It’s no surprise that with the cost of living rising, many of us are looking for ways to reduce our bills and save money where possible.
In a recent study commissioned by comparison experts, Uswitch.com, the rising energy cost has led to nearly nine in ten (86%) making at least one change around their home to prepare for winter, with a quarter (26%) having had insulation installed.
Turning appliances off at the wall is the most common way people will reduce their energy consumption this winter and will be favoured by 53% of households.
In light of this, Uswitch.com has developed Utrack, a new energy-saving app that allows consumers to track and lower their energy use and save money on their bills.
The free mobile app has been developed to connect to a home smart meter and will assist customers in understanding their household energy usage, tracking when they use the most power, locating cost-saving opportunities around the home, and generating insights based on usage.
How can Utrack help consumers?
With features focused on analysing and monitoring your home energy by connecting the app to your smart meter, it could help you increase your awareness and reduce the cost of your household bills. With Utrack, you can:
- Track your energy consumption throughout the day and analyse changes in your spend
- Get effective energy insights, such as peak usage times
- Calculate potential savings with personalised household tips
- Check your progress over time and see how your usage aligns with others
- Learn how energy-efficient your home really is.
What are some of the tips Utrack can provide?
While many people may already be working on reducing their energy consumption, there are a few tips and small changes that might help reduce your energy consumption and save money.
- If you’re using your kettle to boil water, try to avoid overfilling it, as this could save £11 a year on your electricity bills.
- It might be simple, but turning the lights off when you leave a room reduces a significant source of energy wastage and you could save £20 per year.
- Turning your thermostat down by one single degree could save you as much as £60 per year.
- Reducing the amount you run your dishwasher by one cycle each week could save £14 per year.
- When washing your clothes, try to use cold water or 30°C cycles, where possible. It’s only for particularly dirty clothes that you are likely to need warmer temperatures, and you can save around £28 per year by limiting the hot water you use.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “With the days becoming colder and darker, Brits are already feeling the pressures of rising energy bills combined with the cost of living.
“Making small changes can have a significant impact. Turning off electrical items at the plug sockets, making sure lights are turned off when rooms aren’t being used, and using more energy-efficient appliances can all help to shave pounds off your bills.
“Using an app like Utrack, alongside simple, cost-saving practices can help provide consumers a better understanding of their energy usage and learn how to reduce bills in a safe, sensible way.”
Find out more about Uswitch’s energy-saving app or scan to download Utrack.
