Cheapest time to wash and dry clothes to save money on energy bills
THOSE who are worried about their bills could make the smallest of changes at home to help reduce their outgoings.
Millions of households are turning to money-saving hacks and some of them are just simple switches in your daily habits.
Many families have seen their energy bills fall after the energy price cap was lowered in October.
A typical household currently pays no more than £2,074 a year for their gas and electricity.
But, energy bills are set to rise by £94 from January when the new cap is introduced.
The price cap was introduced in January 2019 as a way to prevent households from being ripped off by their energy suppliers.
Read more in money
It changes every three months and means prices could go up or down.
However, despite this recent reduction many households are still struggling to pay their bills.
If you are worried about the increase on your bills there are ways you can look to reduce your outgoings.
Usually, the cost of gas and electricity doesn't change depending on the time of day, so there's no incentive to use a washing machine or tumble dryer at off-peak times.
Most read in Money
But there are certain tariffs where you can pay less depending on the time of day.
They're called Economy 7 or 10 tariffs and charge you for your electricity usage based on off-peak and on-peak rates.
The off-peak rate usually applies for seven or 10 hours of the night and the on-peak rate for the other 14 or 17 hours.
We previously revealed how these time-of-use tariffs can slash your bills by as much as £120 a year.
Plus, a number of suppliers are now taking part in the "demand flexibility service" that started on October 30 and is being run until March.
Under the scheme, households will be paid to use their appliances at specific times to prevent blackouts.
British Gas, EON and EDF are just a few of the suppliers taking part in the scheme.
Economy tariffs - how do they work?
Economy 7 or 10 tariffs are sometimes referred to as a "differential" or "multi-tariff rate".
They offer good discounts for the units that you use during off-peak hours.
They can be a cheaper energy option than other price plans because you’ll commit to using most of your energy at night.
These tariffs are best suited to people with storage heaters and a hot water tank, which can be heated up at night when it’s cheapest and then used to provide hot water and heating for the next day.
A lot of modern appliances also include a timer, so you can set your washing machine and dishwasher to run during the off-peak window.
How much could I save?
The exact savings you can make will vary depending on the type of appliance you have and the settings they're on.
Plus, you should be careful of running electrical appliances like these overnight when you're asleep as it can be a fire risk.
But you can save up to hundreds of pounds.
Savvy saver Scott Dixon previously told The Sun he saves £725 a year on his Economy 7 tariff.
Is it safe to run appliances at night?
Electrical Safety First has previously reminded households to be wary of leaving appliances on at night.
Stephen Curtler, product safety manager at the charity, said leaving your appliances running when you're asleep means you aren't aware if they catch fire.
"Fires that occur at night can present a greater risk to people who may be sleeping and their response to the incident is delayed," he said.
The London Fire Brigade has echoed this, suggesting turning off as many appliances as you can before going to bed, apart from those that have to stay on like fridges.
Other ways you can save on your laundry costs
Another way to reduce your tumble dryer use is by doing an extra 10-minute spin in the washing machine first to get it drier beforehand.
Will Owen, an energy expert at Uswitch, previously told The Sun: "The longer your tumble dryer’s cycle, the more money it will cost you.
"If your clothes are dripping wet, it will have to run much longer to get them dry, increasing your energy bill dramatically."
In addition, turning down the cycle heat, or just giving your tumble dryer a good clean could help reduce your bill.
Lisa Barber, Which? home products and services editor, previously said: "Maintaining your tumble dryer could trim your bill, as filters blocking up with dust and lint from clothes can add nearly £20 to annual laundry costs."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Meanwhile, we've listed exactly how much these most-used household appliances cost to run.
If you're looking for an alternative to a tumble dryer we looked at how much a heated airer costs to run.
You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.