6 energy efficiency tips that cost nothing and take minutes

We all know that we can save ourselves a lot of money potentially by making our homes more energy efficient and thinking about more eco-friendly ways of doing things. Running lights and heating unnecessarily wastes a lot of money and it's also not particularly good for the environment as it turns out. We all know we should start making changes then, but unfortunately there's just one problem: it takes a huge amount of effort.

Making a home more energy efficient typically will involve replacing windows, installing more insulation, changing the boiler or adding solar panels to our roofs. These are all jobs that can take months, cost a lot of money and require you to let lots of workmen walk around your home. Sure you'll benefit in the long term, but in the immediate future it will actually place a strain on your finances rather than helping.

Or at least, this is the view taken by the majority of us. In many cases it's true, but actually there are plenty of ways to become more eco-friendly and more energy efficient that don't take that much time or effort. Here we will look at some easy changes you can make to your home right now that will take literally minutes and cost you absolutely nothing.

1. Turn Down Your Heating One Degree

Want to save money on your heating? Don't want to freeze yourself to death in the process? Then try turning down your thermostat by just one degree. You'll find that you don't notice it at all, but it can actually save you a surprising amount over the long term.

2. Turn Down Your Boiler

Another way to save money on heating without feeling it or replacing your system is to take a look at the boiler to see if it has a knob that says 'temperature'. You might assume this would control the temperature in your home, but then again what is the thermostat or the control on the radiators for in that case?

Actually, this refers to how hot your radiators will get. If the setting is high then your radiators will get hot quickly, increasing the speed at which the boiler system matches the temperature on the thermostat. If the temperature is set low though, the radiators will work longer at a lower temperature. Using the second setting can often save you money and prevents your heating from having to switch on and off so regularly. It also prevents burns as an added bonus!

3. Share Bath Water

Next time you have a bath, leave the water in for a while so the next person can use it too. You'll save money this way on both the heating of the water and the water supply itself.

4. Bubble Wrap the Windows

If you're saving for a new window replacement then you don't have to suffer in the cold in the meantime. A neat trick you can use is to attach bubble wrap to the window where draft is coming through and tape it down. This lets the light through still but is a great insulator against the cold thanks to the trapped air – which is also what double glazing uses to provide the extra layer of protection.

5. Hang Rugs

If you have any rugs that you aren't using then you should consider hanging them on your walls. Not only is this a unique way to decorate a room, but it's also a good way to provide additional insulation which can help reduce noise and keep the room much warmer.

6. Turn Down the Brightness

If you were trying to save battery on your phone you would probably try turning the brightness setting down. Despite this being a common approach though, few people consider that the same might work just as well on a TV.

If you want to save energy on your TV then, turn the brightness down slightly and the output will be lower meaning you're consuming less power.