Saving Money On Household Bills

As a mum of three young girls I am always looking for ways to save money and reduce the everyday outgoings without cutting down on the things we love to do. 
Children don’t come cheap as you’ll all know and I much prefer to spend time and money on our adventures which is why I have put together some quick simple tips to help you cut down on your everyday household bills.

Broadband

With my passion for blogging and youtube (and netflix) I can’t afford to scrimp on our broadband connection. But that needn’t mean it costs the earth. For good quality broadband at a great price you need to do your homework a little, use a reliable broadband comparison site to find the best fibre broadband in your area for the best available price. Fibre is definitely the way forward (in my opinion) with many providers starting at speeds of 36Mb which is great for browsing the internet, emails, Streaming HD/4K TV, movies and music, gaming and connecting multiple devices. How ever Virgin and BT basic fibre product is 50Mbps – which is fantastic. It all depends on your household needs.
In just a few minutes I realised I have been paying wayyy over the odds for my broadband. Changing suppliers is actually really simple, depending on who you decide to go with. Most can be done over the phone and lots of providers have offers with no charge for set up – bonus!

Gas & Electricity

Standing charges have now been capped thanks to Ofgem meaning that millions of customers on default tariffs can now save money on their gas and electricity bills without even changing suppliers. 
Last summer I came to the end of a fixed tariff and was automatically switched on to the highest rate. It wasn’t until my bills shot up by nearly £100 that I realised what was going on. Thankfully one phone call and a few changes and I was on a much better rate saving money instantly. If you notice a sudden change it is always worth calling your supplier to ensure you are getting the best possible price. Once you’re on the best tariff you can look to reduce your fuel consumptions a few simple tips include.

• Put on a jumper. Simple enough but don’t automatically crank the heating up, reduce it by a degree or two and put a jumper on.
• Use tumble dryer balls. As a mum of three sometimes the tumble dryer has to go on. Using tumble dryer balls will cut the drying time and in turn save money.
• Turn the lights off. My daughters are terrible for leaving curtains closed but putting the lights on, it drives me nuts. I make it my mission to get them opening up their own curtains in the morning and turning those lights off!

Water

Have a look into getting a water meter installed to have more control over your bills. It doesn’t always work out cheaper so it is work doing some research. A general rule is if you have less or equivalent people living in your property as bedrooms you can save money being on a meter. If you do go onto a water meter there are some simple ways to use less water.

• Choose showers over baths. Short showers reduce the amount of water you use dramatically.
• No paddling pools. I know scrooge aren’t I! Paddling pools for the kids just use soooo much water. If you do have one invest in a decent cover so you don’t need to change the water too often.
• Find a new kettle. Kettles that only boil the exact amount of water you need are a great way to reduce water consumption.
• Fix any leaky taps – short term faff but a long term gain.

I really hope these tips help you saving money on your household bills.