With the annual rate of inflation reaching a 41-year high at the end of 2022, sending Britain into a cost of living crisis and affecting the affordability of goods and services all over the country, it's no wonder Gloucestershire households are looking to cut costs where possible.
According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), the average household could save about £280 a year on its fuel bills by being more energy efficient. This equates to more than a tonne of carbon emissions per household every year.
With this in mind, Gloucestershire County Council is launching its 'Cutting Costs and Carbon' campaign to help people across the county to prevent paying out more in energy costs than they need to in 2023 – without having to sacrifice warmth and comfort in their home.
While lots of people think that cutting energy costs means turning of the lights off and suffering with the cold, the council has plenty of easy alternatives to reduce energy bills – which it has helpfully separated into no cost, low cost and some cost categories, depending on whether people want to spend money on reductions or not.
Some simple no cost examples include energy smart cooking; using radiator reflectors; turning your boiler flow temperature down; turning appliances off at the socket; and using energy saving apps to track usage.
Gloucestershire County Council has also tried to estimate how much you could save by making its suggested changes, although this varies per house.
For anyone searching for more information on how to slice energy bills and save money in 2023, SoGlos shares 18 more tips to help.
