A substantial percentage of the electricity we use in our homes is used by our white goods appliances. We have washing machines, tumble dryers, ovens, dishwashers and fridges.
A lot of attention has been paid to making them use less energy, but after many years of reducing energy usage they’ve hit a plateau. Thinking laterally, there’s an easy trick that can save hundreds of pounds a year that many people still neglect.
Changing energy suppliers
So don’t forget to start right at the beginning and make sure you are buying your electricity (and gas) from one of the cheaper energy suppliers. Most people can save a significant amount of money each year – even if they’ve already changed suppliers before. I personally have switched energy suppliers about 8 times.
These savings can be far greater than the savings you could make by replacing an appliance with one that uses less energy. We don’t need to get obsessive about constantly transferring to the cheapest energy supplier but it does make sense to at least check we aren’t paying way over the odds by keeping an eye on competitive tariffs.
For now, people who don’t change their energy suppliers are being vastly overcharged, and it is necessary to review your energy supplier regularly, at least once a year. If you don’t you’re missing out on hundreds of pounds of savings.
Peter Tyson Appliances are an Authorised Miele Dealer and give high quality service coupled with special offers and competitive prices.
Forbes rent appliances and specialise in renting Bosch appliances so they know them inside out. They also rent other brands and many other products – more details at Forbes
Derek Overs says
This info and advice has been most useful and as I am about to buy a new machine will be particularly appropriate. The info on Service programmes and detergents is especially helpful and Ecconomy 7 myth too.
Alex Beal says
A “comfort tariff” – Newspeak for “You pay us more than you need to”?
And that’s a Comfort to us……
Washerhelp says
Yes Alex, another example of companies making money out of consumer fears and/or laziness.
Nick Beacham Watts says
What these and all similar advices fail to recognise is that those of us who would most benefit from changing to a more favourable tariff cannot do so because we owe our existing supplier. For a variety of reasons often because of miscalculation or miss-advice by the supplier we have got into arrears. We would be faced with immediately repaying the balance outstanding on moving to a new supplier . We don’t because we cannot find that sum within a tight budget!
Anonymous says
does anyone know if running a washing machine or dishwasher is more economic when the water supply is taken from the hot water through a combination boiler or supplied from the cold water feed