30 ways to reduce your energy use and save money

1. Insulate cavity walls
Costs £250; saves £110 a year. Solid walls are much more expensive to insulate - from £5,500 internally (saves £365 a year), or from £10,500 externally (saves £385 a year).

2. Lay mineral wool under your floorboards
Costs £100; saves £50 a year.

3. Fill any gaps in the floor or skirting board
Costs £20 (DIY); saves about £20 a year.

4. Fit a letter box flap...
It costs £12 (DIY); will cut draughts.

5. ...and fit keyhole cover
Costs £7 (DIY).

6. Fit foil behind radiators on solid walls
Costs from £2 (DIY); saves about £5 a year (per radiator).

7. Insulate loft to 270mm
Costs from £50 (DIY), or £250 (professionally installed). Saves about £145 a year.

8. Increase loft insulation from 50mm to 270mm
Costs £50 (DIY), or £250 (by a professional); saves £40 a year.
* Aged over 70 and/or on benefits? Loft and cavity wall insulation could be free from your energy provider - call 0800 512 12.

9. Fit draught proofing around doors/windows
Costs £100 (DIY) or £200 (professionally installed); saves about £25 a year.

10. Add insulating lining to curtains and draw at night
Be amazed by the results.

11. Fit a roller blind behind a Roman blind

12. Fit a hot-water tank jacket
Costs £15 (DIY); saves £35 a year.

13. Set the tank’s thermostat at 60 degrees Celsius

14. Take a shower...
instead of a bath, usually saves a third on the cost of hot water.

15. Insulate hot water pipes
Spend about £10 (DIY) and save that in the first year.

16. Fit balloon in unused chimney to stop heat going up
Costs from £20 and saves about £15 a year.

17. Turn off lights!

18. Eco-kettle
A good one costs from £30 and will save about £6 a year.

19. Replace old G-rated boiler with A-rated condensing boiler with heating controls
Costs £2,500; saves £225 a year.

20. Replace single-glazed windows with double glazing
Could save £135 a year, though the costs vary hugely. Before you start, use the energy-saving calculator at www.ggf.co.uk.

21. Turn heating thermostat down by one per cent
If you keep your bedrooms at 18-degrees Celsius and the living areas at 21 degrees, this saves about £50 a year.

22. Machine wash clothes at 30 degrees Celsius
Saves £10 a year.

23. Do not leave appliances on standby
Saves £40 a year.

24. Energy-saving light-bulbs
Yes, this is obvious but they cost from only £2 these days and save you between £2.50 and £7 a year.

25. Buy an energy-saving washing machine
John Lewis sells them from £299 and their manufacturers claim they’ll save £30 a year.

26. Energy-saving dishwasher
These cost from £219 (John Lewis) and save £11 a year.

27. Energy-saving fridge/freezer
They cost from £229 (John Lewis) and save £38 a year.

28. Dry clothes outside
This saves £15 a year and is free!

29. Fit an energy monitor
They cost about £35.

30. Buy A+++ appliances
As a rule of thumb, each extra + saves 10 per cent on energy.

Costs for heating and hot water are about 60 per cent of energy bills. The figures on this page come from The Energy Saving Trust. But they are only approximates - individual costs will vary widely. Seek professional advice on all major measures, and get three quotes. Grants may be available: for information visit energysavingtrust.org.uk, or call 0800 512 012.