The cost of living is rising with many people finding new ways in which they can save money.
And while many are doing the obvious thing such as cutting down on how much they spend when shopping for food or clothes, others have begun turning their devices off at the wall when not in use in a bid to save money in the long run.
However while turning things off at the wall can help in some areas, it can be a pain to remember when to turn then off - especially if you're away - and thus costing you even more money.
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But now one expert has come up with a trick to help cut costs by using one handy item - and it only costs a fiver. The item is a simple plug-in timer which can allow you to automatically turn electrical appliances on or off, as needed.
With many available for just a few pounds, a plug in timer could be beneficial and help you conserve energy and save on your electricity bill this winter.
And now as autumn sets in, Toolstation's electrical expert, Simon Oram has explained four ways you can use a plug-in timer to drive down your energy bill. So how do they help?
Cost of living crisis: Four ways a plug-in timer can save you money
Simon Oram, Electrical & Smart Technology Manager at Toolstation has some advice for choosing a plug-in timer. He explains: "Plug-in timers come in both mechanical and digital versions which suit different needs. Mechanical versions tend to be more affordable but some find them a little fiddly. And while some say mechanical plug-in timers are more durable, digital ones do offer greater programmability. For example, you can set different schedules for different days of the week.
“If you’re just looking for ways to save on your energy bill, essentially, a mechanical version is all you need.”
TV
According to Statista, in the UK, we watch an average of 3 hours of TV each day. The rest of the time, the majority of us leave our TVs on standby - needlessly using electricity.
One of the main reasons most of us leave our televisions on standby is because it’s frustrating to have to fumble behind the TV to turn the socket on and off. Plugging your TV into a plug-in timer avoids this frustration while ensuring your device doesn’t sit on standby for long periods at times when it never gets used - like at night.
Heated airer
Electric heated clothes airers allow you to dry your clothes conveniently, whatever the weather. They already use far less energy than tumble dryers but using a plug-in timer can make them even more energy efficient.
By setting your plug-in timer to 30-minute intervals, you’ll use half the amount of energy to dry your clothes. The airer will remain warm in between intervals too, meaning it shouldn’t impact the drying time too much.
Slow cooker
With rising gas prices, slow cookers are being recommended as a cost effective way of preparing food. These days, the majority of slow cookers come with a built-in timer but if yours is a little older, you may have to manually turn it off and on. If you forget to turn it off, you risk not only overcooked food but also wasted money.
Using a plug-in timer to control your slow cooker means you can schedule when your slow cooker turns on and off. This means, even if you’ve been out of the house all day, you can walk in to piping hot food!
Deterrent lights
Lots of homeowners like to keep a light on when they’re away from home to deter thieves by making it look like somebody’s inside the house. But burglars are likely to see through it when the same light is left on for a long period of time. Plus, this will use a lot of energy.
A better option is to use a plug-in timer to control a couple of lamps throughout the house - deterring thieves by making it appear that somebody is moving through the home.
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