Ways to save cash at home, as 70 per cent of worried Brits change habits

As the cost of living keeps on rising, cash-strapped householders are saving money where they can, by making simple changes to their daily routines. Brits are expected to pay an extra £2 billion each month on household bills following inflation, new research shows. So around 70 per cent of people across the UK are now piling on more clothes and leaving the heating off, showering and flushing the toilet less often and adopting new laundry habits to save money. Despite Britain being known as a nation of tea drinkers, nearly one in five (18 per cent) are also choosing to boil their kettle less often and admit to sipping less tea throughout the day. The research also found that over half of the UK had turned to their laundry to make savings by either reducing their laundry frequency, cutting their use of the tumble dryer, mixing laundry loads and even going as far as washing clothes in the bath. Additionally, more than over a quarter of people have already started to mix laundry loads or considering doing so to be more conscious of the environment. Dry clothes outside instead of using a tumble dryer Nearly a third of us are trying to save on energy costs by reducing thermostat temperature, the number of toilet flushes (14 per cent), the number of showers (14 per cent), or using a hairdryer less (13 per cent). Around a quarter have made supermarket swaps for cheaper goods. In recent months the nation has been affected by increased petrol prices, rising interest rates on mortgage payments and soaring energy prices. The financial squeeze has clearly taken its toll as nearly one in five admitted they had argued with their family members or a partner due to the recent rise in household bills. The top three causes of rows included leaving lights on (43 per cent), taking too long in the shower (20 per cent) and not switching appliances off at the wall socket (22 per cent). In terms of the increased costs being faced, the research shows respondents expect their outgoings to increase in the following ways: the monthly household shop by 47 per cent, electricity costs by 69 per cent and gas costs by 71 per cent. The survey also showed that on average, nearly one in five people (19 per cent) had either already spent nearly £500 (£446) of their savings or expect to do so in the coming months as the financial squeeze ramps up. However, some changes will be effective in saving cash, such as the following hacks; Wash at 30 degrees. For lightly soiled loads, washing at 30 degrees is ideal and uses around 40 per cent less energy than higher temperatures. Use a colour catcher sheet to allow you to mix colours and even whites. Two half loads of washing use more energy than a single load, so the sheet will help to reduce wash cycles. Ensure appliances are full. It’s debatable whether washing dishes by hand or using the dishwasher uses more energy and therefore costs more. Either way, just like the washing machine, it’s best to only run a dishwasher when it’s full. Reduce shower time. Keep showers to a maximum few minutes. There’s lots of advice suggesting baths use more energy than a shower but for this to be true, showers need to be no more than five minutes. If you go over that, there’s a chance you’ll add to costs. Remove charger when device is full. Continuing to charge a fully charged device drains electricity and is therefore wasting money. Rachel Ferreria, brand manager from Colour Catcher said: “The home can be the first place to look to help make quick savings. "Not all money saving tips will work for everyone but thinking about how best to be thrifty and assessing household spending may help trim some pounds from rising living costs.”