Smart Meters: Seize Control Of Your Energy Usage

When it comes to energy bills, most people are looking for ways to save money and using smart meters could be the solution.

Energy bills have risen dramatically in recent years and coupled with a downturn in the economy and an increase in unemployment, saving money on bills has never been more important. Saving energy, especially with the cold weather fast approaching, may seem impossible, but there are some simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy you use and trim those bills.

Use a smart meter

Using a smart meter is a simple and effective way of keeping an eye on the amount of energy you use at home. A smart meter is an innovative device that calculates your energy usage and takes automatic readings, putting an end to estimated readings, which may result in you under or overpaying. A smart meter sends readings to your energy company and they then send you an accurate monthly or quarterly bill, based only on the numbers the meter has submitted. Many households are still receiving estimated bills, which can cause confusion, as well as putting people at risk of paying too much or not enough, which may result in unexpected bills.

The smart meter is also beneficial because it carries out the readings itself, meaning you do not have to take readings or wait for an engineer to come out and read your meter for you. The information obtained by the smart meter is also available to view online; this means you can see where and when you are using energy at home and identify ways you can reduce your energy usage.

Use an energy monitor

Using an energy monitor allows you to see how much energy each household appliance is using at a given time; this enables greater awareness of energy usage.

Shop around

After months of not needing the heating on and spending lazy evenings in the garden, the weather is changing and the days are getting shorter and colder. If you’re dreading your energy bills this winter, make sure you are getting the best deal; shop around and compare tariffs and deals from different energy suppliers. It is now easier than ever to switch supplier, so do not be put off by the assumption that you will be forced to make endless telephone calls and spend hours changing your payment details.

When looking at different tariffs and prices, it is a good idea to take into account the different rates charged by suppliers; many energy companies charge different prices at different times of the day and if you are out all day and use most energy during the evenings, you should go with the company that offers the best off-peak unit price.

Investigate dual fuel

If you use gas and electricity, it is well worth investigating dual fuel tariffs, as they usually represent much better value for money. You can use the Internet to research prices or contact your energy supplier to modify your tariff.

Set up a direct debit

Once you have found the best offer, set up a direct debit, as this will save you money. Many energy companies offer a discount for direct debit payments and you can set a monthly payment amount based on the amount of energy you usually use; if you find that your payment amount is too high or too low, you can adjust this very easily.