With the long-awaited Lord of the Ring’s prequel, The Rings of Power, transporting viewers back to Middle Earth on screen this autumn, Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com) is offering fans the chance to step into J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved land and truly experience Middle Earth.
Inspired by Tolkien’s masterpiece The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, during the Second Age of Middle Earth. Peace reigns over Middle Earth, but darkness lurks on the horizon with the rising of the Dark Lord Sauron, the forging of the Rings of Power and the ever-growing rift between the races of elves and men.
A Land of Legends and Myths
J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendary work of fiction relies heavily on the seascape. The sea evokes feelings of loss, exile, longing and the immortal elves cross the western sea to the Undying lands at the trilogy’s end. Tolkien’s experience of the Cornwall Sea and the legend of lost lands under the sea inspired the great writer’s incredible imagination.
Head into the land of folklore with Rabbie’s five-day Devon and Cornwall tour. Explore ancient castle ruins and centuries old cathedrals and uncover the Arthurian legend that defines Cornwall.
Reach and trek along Land’s End and travel to the tidal island of St. Michael’s Mount. Experience a land written by legends and made by natural beauty on Rabbie’s five-day Devon and Cornwall tour, which departs from London three times per week with costs starting from £329 per person.
The Misty Mountains in the Misty Isle
The Lord of the Rings is famous for its beautiful realm of Middle Earth. From the stunning city of Gondor to the sleepy and hidden village of the Shire, to the dark lands of Mordor and the heights of the Misty Mountains. In Scotland the ‘Misty Isle’, travelers can walk into the mountains of Middle Earth and be inspired by the crumbling castles, dark lochs and haunting myths.
Travel into the land of legends, landscapes, and landmarks with Rabbie’s 3-day The Isle of Skye tour. Learn of bloody battles on Scottish soil and step into the past to explore centuries-old castles.
Keep an eye out for Britain’s most famous monster at Loch Ness and journey along the ‘Winged Isle’ of Skye. At the Old Man of Storr, where rocks spike out of the ground like daggers, learn of the legend Five Sisters of Kintail, and the local wizard who sought to preserve their beauty for eternity.
Rabbie’s three-day Isle of Skye departs from Edinburgh seven days a week with costs starting from £189 per person.
For more information about Rabbie’s and its tour offering, visit www.rabbies.com.
How the new interest rates affect house prices and rent
Housing market: hurry if you’re selling, halt if you’re buying, stay if you’ve borrowed, finance experts advise
Landlords will likely increase rent prices or sell to cope with increased mortgage repayments
Inflation and interest rates will keep rising, but house prices are already slowing down
The Office for National Statistics announced last month that UK inflation rose to 10.1%, from 9.4% two months earlier. The Bank of England expects it to further increase, peaking at 13.3% in October. The accompanying higher interest rates, currently at 1.75%, and bleak two-year economic outlook generally means bad news for homebuyers, landlords and renters across the UK.
Top market analysts at CMC Markets expect interest rates to further rise to 2.25% in September. This directly impacts mortgages on variable rates – around 1 in 5 households in the UK – and another 3.1 million whose fixed-rate periods expire in 2022-2023, according to UK Finance estimates.
Borrowers whose repayments are directly linked to the base rate, as set by the Bank of England, will now face mortgage repayments at rates between 3% and 4%, up from 1.75% and 2.75% only five months earlier. This will inevitably spill into rent prices.
CMC Markets analysed the latest data for June 2022 from HM Land Registry, published on August 17th, and concluded that the likely tendency for house prices is in a temporary slowdown, which is good news for those waiting a little longer to buy a home.
Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets comments: “Houses sold in June 2022 only increased in price by 1% compared to May, whereas, last year, this constituted a much more generous 5.7% surge.
“This is only the first month this year for prices to slow down at such a fast rate, so some caution before jumping to conclusions is advised. Remember, house prices may be slowing down, but they are not decreasing. Importantly, since this is transactions data processed at the time, it does not take into account the big leap in interest rates that the Bank of England announced later that month, let alone the even bigger hike in August.
“Therefore, despite the soaring inflation and rising consumer prices across the board, UK house prices appear to be trailing behind because demand for homes has generally come to a screeching halt. Most buyers are weathering the storm for a few more months at least, while some are also working out how the cost of living crisis will pan out in the medium term so that the new mortgage is not squeezing their pockets beyond their comfort zone.
“For those still keen to get on the property ladder, there are plenty of fixed-rate banking products that can insulate them from the current spiralling interest rates on mortgages. They should, however, prepare for the possibility of being faced with higher-than-expected repayments once the fixed rate period expires, as the new variable rates are at the lender’s discretion. Fixed rates are not a cure-all either, as they may now be set to a higher level to start with.
