Our guide to staying on top of your energy bills and cutting costs at home — plus get a free fiver from our rewards club
ONE in six adults is struggling to pay household bills – and more than eight million families have missed at least three payments in the past six months.
Running an average three- bedroom home costs £18,197 a year for homeowners including the mortgage — equivalent to £1,516 per month. Or £17,657 per year — £1,471 per month — for renters.
It means we are spending on average more than 40 per cent of our entire income on bills and the rent or mortgage, according to the Cost of Running a Home annual report from home insurers More Than.
Graham Nicholls, head of home insurance at the firm, said: “It’s clear that most people are financially stretched — spending most of their income before buying other regular necessities such as food, commuting, petrol or insurance.”
So if you’re busting your budget to pay the bills, how can you cut costs?
Here are More Than’s top eight pieces of advice . . .
1 Fix small problems so they don’t become big ones. By keeping up with the maintenance, you prevent the worst damage from wear and tear in the home. For example, getting your boiler serviced annually is cheaper than paying for a major repair or even a new appliance.
2 Switch to showers instead of baths, as you will use less water and cut the cost of your bills.
3 Pay on time. Late payment fees for bills can wipe out all your hard-earned savings and hit your credit record. Setting up direct debits is the simplest way to ensure you get your bills paid on time each month.
4 Turn down your thermostat by just one degree, which will cut as much as ten per cent off your monthly heating bill.
5 Bleed radiators every couple of months to remove the trapped air inside them and ensure they are energy-efficient.
6 Ensure your pipes are properly insulated, to prevent them freezing in winter. Burst pipes can be expensive to fix and cause extensive water damage.
7 If you own a tumble-dryer, clean the lint trap regularly. Doing so can increase efficiency by up to 75 per cent, meaning lower energy bills, and will also increase the lifespan of your appliance.
8 Check your building and contents insurance to make sure you are properly covered in case of emergency. If you have a policy that provides a fixed amount of contents cover, check that this is enough to replace all of your items as new, to guarantee you are fully covered.
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club, which launched this week, will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
In fact, it is completely up to you how much you save.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
What is Sun Savers? Here's everything you need to know about our new rewards club
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!
Win £100k: pay off your mortgage or enjoy cash
HOW do you fancy being £100k richer? With Sun Savers you could be, as we’re giving away £100,000 cash to one lucky reader.
You could pay off your mortgage or just enjoy spending the money.
To enter, simply download the Sun Savers app or register at . Already a Sun Savers member? Don’t forget to update your app in the app store.
Then scan TEN Sun Savers codes by Tuesday, October 10. Today’s code is at the bottom of this page. Once you have entered TEN Sun Savers codes you will be prompted to enter the competition. It closes on Monday, October 23, when one winner will be chosen at random.
Terms and conditions: Collect TEN Sun Savers codes from the 18 printed in The Sun between Saturday, September 23 and Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Last chance to join in is Sunday, October 1. Competition closes at 23:59 on Monday, October 23, 2017. Over 18, residents of the UK only. One entry per person. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. There will be ONE winner only. Allow 28 days from entry closing for the draw to take place. Winner will then be notified within seven days. No cash alternative to prize in whole or in part. Prize is non-transferable. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this competition. Promoter is News Group Newspapers Ltd. Not open to staff of the Promoter and promotional partner or their families. The winner will be required to participate in reasonable publicity relating to this competition. The Editor’s decision is final.
Cheers to a bargain Baileys
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SAVE: £15
SAVE SMALL: CHEERS – Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur 1L was £20, now £12, at Sainsbury’s till October 10.
SAVE: £8
- PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
