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Guide to lower electricity bills

This guide on how to lower electricity bills outlines what you need to do to reduce electricity and lower electricity payments.

A few simple changes can lower your electricity bills by £££'s a year.

Lower my electricity bill - compare electricity prices

It takes only a couple of minutes to compare electricity suppliers and to switch to a cheaper supplier.

If you've never switched, you could save hundreds of pounds a year. Even if you have, you could still slice another 10% or so off your bill.

When you compare, remember you'll get lower electricity bills if you pay by direct debit, receive bills online and take gas and electricity from the same supplier.

Lower my electricity payments - switch to low energy light bulbs

One easy step is not to leave lights on in rooms that aren't in use (a fine box may encourage people who can't get the hang of this).

Switching to low-energy light bulbs will lower your electricity bills even further.

The bulbs cost more (although they last years longer than standard bulbs), but each one lowers your electricity bill by up to £10 a year. Now multiply that by the number of bulbs in your house...

Reduce my electricity - buy energy-efficient appliances

Most big electrical appliances carry an energy label – ranging from G, the least efficient, to A . Fridges and freezers can be rated as A+ or A++ - even better than A.

Unless your appliance is really old, it's not worth changing appliances just to buy a more efficient one. But when you do buy new, watch out for the rating.

How much lower could your electricity bill be?

The difference between a house full of new efficient products and one full of old ones could be hundreds of pounds a year, regardless of which electricity tariff you're on.

The table shows the savings on your electricity bill if you switched from an inefficient product to one with the highest rating.

Product	Fridge-freezer	TV	Tumble dryer	Dishwasher	Washing machine
Annual saving	£35	£35	£25	£15	£10

Use appliances efficiently

However new your products, use them efficiently to keep your bills as low as possible:

Run full loads for cleaning appliances (or else use a half-load program if there is one).
Use quick , eco or low-temperature programs for lightly-soiled items.
Defrost freezers regularly. And keep refrigeration products three quarters full, and out of direct sunlight. Keep the doors shut as much as possible.
Tumble dryers use a lot of electricity – dry things outside if you can. When you use them, make sure clothes have spun properly in the washing machine.

Reduce electricity - don't leave things plugged in or on standby

A computer monitor on standby can cost you £30 a year in unnecessary electricity.

Other appliances don't cost quite that much. But add up your DVD player, TV, stereo, set-top box etc, and standby can cost you a small fortune.

Lower your bills by turning electrical equipment off properly (at the mains if necessary).

And if your mobile phone or MP3 charger feels warm if left plugged in, they're still using electricity. Switch off the socket – it won't save you as much as if you compare electricity suppliers, but it will save another couple of pounds a year.

Lower my electricity bill - make your own electricity

The sun and wind are free – so could you use them to generate your own electricity? Sadly, the upfront outlay runs onto thousands and you'll need several years of lower bills to recoup this cost.

Solar power

Solar panels are expensive (upwards of £4,000). Systems that just heat water (rather than provide electricity) cost half as much. Both systems can take 20 years or more to pay back.

Wind power

Domestic wind turbines are cheaper (from £1,500). How good they are depends on where you live – they are less effective in built-up areas. You're looking at ten years or so to pay back the initial cost.

Guide to lower my electricity bills brought to you by LowerMyBills from Experian

The LowerMyBills guide to lower electricity bills was created to help you understand how to lower electricity bills - compare prices, energy saving device and measures, energy-efficient appliances, and make own electricity - giving you the information you need to reduce electricity and lower electricity payments.