Save electricity – Save money

There are lots of ways to save money in your home. Reducing the costs of electricity is quite easy: no standby, A++-appliances and energy saving bulbs are only a few tips. Read more about the secret energy guzzlers in your home and why it's worth changing your electricity provider.

The energy classes ABC
It is easiest to save electricity with new household appliances. If your fridge or washing machine is already ten years old, it's worth changing to a new energy-saving appliance. In three years the reduced consumption of electricity will have already covered the costs of your new appliance. Here you must take account of the energy saving class A+ or A++. Since 1992 consumers have been able to find out how economical an electrical appliance is by referring to the energy-saving classes G to A. But this division is totally out-of-date. A category B appliance nowadays already wastes electricity and A is only mediocre. Nevertheless, category A appliances are still being sold in the trade as the most economical energy class. Appliances of energy class A+ and A++ are a bit more expensive to buy but provide enormous savings through lower electricity consumption.

Correct use
Not only the appliances but using them economically helps with saving: only in a very few instances does the washing really have to be washed at 90 degrees. In comparison with 90 degrees a 60-degree washing programme provides roughly 30 per cent energy saving. In addition, a fully-loaded washing machine always washes more economically despite automatic quantity. In particular, tumble dryers consume a lot of electricity. Drying the washing outdoors or in drying rooms is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

In addition, you can save money if you switch the oven off 10 minutes before the end of cooking and use the residual heat; only open the fridge door briefly, defrost the fridge regularly and do not pre-wash the dishes for the fully-loaded dishwasher.

Even the smallest actions can provide significant savings. For an average family a saving of about 115 Euro per year can be made by switching off the stand-by operation of technical equipment. Here, a plug socket which can be switched off is very useful; in the meantime they are even available with remote control. In addition, if you invest about 6 Euro to buy an energy-saving bulb, you will save more than 80 Euro over the lifetime of the bulb, which is now also available with warm light.

Change your electricity provider
It is up to you how much you pay for the electricity from your socket. Not only politics, also the "Foundation for Product Testing" and the consumer associations are advising you to change electricity provider in their current campaign.

It is easy to change supplier and it can be done without risk. Statutory specified basic supply applies so no one has to sit in the dark. In addition, it does not cost anything to change. The new supplier will look after all the formalities for you.

At www.verivox.de you can find a tariff calculator. You will find the tariffs of the electricity suppliers in your region in a general list. The differences are considerable.

The consumer associations will help you with changing supplier. Their employees will help you to find the cheapest tariff.
You can make an appointment for an energy consultation with the consumer association directly by telephoning 0900 1 3637443 (14 Cent/Min.).