Go green and reduce energy bills with @safestyle

How do you combine being green with being frugal?

This is one of my favourite challenges!

Some solutions are obvious, like supporting charity shops, growing some of your own food and putting on an extra layer instead of turning up the heating.

But what about household investments such as replacement windows, insulations or solar panels? How do you find out where the best return on investment is?

This week I came across a great tool, produced by Safestyle UK, which shows how much a household could save when using energy saving equipment such as solar panels, combi boilers and cavity wall insulation.

All you have to do is click on each energy saving item and it will show the average cost of installation, the yearly savings (based on figures from the Energy Saving Trust), and how long before the savings it makes will pay for itself.

It also totals the savings for each item you might have in your own home; so you can see how much you could save on your utility bills over the course of a year.

This a really useful tool for you to discover what will save you money and how much you can benefit from great energy saving.

If you’re new to a more sustainable lifestyle and are wondering how to get the best value for money with energy-saving home improvements, this tool is easy and fun to use and means you don’t need to troll through reams of information. It’s simple enough for children to use but with valuable information to help you make an informed choice.

The Energy Saving Trust is a well respected authority in green living so you know the information provided is reliable.

You’ll discover, for example, that within less than six months, tank / boiler insulation or switching to energy-saving light bulbs will pay for itself. Whereas larger projects such as double glazing or solar panels an take up to 10 years for you to recoup the cost.

According to the tool, we’re currently saving £766 per year here at Chez Green an there’s plenty of room for improvement with both small and large investment.

I was amazed to learn that the simple act of insulating your immersion tank can cost just £25, yet you’ll save around £55 per year – it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?

What about you – how much are you saving on your energy bills?