not expensive.
- Iron your clothes in one sitting. This appliance consumes quite a lot of energy, so it is best to accumulate all the clothes you have to iron and iron them in one go. What’s more, some garments do not require ironing if the fabric is good. By simply spreading them out well on a hanger, they will maintain a flawless, crease-free appearance.
Invest in solar panels: how to save on your electricity bill by switching to self-consumption
All these tips will help you save on your electricity bill, but there are other alternatives that can cut your electricity bill by more than 50%.
In the current environment of energy crisis with skyrocketing tariffs, self-consumption has become the perfect alternative to move towards a sustainable energy model.
Forget about price volatility and use your electrical appliances during peak hours without giving any explanation to your supplier.
Do you want to reduce your electricity costs every month?
>> Find out how much you can save with a photovoltaic installation.
