Believe it or not, the little things you know you should do - like turning a light off, not leaving the TV on standby or turning the central heating down a notch – can actually make your home a whole lot more energy efficient. And in turn will allow you to save some of your hard-earned cash.

1. Time your heating and hot water

   Understand how your central heating system works and program it so it only comes on when and where in your home you need it (and turns off once you’re tucked up in bed). If you’ve got room thermostats already or smart thermostats such as Hive, then it’s a simple job. If not, getting Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) fitted will give you full control of the heating in each of your rooms. This can save you a lot of money over the course of the year.

2. Get insulated

   Getting insulation is a no brainer when it comes to making your home more energy efficient as it stops precious heat from escaping. The minimum recommended depth of loft insulation is 270mm – if you think yours is any less then this then you should seriously think about getting some more. You can get in touch with an installer to do this or, if you’re feeling confident, you can buy some insulation from your local DIY store and lay it yourself. It doesn’t cost much to do but could save you loads of money in the long run. Cavity wall insulation also works well but isn’t suitable for every home, so it’s worth checking

3. Get LED bulbs

   Here’s a bright idea. Get LED light bulbs – they’re more efficient than compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, but use even less energy and can last up to nine times longer. Plus, LED bulbs don’t contain harmful mercury.

   LED lights use less energy and last up to nine times longer

   With Smart LED bulbs, like those sold by our friends at Hive, you can control your lighting from your phone and save energy at the same time.

4. Stop those nasty draughts

   Many of us are bitterly aware of icy draughts coming from somewhere in the house; it could be from a doorway, letterbox, the windows or even floorboards. You don’t have to go as far as replacing all your windows, doors and floors to stop these pesky draughts. A cheaper and quicker alternative is to use a silicon or caulk sealant around any cracks and crevices. It’ll keep the draughts out and the heat in, so you won’t have to turn your central heating up high or keep it on for as long.

5. Don’t be on standby

   We’re all guilty of leaving laptops, set top boxes and TVs on standby when we’re not using them. But would you still do it if you knew you could be spending up to £100 a year on completely avoidable energy consumption? Nowadays you can get yourself some smart tech like remote switches and standby savers that can do the hard work for you. Or with a bit of thought and willpower and you can start switching your appliances off and reaping the savings in energy and cash.

These few simple tips to follow take very little effort yet over the course of a year, can make big savings.