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Always turn off lights when leaving a room.

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Use energy saving light bulbs.

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Turning your thermostat down by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and save you around £40 per year.

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A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and always make sure they’re fully turned off. This helps save water and energy too.

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Draw the curtains at night to keep the heat in (especially if you do not have double glazing). Windows can let in a draft which cools the room, curtains will help keep this out. For cheap ready made curtains you can go to www.CurtainSupermarket.co.uk

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Don’t leave chargers (e.g. for mobile phones) plugged in when nothing is attached to them as they will still be using electricity. You can switch the plug off and this will waste no energy.

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Don’t use your dishwasher / tumble dryer / washing machine unnecessarily. These are some of the most energy intensive devices in your home. Make sure you don’t use them when they are practically empty. Or in the summer use your hanging line if you have a garden. It is better for the environment and for your clothes!

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If you’re not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme. This reduces the electricity used and cuts your costs and bills.

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Seal up any drafts in doors and windows using draft excluders etc. For small drafts use draft excluding tape, available from all DIY stores. You can go to www.diy.com to look for this equipment.

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Turn off your computer or laptop when you are not using it.

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Water plants early in the morning or in the evening as they absorb moisture better at these times. This will cut down the amount f water wasted/

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Switch all electrical appliances off at the plug. Instead of using the ‘standby’ function. Whilst on stand by the appliances are still using electricity, and amazingly this accounts for up to 6% of all electricity usage in the house!

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Having showers instead of baths uses for less energy. Showers are more commonly used these days and they are actually more hygienic too.

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Is your water too hot? You shouldn’t need to set your cylinder thermostat higher than 60°C (140°F).

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Use the kettle to boil water for cooking, instead of heating a pan on the stove. Not only will this be more efficient, but it generally takes less time too! Tell your grandma who probably does it the old fashioned way.

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Use solar powered lights and ornaments in your garden. These are not only a lovely feature but set a good feeling as they are using the energy from the sun – what a good feeling!

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Insulate your home - install cavity wall and loft insulation and lag your pipes. This will help and there are a number of government grants available for loft insulation.

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Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving wastes (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking etc.) petrol. Check your tyre pressure as this makes a difference to your fuel economy.