Energy bills can be 'slashed by £230' with these genius household hacks

As energy costs continue to weigh heavily on households, one sustainable energy expert says you could cut your bills by up to £230 a year, without spending a fortune. Gordon Wallis, an expert at Your NRG, has shared a collection of lesser-known yet highly effective energy-saving tips that can make a real difference, particularly for families looking to cut costs without expensive home upgrades.

“People often think they need to invest in smart tech or a new boiler to save money,” Wallis says. “But in many cases, small, simple changes to your daily routine can yield huge savings.” Among his list of standout tricks is insulating windows with bubble wrap.

The trapped air layer helps reduce heat loss by up to 50%, especially in older, single-glazed properties.

In the kitchen, cooking with a microwave instead of the oven for small meals can save over £100 a year. Even placing lids on saucepans cuts cooking time, and energy use, by almost half.

Wallis also recommends tossing a dry towel into the tumble dryer to speed up drying time or switching to reusable wool dryer balls to boost efficiency.

He points to hidden energy drains like the “preheat” setting on combi boilers, which keeps hot water ready 24/7. “Turning that off could save you £100 a year on its own,” Wallis advised.

“Insulating your hot water pipes is another quick fix that keeps your system from losing heat unnecessarily.”

Behavioural tweaks can add up, too. Switching to a time-of-use tariff like Economy 7 lets you run appliances overnight at lower rates. Even turning off your Wi-Fi router at night could shave £20–£30 a year off your bill.

These three tips add up to a handy £230 in savings.

Finally, Wallis reminds people to check if they’re eligible for government insulation or boiler grants—support that often goes unused.

“In a time when every pound counts, being intentional about energy use isn’t just good for your wallet—it’s better for the planet too,” he says.