A mum-of-seven has revealed how she’s saving £3,000 per year on her household bills by keeping the heating on “all day” and timed showers.
Tess Giddings, 36, often hits the headlines due to her savvy tips and tricks, which have seen her spend only £160 per week on the food shop.
After the recent Ofgem price cap increase on energy bills, the mum-of-seven to Jacob, 18, Savannah, 16, Amiah, 14, Zion, 12, Nevaeh, nine and twins, Hezekiah and Levi, seven, has ensured that everyone around the house is doing their bit to save on costs.
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And it’s meant that her bills have increased to just £220 per month for gas and electricity, only £28 on water and just £10 for 27 portions of food.
But it’s come at the price of sacrifice.
“With the energy costs increasing again this winter, we’ve been forced to make many changes around the house,” the digital content creator, from Bournemouth, told What’s The Jam.
“I don’t think anyone hasn’t been affected, but for us, it’s meant cutting costs where we can.”
Previously, her advice included bulk buying household items, snapping up discounts in the supermarket and taking full advantage of freebies.
Now, though, she’s keeping the heating on “all day” as she says it works out cheaper than switching it on and off.
And making her family time themselves while in the shower, limiting cleaning sessions to just five minutes per person.
WASTE NOT WANT NOT
It’s easy to accidentally leave a tap running or spend a bit too long while having a scrub singing your favourite songs.
But according to Business Green, a source offering insights into green businesses and environmental issues, it’s estimated that wasting water costs UK households up to £300 per year.
For Tess, though, she’s doing her bit to ensure a hefty bill isn’t on its way.
She said: “As there are nine of us, shower time has to be limited to help save on costs.
“We all shower daily, but it’s often super fast, limiting them to five minutes – or less – in our house.
“This gives enough time to have a quick face and body wash, tend to your hair if needed, and get out.
“The kids don’t mind having quick showers, although sometimes I have to tell them to get a move on if they’re taking too long.
“With laundry, I used to do this everyday.
“But now, I just spot clean and spray clothes with fabric freshener between washes to save on the amount of water used and my energy bill.
“Obviously heavily stained or soiled items are washed as and when.
“On the whole, though, I have halved [the amount of] washing by simply freshening up.
“But also with the electricity used – running this on 30 degrees, or less, and trying to use the eco programme, uses up less energy.
“And try to only use the tumble dryer when it’s only necessary.
“One month, ours broke and our bill was £80 less than the previous, which was a real shock.
“Now, I use a wall mounted fold out arm for hanging washing to dry.
“I’ve put this in the house that gets the most sunlight and it’s really quick.”
Tess also saves on their water usage by using their dishwasher on eco mode, which she claims uses less water than washing up.
KEEPING TOASTY
As the winter months approach, many households are finding themselves sneakily turning on the heating for some extra warmth.
But Tess says that leaving it on all day actually saves money.
The mum said: “Keeping your heating on constantly at a set temperature actually works out cheaper than having your heating coming on and off at set times.
“This is because every time it’s off, then it has to work harder to heat the whole house again once it’s gone back to being cold.
“It’s better to have your heating set all day at around 18 degrees – and it’ll keep you and your family warmer for longer.
“But don’t heat rooms that are often left empty, as that’s pointless.”
For those looking for a more natural alternative, the 36-year-old has some other tricks up her sleeve.
She said: “Letting the sun naturally heat your rooms by keeping curtains and windows wide open is a must.
“The sun shining through warms the room through the glass and creates free energy.
“You can keep this in and lasting for longer by insulating windows.
“I have bought cheap rolls of insulating strips to stick around in my home where drafts get in and the difference is amazing.
“Especially as any cold air coming through will just boost heating bills.
“Invest in a wearable fleece – every member of my family has one of these, as it’s extremely thick and warm.
“It means you don’t have to whack the heating on full just to get warm, and these can be snapped up for as little as £4.”
BATCH COOKING
There’s nothing better than coming home after a cold day to a slow cooked meal ready and waiting.
For Tess and her family, they say using this method to batch cook means they all eat for less than £10 over the course of the week.
She said: “I’ll buy loads of chicken and other meat, as well as potatoes and veg, and make three large meals from them.
“I’ll freeze these and then just take them out to defrost in the morning and pop them in the oven later on.
“It saves time and money – and often stretches to feed all nine of us for the majority of the week.
“I also never waste leftovers.
“For example, if we have a roast chicken, I’ll use any scraps to make chicken wraps for dinner the next day.”
She’s also a big fan of rewards and waste-free apps.
Tess said: “I’ve always used apps like Too Good To Go, as we’re able to score nutritious takeaways for less than £3.
“The other day, I got a bucket crammed with carvery meats – and all the trimmings – and it left us stuffed.
“Sometimes, it works out cheaper than buying food to cook.
“Use rewards apps, as there’s lots of savings and freebies to be had, including weekly offers, which go a long way.”
The mum previously said that it’s vital for people to remember to always live within their means – and with bills constantly rising, it’s a point she’s sticking by.
She added: “If we don’t have the money to afford something, then we don’t buy it or do it; simple.
“I know a lot of people have had to resort to credit cards and loans to tie them over, but this only leads to more financial problems down the line.
“Teach your kids how to be budget savvy and the tricks they can use to save money.
“People always assume we are well off and have nice stuff, but it is really down to budgeting right and knowing where to get the good bargains to save money.”
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