Running a home comes with plenty of challenges, including the costs of fuelling it. When you add children to the mix, it’s no surprise that a lot of us struggle to keep on top of our utility bills. In fact, a recent study found that 4.4% of the average UK salary is spent on covering bills.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tips and tricks that can significantly reduce your spend! In this blog post, I’ve pulled together five simple ways to save money.

1.            Use energy-saving apps

The best way to start making savings is to figure out how much you’re spending in the first place. There are a number of apps available that can analyse your energy usage, and provide suggestions on how you can reduce your bills. They even allow you to control your heating and lighting from your phone! This is ideal if you’re always on-the-go, and often forget to switch things off before you leave.

2.            Switch to LED bulbs

Making the switch to LED bulbs can see you make huge savings in the long term. Unlike traditional halogen bulbs, LED bulbs are incredibly energy efficient. In fact, they use 90% less energy than halogen equivalents, which can make huge savings across your home!

3.            Encourage positive habits

Encouraging positive habits, particularly if you have children, will make a big impact on your energy bills. From switching lights off when you leave a room to putting your washing machine onto a cooler cycle, energy efficiency is a piece of cake once you make it a part of your day-to-day routine. One way to get children involved is to offer small incentives for remembering to turn consoles off standby.

4.            Get your boiler serviced

This may seem like an obvious one but, when you lead a hectic lifestyle, it’s easy to forget your boiler needs a little TLC! A boiler that is working effectively will do a better job of warming up your home and use far less energy. It’s recommended that you get your boiler serviced once a year, so make a note to book yours in if you’re overdue!

5.            Bleed your radiators

One reason why your energy bills may be through the roof is that your radiators aren’t working effectively. When pockets of air get trapped in your radiators, they don’t heat up as quickly, meaning you have to keep your heating on for longer to achieve the same results. Bleeding your radiators will allow you to release this trapped air, and encourage heat to travel with ease through the radiator. This is easily done using nothing but a screwdriver, and a cloth to catch any falling water!