Bad energy habits to avoid that could add £285 to bills

In a survey conducted of 2,000 UK adults in July 2022, four-fifths of households (80%) admitted to having at least one bad energy habit, such as overfilling the kettle or leaving lights on.

There are big potential savings on the costs of running kitchen appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers, which are among the most energy-consuming devices in UK households.

More than a quarter (28%) of people set their washing machine at more than 40C, potentially costing up to £26 a year more than washing at 30C, while one in six (16%) run it when it’s not full.

Uswitch recommends not leaving a hot water tap running when doing the washing up (Image: Canva)

With washing machines costing households £38 a year on average, an extra wash every week could add an extra £9 to yearly bills.

Other bad habits that can add money to the bill include leaving a hot tap running whilst doing the washing up (£20 extra cost), letting the freezer get iced up (£5), leaving a phone charging when it has reached maximum battery (£2), and running the tumble dryer when it is not full (£20).

To help with this Uswitch is supporting the Government’s It All Adds Up energy-saving campaign by offering consumers its free power-tracking app Utrack, so that people can understand their energy consumption.

What did Uswitch have to say on this?

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “At a time of year when we’re all coming up with New Year Resolutions, it’s a great moment to get into good energy habits and save yourself money.

“We’ve all been guilty at times of leaving the lights on or overfilling the kettle, but it’s important to remember that these habits can all add hundreds of pounds a year to our bills.

“Even with the Energy Price Guarantee, bills are higher this winter than they were last year, but there are a lot of ways households can cut down their energy use.

“Doing your best to get into good habits could be a great starting point, and saving money might be as simple as using the eco mode on your white goods and making sure you only run them when full.

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