“The buy-to-let market is equally volatile. Landlords will either pass the increased mortgage repayments onto tenants by increasing their rent or simply sell fast to lock in a better price.
“Right now though, those already on the property ladder are generally better off staying put rather than moving or re-mortgaging. They would not get a good deal on their old house in this market and may likely end up losing more money overall.”
What did the Bank of England do earlier in August?
The Bank of England explained that the rise in interest rates was necessary due to external pressures which are expected to persist. This means that British firms and residents will continue to feel this weight reflected on rising domestic prices, wages outpaced by soaring inflation, and even higher mortgage repayments, despite the Bank’s attempt to widen the borrowing pool through less restrictive mortgage rules.
Although historic, the Bank’s decision was not a surprise for trading analysts at CMC Markets, a London-headquartered financial services company, who believe the Bank was expected to raise interest rates higher than 1.25% during the June meeting, as a means to keep import inflation in check.
This is on the backdrop of a 10% year-to-date depreciation of the British pound sterling against the US dollar and an indication from the Federal Reserve, the US central bank, of a further interest rate increase by 0.5% or 0.75% in September.
Michael Hewson comments: “The UK currently fares worse than both the EU and the US. This is due to its closer dependence on energy shocks than the States and less government intervention to soften the blow compared to its European counterparts.”
What’s next and when will things calm down?
Other than adjusting the interest rates to the accurate level to keep abreast of import inflation, the economic projections for the UK paint a bleak outlook for the next two years.
The UK is projected to enter a recession in the final quarter of this year, the Bank of England announced. The country’s economy will contract by 1.25% in 2023 and 0.25% in 2024, however, inflation is becoming a much bigger long-term threat, with unrealistic chances of falling back to the desired 2% much before 2024.
The current political race for the Conservative Party leadership and the consequent fiscal policies promoted by the new British government is a major factor to take into account for any inflation, GDP, and unemployment projections and investment decisions.
As it stands with the current measures, inflation is expected to peak at 13.3% in October – a sharper increase than the Bank anticipated in June, originally estimated at 11%. It will continue to rise throughout 2023 only to decline in 2024.
Meanwhile, forecasts for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are less optimistic now, expected to decrease only to 9.5% in the third quarter of 2023, although the Bank anticipates a sharp fall in prices immediately thereafter.
Selling prices are set to increase to reflect rising costs while real household post-tax income is expected to plunge in 2022 and 2023. The Bank predicted that core prices will peak at 6.5% this year, meaning that, in the following six months, food and energy will constitute more than half of the headline CPI.
The next meeting for the Monetary Policy Committee, where the Bank of England will decide what the new base interest rates might be, is set for September 15th.
The average recruiter or hiring manager spends 6 to 8 seconds looking at a CV before they decide if it is suitable or not.
On average in the UK, one position attracts around 250 CVs, which means that employers can immediately spot the red flags. CVs with cluttered layouts, lack of headings, or ones that are too long or too short will more than likely not be successful.
However, if you are looking for a new job, experts at CV Maker have revealed the top red flags you should avoid when creating your CV, to help you be successful in applying for your dream role. Be sure to avoid these mistakes!
1. Typos and grammatical errors
Probably the first red flag that employers look out for, mistakes on your CV show that you don’t pay attention to detail. Minor mistakes shouldn’t be a cause for concern, however, if a CV is full of mistakes, it immediately sends the wrong message to a recruiter or hiring manager.
Consider resending your CV if you notice multiple typos or other major mistakes after you click send. While it might feel awkward, there are professional ways to resend a CV. It’s best to include a short explanation with your updated CV. Politely explain that you are sending an updated file and to please excuse yourself for the mistake.
Make sure to use a spellchecker and have at least two people proofread your CV before you apply for a position.
2. Unprofessional email address
An unprofessional email address is another huge red flag for employers. Your CV is your professional calling card, the first impression a hiring manager creates for you before they have even met you. Make sure to get yourself a separate email account for your job search and keep your account name professional.
Make sure you don’t use the email address you created when you were 15. This shows employers that you’re too lazy to create a new email address, or that you don’t value your professional career.
If you’re struggling, use your last name and first initial or first and last name. This is clear and professional.
3. Employment gaps
Large gaps of time between them are one of the biggest CV red flags that head-hunters, recruiters, and hiring managers will immediately notice. One gap in employment isn’t that unusual, especially if you’ve travelled or started a family. However, if multiple gaps seem out of place, make sure you have a valid reason to explain these.
