Lindy Valdez
Rising electricity and gas prices can be quite a problem. The constant work in the home office is also reflected in the electricity bill.
With our tips, you can save yourself that.
But good advice is not necessarily expensive, we will be happy to tell you which devices you can turn from power guzzlers to purring power savers. With a few tips and tricks, you can keep consumption low in everyday life and reduce energy easily. This is not only good for your wallet, but you are also doing something good for the environment.
Energy-saving fun facts
We have a few exciting facts for you that will turn every energy-saving beginner into a star and also offer interesting knowledge for the next small talk.
Did you know, that:
- Googling about as much electricity as an energy-saving lamp consumes per hour.
- Natural gas itself does not smell at all. The odorous substances are additionally added so that the gas can be smelled in the event of a leak.
- There is a Dutch airline that flies with frying fat. The biofuel is tapped as a waste product from the catering trade to replace kerosene.
- A single cup of coffee requires 140 liters of water from the plant to processing.
- Polar bears are true champions when it comes to converting heat. With their fur, they convert 95% of sunlight into heat. Solar systems, for example, only manage 40%.
Saving tip 1: Keep your eyes open when it comes to electronics
Just switch off after watching TV. Your TV runs in standby mode every day, but you can easily switch it off after use. With 20 hours of standby mode, that’s 18 euros per year, which you can easily save.
Let the PC work energy-efficiently. You can set the power options of the PC individually. For example, you can set when the device is inactive or when it should switch itself off. A slightly brighter screen can also save energy. What’s more: Older or used PCs and laptops are often more energy-efficient and use less electricity.
Feel free to pull the plug too. With a power switch, many of the sneaky standby devices can be easily turned off. If you want to be on the safe side, pull the plug. This is particularly worthwhile for unused charging cables, as these eat up electricity even without a device and make the electricity bill a few euros more expensive.
Extra tip: A time control for the WLAN ensures that it is switched off when you are at work or asleep and do not need it at all.
Saving tip 2: You’ll see the light!
It is best to only switch on the light in rooms where you are actually staying and turn it off when you leave the room. If you only stay in some rooms for a short time, you can think about a motion detector. If you use LEDs and energy-saving lamps, you can save up to 520 kWh of electricity a year and also use the more environmentally friendly alternative.
Extra tip: LED light chains instead of lamps use less electricity and create a pleasant atmosphere. Lanterns and candles can also create cozy light and replace one or the other lamp.
Saving tip 3: Use electricity in a gentle cycle.
When doing laundry, it doesn’t always have to be the high temperatures. With normal dirt, 40 degrees is completely sufficient. Newer machines also have an energy-saving or environmental protection program. The laundry can be dried particularly cheaply on the drying rack because the dryer eats up a lot of electricity.
If you don’t mind small creases, you can also save yourself the ironing. But if you want it to be nice and smooth, you can simply unplug the iron a little earlier and iron the last items of clothing with the residual heat.
Saving tip 4: Heat up cheaply.
For long-lasting warmth: It is important that the rooms are neither too warm nor too cold. If you turn on the heating, you should ensure that the heat does not escape too quickly. So always keep the doors and windows closed when heating and make sure that the radiator is not blocked. If you ventilate properly two to three times a day, you ensure that the heat is better distributed in the room, the air is more comfortable and no mold forms.
Extra tip: If you bleed the radiator regularly, you avoid air bubbles in the pipes and can heat more efficiently. Up to 15% of heating costs can be saved in this way.
Do you want to save electricity even more easily? We’ve got some really quick tricks that are easy to use and the biggest challenge is just remembering them.
Our quick savings tips:
- Better to take a shower than a bath
- Better to wash laundry without prewashing.
- To save gas, always clear the radiator and set the heating thermostat correctly: living room: 20 to 22 °C, bedroom: 15 to 18 °C, kitchen: 16 to 18 °C, bathroom: 22 to 24 °C, hallway: 15 to 16 °C)
- Better to use the laptop than the desktop PC
- Better to wash in the dishwasher than by hand.
- It is better to run the dishwasher full than half empty.
- Better to avoid unnecessary opening and closing of the refrigerator door.
- Better to use the kettle than the pot.
- Better to do without air conditioning.
- Better to use the pot with the lid.
- It is better to switch off the oven a few minutes earlier and use the residual heat.
