Simple tool shows how much your gadgets are adding to energy bills – and DIY hacks to do instead
A SIMPLE online tool shows how much the gadgets you use at home are adding to your energy bills.
Citizen Advice‘s calculator gives you an estimate of how much electrical appliances cost to run and compares energy costs for different gadgets.
The tool can help people around the country reduce their energy costs and save money.
To use the calculator, you need to select the appliance you want to get an estimate for.
You then need to enter the rate you’re paying for electricity and how long you use it for each day.
This is the amount you’re charged for a single unit of electricity – and it’s measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).
If you don’t know the exact rate, the calculator will use the national average of 22.36 p/kWh.
Some people have different rates, for example if they pay less at night, so they can check the estimate at different times of the day.
Bear in mind that how much you’ll actually pay depends on how often you use the appliance, as well as the make and model you have.
Jon Baldwin, energy efficiency expert at Citizens Advice, told The Sun: “From putting a wash on to making some toast – people ask us how much it costs to run everyday appliances, so they can feel more in control of their energy bills.
“So, we designed a simple tool to help people compare the typical running cost of different appliances at home.
“We included the most basic appliances like kettles, which need the same amount of power all the time you use them, as well as more complicated ones like electric ovens and washing machines, which need different amounts of power at different stages.
He added: “Similar tools are out there but what makes ours unique is being able to compare both kinds of appliance accurately.
“You can’t use the tool to calculate your final energy bill – it’s only meant as a rough indicator of what a typical appliance might cost to run.
“But it can help you plan changes to the ways you use your appliances, which can help you save money on your bills if you use less electricity.”
We’ve used the tool to estimate how much some common appliances add to your bills.
Air fryer
The Citizens Advice’s tool estimates that if you use your preheated air fryer at 180C for 30 minutes per day, this would cost you 10p daily or 68p per week.
Monthly, this would add up to £2.90, and yearly, it would cost you £35.25.
If you use your air fryer for one hour each day, it is estimated that it would cost you 17p daily, £5.17 monthly and £62.96 yearly.
To get the most of your air fryer, you should preheat it to ensure even cooking and reduce overall cooking time.
Cooking in batch to maximise the use of the air fryer’s capacity can also make you save money.
However, you should avoid overcrowding the basket as this can impede air circulation and lead to uneven cooking.
You should also clean the air fryer regularly to maintain its efficiency and prolong its lifespan.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
Hob (electric)
If you use your hob for one hour each day, the additional cost added to your energy bill would be 33p, according to the online tool.
The amount would be £2.31 weekly, £9.90 monthly and £120.45 yearly.
Based on one hour and 30 minutes of daily usage, the cost would go up to 49p per day, £3.46 per week, £14.85 per month and £180.68 per year.
To ensure you’re making the most of your electric hob and avoiding any extra costs, ensure you match your pan or saucer to the correct size of the hob.
This can prevent heat loss and help trim your energy bill.
Washing machine (eco cycle, full load)
If you run your washing machine on an eco cycle for a full load, which lasts three hours and 41 minutes per day on average, this would cost you around 28p.
The weekly cost for seven washes would be £1.97 on average, according to Citizens Advice.
The estimated cost for 30 washes per month would £8.46 – or £102.93 yearly.
Doing one big wash four times a week reduces energy consumption by 17% compared to someone doing three smaller washes every day, Which? has found.
Switching to 30-degree washes will save you £12 a year, according to Energy Saving Trust.
While setting it to a high-speed spin could save you £40, according to British Gas engineer Joanna Flowers.
Dishwasher (eco cycle)
Running your dishwasher on an eco cycle, which lasts three hours and 31 minutes on average, would cost you 21p.
According to the calculator, this would amount to £1.47 weekly, £6.31 monthly and £76.81 yearly.
A study carried out last year found that eight million households waste £71 a year by using dishwashers incorrectly.
Needlessly rinsing items before loading the dishwasher, and not switching to ECO mode, is costing households around £70 a year in electricity and water.
This sees more than £450million being poured down the drain each year, according to the analysis.
Kettle
According to the Citizens Advice calculator, using your kettle for 10 minutes every day would add 11p to your bill.
During a week, this would be 77p, going up to £3.30 monthly, or £40.15 yearly.
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at price comparison site at Uswitch, says making just a few tweaks to the way you use your kettle could translate into some decent savings on your bills.
She told The Sun: “An estimated 100 million cups of tea are made everyday in the UK, with a single cup costing around 5p to make in an electric kettle. “
The expert says you shouldn’t overfill your kettle and only add the water you need, making sure you keep the appliance clean and swapping the gadget for a more compact model if the one you have is too big.
TV
Just like any other appliances, TVs can use different amounts of electricity based on the model you have and how long you use them for.
The tool estimates that if you watch your TV for four hours per day, this would cost you 11p.
The weekly amount would be 74p, which becomes £3.17 monthly and £38.54 yearly.
There’s a way to shave some money off your yearly energy bill with the little-known setting on your TV.
Power-saving or eco mode works by making your TV adjust its brightness level whenever the room is light to make sure it’s not using more power than necessary.
Of course, it might not be called power-saving mode depending on the model you have or how old your TV is – but it’s worth checking the settings.
Uswitch energy expert Ben Gallizzi said: “There may also be settings which can adjust when your TV turns off automatically when you haven’t used the remote for a set period of time.
“If you regularly leave the TV on when not in the room, you could set it to turn off after three or four hours so it powers down by itself when not needed.”
An energy-efficient TV using 36kWh will cost you £12.24 to run for 1,000 hours, according to USwitch.
What energy bill help is available?
THERE'S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Last month, we listed all the help you can get with your energy bills, including grants, the Household Support Fund (HSF), switching to a direct debit, as well as prepayment meters.
You can contact your local council, food bank or Citizens Advice to find out more.
If you’re in debt, there are plenty of services you can take advantage of, which offer free and friendly advice on how to manage your finances.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
- Money Advice Service – 0800 138 7777
- Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
- StepChange – 0800 138 1111
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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