Breaks in employment raise red flags because they could have a range of negative implications. There are exceptions, but most high performers don’t have huge gaps in their employment history. Employers might also fear you could do this again and quit the job when under pressure.
Explaining a gap in a cover letter might help. If you do get invited to an interview, be ready with an honest and clear reason for the gap.
4. Job hopping
People job search for a new career for all kinds of reasons. Increased pay, improved benefits, better work-life balance, etc. However, frequent job hopping can be a cause for concern as an employer.
Employers want to hire people they can invest in. One year, or less, isn’t enough time for an employee to become truly proficient in their role or make a meaningful impact on a company.
If you have switched positions frequently, and your CV shows this, make sure you have valid reasons for this. Don’t mention that you just “needed a change” as this can indicate that you are inconsistent or unreliable.
Some better reasons for job hopping, that you can explain in an interview, could be that you were recruited by another company, as this shows that you are a valuable team member. You could also mention that your previous role shifted from what you were initially hired to do, or even that you weren’t advancing as quickly as you’d like.
5. Too much personal information
Too much non-relevant personal information on your CV can also be a big red flag. Your CV is a document to highlight your skills, accomplishments, and work history. This needs to stay professional.
Whilst showing a little personality on a CV is a green flag, too much personal information can deter employers from hiring you. Try to keep it short and concise and wait until the interview to let your personality shine through.
The best way to show a little personality, that isn’t overbearing, is through your hobbies and interests. However, make sure these are relevant to your job role.
There will be significant travel disruption along the route of the Queen’s coffin on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 September.
Police Scotland will be putting in place numerous road closures from 1pm which will cause significant disruption across the city.
As a result, a number of schools and early years centres along the route will close early from 12 noon to allow pupils and staff time to return home safely before the Police Scotland closures are in place.
We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause. However, you will appreciate these are exceptional times.
All schools will open on Wednesday 14 September as normal.
The Scottish Parliament will meet today (Monday 12 September) to consider a motion of condolence following the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
This will provide an opportunity for Members across the Parliament to reflect on The Queen’s life of exceptional public service and her close and enduring bond with Scotland.
The format for the event in the Chamber will see the Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, welcome His Majesty The King and The Queen Consort to the Chamber before inviting each of the Party Leaders to speak to the motion.
The King will then respond to the motion.
The Presiding Officer said: “People across Scotland continue to mourn the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and I wish to express on behalf of the Scottish Parliament our deepest condolences to His Majesty The King and The Royal Family.
“This motion of condolence will provide an opportunity for the Parliament to come together to pay tribute to The Queen’s life of service and her enduring bond with Scotland and its people.
“This day will also mark a significant milestone for the country as we welcome The King to the Scottish Parliament for the first time as monarch.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who will move the Motion, said: “For countless people – across our country, and around the world – this is a moment of profound sadness. We see that in the crowds gathered outside here, at St Giles’ Cathedral, and all across Scotland. This Parliament and this nation are in mourning today.
“At the heart of it all, of course, is the sense of loss felt by those who were closest to Her Majesty. Our thoughts are with the entire Royal Family – and we are honoured by the presence here, of His Majesty, King Charles III, and The Queen Consort.
“In an ever changing world, especially in turbulent times, Her Majesty was the great constant – the anchor of our nation. Even towards the end, as her health declined, her genuine love of Scotland and profound sense of public service never faltered.
“She performed her duties with dedication and wisdom, setting an exceptional example to each and every one of us. We stand ready to support His Majesty as he continues his own life of service and builds on the extraordinary legacy of his beloved mother Queen Elizabeth – the Queen of Scots.”
Output contracts during August amid quicker fall in new orders
Growth in employment moderates
Business outlook dampens, as confidence hits 27-month low
Scottish private firms registered the first contraction in 18 months, according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data.
The seasonally adjusted headline Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index – a measure of combined manufacturing and service sector output – posted 47.8 in August, down from 50.2 in July.
Below the neutral 50.0 threshold for the first time since February 2021, the latest reading indicated a modest decrease in private sector activity. At the same time, inflows of new work fell for the second consecutive month, and that too at a quickened pace.
The drop in business requirements allowed firms to work through backlogs, resulting to capacity pressures easing for the third month running. Also, the rate of job creation measured the weakest in 16 months, signalling a slowdown in hiring activity.
On the flipside, weakening demand gave a respite to inflationary pressures; input prices rose at the weakest pace in seven months, while firms raised their charges at the second-slowest rate since January.
For the second consecutive month, a contraction was recorded in new business received at the Scottish private sector during August.
