The sun is shining and summer is in full swing! Many of us will be enjoying a barbeque with a couple of close friends and family at this time of year. Cooking and entertaining means consuming energy; but follow some simple tips and you can reduce your energy consumption and save you a money at the same time.

It’s always good to not overcook your food too much when using bottled gas heating for your barbeque. This can result in excess charring which is bad for you and will mean more regular bottle replacements.

Grabbing an ice cream from the freezer is a guilty pleasure for most of us, but do check that your freezer isn’t too full or frosting up. If your freezer temperature is set too low and is frequently frosting and icing up, it will be having to work a lot harder and will be costing you money, so do check your temperature settings and defrost your freezer thoroughly when necessary.

Washing dishes and glasses in a bowl when you clean up rather than constantly running water in the sink can save lots of water and heat from your hot water boiler. If you like the convenience of a dishwasher, then do make sure that it is filled right up and not put on with a half load. This way you get twice as much cleaning using the same amount of energy! 

Turning light switch off to save energy

The summer means long bright days – Remember to switch off your lights if don’t need them on and when your next lightbulb goes, try and make sure you replace it with an energy efficient replacement that is rated 7 watts or less and notice the reductions in your energy bills. If you have lots of electronic items on standby and don’t use them regularly then switch them off at the mains.

Turning TV off to save energy

It’s a long summer of sport…..football, tennis and of course the Olympics are all being played out on our TV’s. Whether you’re sitting back and relaxing, or fervently supporting your national team, do make sure you allow yourself a little natural ventilation by opening your windows. If you’ve recently taken your clothes  out of the washing machine then grab a clothes airer and dry outside, reducing the build-up of moisture and the potential for damp in your home. During a sporting break, grab yourself a hot drink but remember only fill your kettle just enough for what you need otherwise you’ll be paying over the odds.

Showering less to save energy

Rushing around in the morning doing the school run or getting into work, getting stressed as time is running away . By cutting the time you spend in the shower by just a minute or two each day you can create more time for yourself and lighten the load on your finances.