And how to cut your heating bills, according to the OCU.
The unstoppable rise in electricity prices led to an average electricity bill of 152 euros in March, 90 euros more than a year ago, according to a report by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). To cushion the blow of the next receipts and leave pockets a little less hurt, he spread a series of tips on Tuesday to cut electricity bills.
Putting them into practice, OCU calculates that you can save around €44 a month on electricity bills.
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- Look carefully at your bill
The first step and the one that saves the most is to double check the invoices we receive. The organization has an electricity price comparison to see if the contracted electricity price is competitive. “For a home that signs up for 4.6 kW and uses 3,500 kW per year, signing up is most beneficial, saving an average of €37 per month; if you have one of the most expensive prices on the market, you can even save three times,”he assures. - Pay attention to contract power
See your maximum power peaks for the past 12 months on your bill. If it’s less than the contracted power, good news: you can lower it. Of course, reduce contract power only during peak hours and not during off-peak hours, “because it’s barely noticeable on the bill,” as the OCU recommends. Also, if in the future you need to increase the power again during peak hours, you will be able to “almost free and without a lot of paperwork”. With this measure, you can save around €3 per month for every 1 kW of power you reduce. - Reduce consumption during peak hours and unplug things you don’t use.
According to the OCU, users with controlled rates (PVPC) and exponential free rates should also try to limit their electricity usage during peak hours. As you recall, this is 8:00 am to 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm on weekdays. “It is also recommended to unplug devices that are not in use, plus an additional cost of around 4 euros per month. “Turn off all devices that are on standby (TV, computer, stereo…) means a 10% savings,” he said. recalled.
In addition, it is recommended to select the Eco program in washing machines and dishwashers, which can reduce electricity consumption by 40%.
- If you buy electrical appliances, choose efficient ones.
Case in point: A refrigerator marked with the An energy efficiency label consumes about 50 euros less per year than another refrigerator marked with a G. It may cost more, but it will be amortized over time. The organization also recommends checking out its comparator to save up to 20% on equipment purchases by choosing the cheapest store. - Evaluate the installation of PV panels if your home allows it.
They are a great option for single-family homes with at least three residents. “Amortizing purchase and installation costs over less than ten years (eight years if current electricity prices are maintained)”, calculating OCU. You can also save on purchases with group buying.
Bonus: How to Save on Heating
Whether your heating is electricity, gas or other fuels, OCU offers another set of keys to cut your expenses:
- A reasonable temperature during the day is between 19ºC and 21ºC, and at night, the bedroom is between 15ºC and 17ºC. “Each degree increase means a 7% increase in consumption. They point out that for a 90-square-meter apartment, each degree increase in temperature means an increase of about 6 euros per month.
- Good boiler maintenance can save 15% per year.
- Radiators, always clean without anything covering them.
- Clean it every fall: If there is air in it, heat transfer will be reduced.
