Figure out how to reduce your energy bill this winter with these tips and advice from Instagram saving expert, Money Mum.

New research has shown that many renters feel rushed into signing for properties before being able to check potential energy bill costs.

Now, faced with higher than expected bills, 30% of renters say they regret not doing more checks beforehand and 41% regularly worry about energy costs.

B&Q has partnered with Instagram money-saving expert Gemma Bird aka @moneymumofficial to share renter-friendly, affordable tips to improve efficiency and help you to reduce your energy bills.

Price hikes and lack of control

The current state of the rental market is incredible challenging, with rising rents, lack of properties and competitive bidding wars. Our of a survey of 2,000 current renters, 54% said they rushed into selecting their current property, placing greater importance on location and rent prices before looking at heating and energy costs.

The majority of renters say their current property doesn’t have important energy saving features. These include not having draught proofing (79%), efficient lighting (60%) or double glazing (47%). After discussions with the landlord or letting agent, 19% also found they were not receptive to making energy efficient changes to their property.

The Money Mum told us: ‘It’s no doubt that many of us around the country are having a tough time with our energy bills, and this new research from B&Q shows that renters have been hit particularly hard. There are plenty of ways people can get savvy without breaking the bank though, and I’m here to help!’

How to reduce energy bills

Money Mum shares her top tips for saving on your energy bills this winter, plus product recommendations from DIY heroes, B&Q.

1. Keep the warmth inside

Heat escapes from homes primarily through gaps in doors, windows and other openings. This makes our heating systems work harder to keep rooms warm.

A self-adhesive draught excluder is a quick and affordable way to trap in warmth without making a permanent change. Stick them along door bottoms, around window frames or anywhere where you feel a draught.

• Diall White Self-Adhesive draught excluder, £9.97 – buy here

2. Control your appliances remotely

Whether you’re at home or away, a smart plug can offer a convenient way to control your household appliances.

This ensures you’re not having energy draining products (think lights, TV’s or sound systems) on standby.

It’s a small tech upgrade that will make a big difference to your bills and is perfect for this time of year.

It can be used for Christmas tree lights and household appliances – plus it has the capability to be voice activated via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

• TCP Smart Plug 240V, £15 – buy here

3. Block out cold air

Heat the rooms where you spend the most time by creating a thermal barrier at draughty doorways. A great rental hack is to use a tension rod to hang a thick curtain in any doorway.

This can make a big different to the warmth of a room by acting as a buffer to stop cold drafts. It can be moved from room to room or taken down without damage if you move properties.

• Araxos Ikaria wall-to-wall extendable curtain pole, £20 – buy here

4. Upgrade to a heated clothes airer

Winter makes it tough to dry clothes indoors without the added concern of high energy bills.

Leaving the heating on all day can be unaffordable and tumble dryers are costly to run, too. Instead, choose a heated airer as an efficient way to dry clothes.

Check out Good Homes’ guide to heated airers here

Choose one that has plenty of space to spread clothes out as overlapping can increase drying time and chance of the damp smell settling in.

Gemma’s product recommendation costs 230w for 60 minutes which works out at 6p per hour, and drying times depend on use.

• Addis Aluminium & Plastic Heated Airer, £45 – buy yours here

5. Use a portable dehumidifier

A portable dehumidifier can be an efficient solution for indoor clothes drying. Place it in the room where your clothes are drying, and it will pull moisture from the air, helping clothes to dry faster.

It also helps prevent condensation on your windows, keeping your home dry and comfortable and stopping mould and mildew growing.

Gemma’s dehumidifier recommendation runs at 185w for 60 minutes which is 5p per hour roughly.

• TCP 12L Smart Dehumidifier – Ultra Quiet, £99* – buy here

*£99 in B&Q’s Black Friday event until 2nd December 2024. Originally £160.

READ MORE:

• The best winter duvets and how to know your tog
• How to remove mould and damp: 11 things you need to know
• How to make radiators more efficient