The rate of decrease quickened on the month as inflows of new orders received at service firms stagnated, while manufacturing companies noted a fourth running month of reduction. According to surveyed businesses, the downturn stemmed from weakening client demand, Brexit, the Ukraine-Russia war, and rising economic uncertainty.
Moreover, the pace of decrease registered across Scotland was stronger than that seen for the UK as a whole.
Expectations towards future activity at Scottish companies moderated during August. The level of positive sentiment dropped to a 27-month low. Rising recession risks, the cost-of-living crisis and declining demand all dampened the 12-month outlook.
Scotland registered weaker output expectations than Wales and all English regions except the North East, although it was more optimistic than Northern Ireland.
Scotland’s private sector firms raised employment for the seventeenth successive month in August. However, reduced business requirements resulted in a slowdown in hiring growth. The latest reading signalled the softest expansion in workforce numbers since April 2021. Firms also cited hiring difficulties amid a highly competitive jobs market.
The latest upturn across Scotland was softer than that at the UK level.
Backlogs of work at Scottish private sector firms fell in August for the third consecutive month. The rate of depletion quickened marginally on the month as the respective seasonally adjusted Outstanding Business Index was largely pulled down by a sharp drop seen across the manufacturing sector. Respondents noted that reduced order volumes and additional staff allowed them to clear away backlogs.
Overall, the rate of reduction was only marginally faster across Scotland than that seen across the UK as a whole.
Average cost burdens facing private sector firms in Scotland increased during August, thereby extending the current run of inflation to 27 months. While the rate of input price inflation recorded the weakest in seven months, it remained strong in the context of historical data. COVID, Brexit, the war in Ukraine and rising energy and raw material prices were all in part blamed for the latest incline.
As has been the case for the last 22 months, Scottish private sector firms continued to raise their charges during August. Thought the respective seasonally adjusted index posted the second-lowest in seven months, it remained comfortably above the long-run series average. According to panellists, the rise in charges reflected higher input costs.
Scotland registered the weakest increase in charges across all 12 UK areas monitored in August.
Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global.
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented:“August data signalled a deterioration across the Scottish private sector, as activity levels fell for the first time in 18 months. Moreover, weak client demand and rising economic uncertainty, with a threat of a recession looming, resulted in falling inflows of new business.
“The latest survey data did indicate some easing of upward pressure on input costs as a result of a reduction in client appetite. Nonetheless, inflation rates remained stubbornly strong.
“Moreover, the contraction across the sector impacted business confidence, which hit a 27-month low during August. Market uncertainties and the cost-of-living crisis heavily weighed on optimism and suggests a gloomy performance in the months ahead.”
TODAY –Monday 12 September at 3pm – there will be a Service to celebrate the life of The Queen and her connection to Scotland at St Giles Cathedral.
Those represented at the service include members of the public, friends, family members and representatives of the charities and organisations The Queen was affiliated to in Scotland.
The service will be led by the Reverend Calum MacLeod.
There will be limited space along the Royal Mile. Those wishing to attend are advised to allow plenty of time. Access may be restricted for safety reasons.
Her Majesty The Queen will then lie at rest at St Giles’ Cathedral following the service. Members of the public are anticipated to begin arriving to pay their respects from 5pm until tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday 13 September).
This is expected to cause further delays and road closures and Lothian advises customers to plan ahead.
Travellers should check Lothian’s service alerts page here or the app for the latest information.
Guidance has also been issued for how public can attend Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall:
Lying-in-State will take place from Wednesday 14 September until Monday 19 September
Public will be able to walk past The Queen’s coffin to pay respects
A ceremonial procession which precedes the Lying-in State will convey Her Majesty The Queen from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Members of the public will be able to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen at the Lying-in-State at The Palace of Westminster in London from Wednesday evening.
Ahead of that a ceremonial procession will take place on Wednesday afternoon that will see The Queen’s coffin travel from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster for the Lying-in-State.
Members of the public can watch the procession in person at the ceremonial viewing areas along the processional route, or at a screening site in Hyde Park.
At the Lying-in-State, The Queen’s closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, called a catafalque, in Westminster Hall and will be draped in the Royal Standard with the Orb and Sceptre placed on top.
Each corner of the platform will be guarded around the clock by a vigil of units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division, or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
The public will be able to file past the coffin 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday 14 September until 6.30am on the day of the funeral – Monday 19 September.
Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight. Large crowds are expected and people are encouraged to check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long wait times.
All those attending the Lying-in-State will go through airport-style security and there are tight restrictions on what you can take in, with only small bags permitted. Step-free access will be available for those who need it.
For those unable to travel, key moments of the ceremonial procession and the Lying-in-State will be broadcast on the BBC, Sky News and ITV.
