Switching Off This Device Could Save You Up To £80 A Year

With living costs soaring, and inflation reaching its highest level in 30 years, many of us are looking for ways to save money where we can.

Now, experts are warning Brits about the household items that could be draining their bank balances without them realising - otherwise known as 'vampire appliances'.

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The cost of living has surged in the last few months, with Brits struggling to pay their energy bills. Ofgem's price cap will rise from £1,277 to £1,971 next month, meaning the average household bill could be increasing by around £693 per year.

Meanwhile, there are steep increases in food and petrol prices, with inflation reaching 6.2 per cent in February, the highest level in three decades, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

To cut back, smart meter data analyst Loop has revealed which items are draining the most energy in the home - and you might be surprised.

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It's thought that one third of every energy bill belongs to phantom appliances, which cost around £506 a year for the 275w consumed.

Desktop computers can waste almost £80 per year by being switched on or on standby. According to Loop, failing to turn it off could cost an extra £79 per year.

Meanwhile, extra fridges could be setting you back £99 extra per year to stay on, while oversensitive outdoor security lights - for example, ones that that turn on after detecting movement - could add an extra £50 to your bills.

And outdoor, decorative lights are thought to be even more expensive, with Loop estimating that two 60w lights left on for 10 hours overnight could add a whopping £125 annually to your bill.

Meanwhile an electric towel rail could set you back £149 per year.

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Steve Buckley, Head of Data Science at Loop, explains: "Many people I speak to are really worried about their energy bills right now, and sadly the situation is not set to improve for some time yet.

"The reality is that the only way we can lower our energy bills right now is to reduce the amount of energy we use and the key to that is measuring our use. If you measure it, you can control it. If you measure it, you can see the impact of changes you make.

"Understanding whether your phantom load is low, medium or high is the first step towards reducing it and can lead to big savings.

"Our app connects to your smart meter so you can benchmark against other households and track your usage and use the data to your advantage. You can easily identify the culprits draining your energy and adding pounds to your bills."

Topics: Life, Technology

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot. Get in touch at [email protected].