The energy-saving 'hacks' that are actually costing you more money

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Common energy saving hacks to cut your monthly bills could actually be costing you more money, according to experts.According to a report by Smart Energy GB, a quarter of people claim they’re still confused by the conflicting energy saving advice available publicly.In fact, two thirds are trying methods that have little to no impact on their energy use and only a third feel well informed about advice.

The most common energy saving myth is handwashing all dishes instead of using a dishwasher, when in fact doing so can use up to nine times as much water and requires more energy to heat it, The Mirror reports.

One in five have also tried keeping the heating on permanently at a low setting instead of turning it on and off when needed, which is actually likely to lead to energy loss throughout the day.A further fifth admit to putting electronic devices in sleep mode overnight, rather than turning them off completely which would save more energy, according to experts at Smart Energy GB.Common energy saving habits that are effective however include:The research on 5,000 adults also found almost half now have a smart meter to receive accurate, rather than estimated, bills and monitor what energy is being used, in near-real time.By having a smart meter and adjusting it to your energy use, the average saving can be £366.24 over the course of a year.This saving would account for 18.5% of the average household spend on energy, which according to Ofgem is currently £1,971 per year.Helen Skelton, co-author of the Super Smart Energy Savers Report, said: "It’s worrying to feel that the cost of your energy bill is completely out of your control, but unfortunately the price cap increase means that this is now the case for so many people