How can smart meters help consumers save money?

With the average energy bill now costing £1138 a year, an increasing number of people are choosing to switch to a smart meter to save money on their bills.

It’s estimated that, as of 2018, 12.8 million consumers in the UK were using smart meters, which is up 6% from the previous year.

For most consumers who want to monitor or cut back on their energy consumption, smart meters are an effective way of doing this.

Here are some of the advantages of using a smart meter:

• Smart meters give detailed feedback about their energy use, which allows customers to change their habits to reduce their bills;
• Consumers can see what they’re spending their energy on in real team, and can identify which gadgets are costing the most. This encourages good household energy habits;
• They can reduce the number of electricity failures and blackouts system-wide;
• The decrease in consumption can reduce pollution and greenhouse gases;
• Smart meters eliminate the need for manual meter readings as the details are sent directly to the energy supplier. This also works with pre-paid meters.

One of the biggest benefits of using a smart meter is that it allows you to monitor your energy usage and cut back. This helps to save money.

Some of the best ways to save more money on your energy bills include:

• Replacing your bulbs with energy-saving LEDs;
• Turn off all your gadgets rather than leaving them set to standby;
• Waiting until your washing machine and dishwasher are full before running them;
• Drying washing outside instead of using a tumble dryer;
• Using energy efficient mode on your appliances;
• Turning your heating down by 1-2 degrees;
• Using a timer on your central heating system so the heating only comes on when you need it and isn’t left on all day;
• Make sure furniture isn’t pushed against radiators as this stops warm air from circulating;
• Switch off radiators in rooms that you’re not using;
• Insulate your loft and try and cut draughts from your windows and doors.

After implementing these changes, you can then use your smart meter to track any changes in consumption to make sure they’re saving you money.