FIVE WAYS TO SAVE ON BILLS AND STAY SAFE

You can save money by regularly remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode, says the Energy Savings Trust.

- FEATURE BY KIM JONES

1 Unplug appliances

"Before you leave the house, unplug everything you can - toasters, kettles, chargers, any electricals," says award-winning financial influencer Megan Micklewright, aka The Savvy Spender (@thesavvyspenderofficial). "Appliances still drain energy and cost you money in standby mode. And don't forget your wifi router. Most people leave this on but it's not needed, unless you have something like a smart doorbell," she says. "Consider a standby saver plug, which lets you turn off multiple appliances at once."

Unplugging also reduces the risk of an electrical fire when you're away.

2 Close taps tight

"Check for dripping taps before you leave, especially if you're on a water meter or it's money down the drain," says Megan. "You could even turn off the water at the stopcock for peace of mind, to ensure nothing leaks and leads to a flood while you're away."

3 Set your thermostat

"If it's winter, keep the thermostat at a low setting (around 12C)," says Megan. "This can prevent frozen pipes and keeps your home at a stable temperature so you won't need to blast up the heating and use extra energy to warm it up when you get back. In summer, you could just switch it off completely."

4 Make your house look occupied