Blinding Lights by The Weeknd has not left the chart since its release, 144 weeks ago
Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood is second, while Levitating by Dua Lipa is third
Three songs by Olivia Rodrigo are in the list, all from her first album ‘Sour’
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd is the song that has spent the most consecutive days in Spotify’s chart of the top 200 most popular songs, a new study reveals.
The study, conducted by online expert VPN Overview, analysed the most recent Spotify Chart of the 200 songs most played on the platform and ranked the titles by ‘Streak’, to see how many days in a row each song has been in the list.
“Blinding Lights”, the 2019 hit by The Weeknd, the first single of his album of the same name, has been in the chart for 1,008 days, or 144 weeks, the longest uninterrupted time on the list. This adds up to two years and nine months, meaning that the song has roughly been in the chart since it came out on November 29, 2019.
Second is “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood, in the chart for 719 consecutive days. The song was originally released on March 28, 2012, as part of the band’s debut studio album “I Love You” (2013), meaning it began its current streak in the top 200 in the middle of September 2020 – more than eight years after first being released. This remains nine years later their most popular song, and one of the most loved songs of the genre.
“Levitating” by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby is third, with 700 days in a row in the chart. The British singer not only has the third longest streak on the chart, but also seems to be on an ever-growing popularity streak, becoming in just a few years one of the most popular and loved artists of her generation.
Further down, Bad Bunny makes his first appearance in the list – as the top 15 features two songs by the Puerto Rican artist – with “DÁKITI”, featuring Jhay Cortez, on a streak of 672 days. Bad Bunny has recently dropped a new album, ‘Un verano sin ti’, whose songs are already trending in the higher positions of the chart.
The top five closes with “Heat Wave” by Glass Animals, as the song has been in the chart for 615 days in a row. Part of their third studio album “Dreamland”, “Heat Wave” was released in June 2020, and it quickly became a TikTok sensation.
Olivia Rodrigo features three times in the list, in seventh place with “drivers licence”, 10th place with “good 4 u”, and 11th place with “traitor”. All songs are from her first album ‘Sour’ and have been in the list respectively for 602, 475 and 469 days in a row.
Top 15 songs with the longest streak on Spotify 200 Chart
Rank
Song
Artist
Streak (days)
Streams
1
Blinding Lights
The Weeknd
1008
1,671,604
2
Sweater Weather
The Neighbourhood
719
1,845,229
3
Levitating
Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby
700
1,103,271
4
DÁKITI
Bad Bunny
672
915,634
5
Heat Waves
Glass Animals
615
2,725,338
6
Sunflower
Post Malone
615
914,339
7
drivers license
Olivia Rodrigo
602
1,136,726
8
Kiss Me More
Doja Cat feat. SZA
511
950,173
9
Save Your Tears
The Weeknd with Ariana Grande
497
1,025,524
10
good 4 u
Olivia Rodrigo
476
1,136,953
11
traitor
Olivia Rodrigo
469
1,282,927
12
Yonaguni
Bad Bunny
455
1,049,507
13
Bad Habits
Ed Sheeran
434
1,242,508
14
STAY
The Kid LAROI with Justin Bieber
420
2,279,271
15
Pepas
Farruko
417
1,145,128
A spokesperson for VPN Overview commented on the findings: “It is really interesting to see the variety of genres songs’ release dates on the list.
“For songs that have been out for the longest it is obviously easier to have a longer streak, however Blinding Lights’ performance is particularly impressive. It became one of the most popular songs in the world as soon as it was released, and has remarkably stayed that way for nearly three years
“At the same time, this is a testament of how much people love certain songs and artists and keep listening to them regardless of time and temporary popularity.”
The study was conducted by VPN Overview, cybersecurity experts dedicated to helping internet users feel safer and protected online.
AFTER weeks of growing pressure, the Government has finally announced it will step in to help households and businesses from soaring energy prices.
Under new plans announced by Liz Truss, a freeze will protect tens of millions from bills hitting unmanageable levels.
But the policy, the first major move of Ms Truss’ premiership, comes at a cost. Not just will the Government have to find an estimated £150bn to fund the scheme. There are also fears that many energy providers could look to ration fuel if households don’t reduce their usage over the Winter.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been bombarded with advice on how to save money on our bills.
Here energy saving expert Jonathan Rolande, from House Buy Fast, condenses them into a brilliant a-z guide which could help households to save thousands of pounds a year.
Jonathan said: “The reality is the full impact of the cost of living crisis is yet to kick in and the full impact of the squeeze will probably be most acutely felt in the next few weeks.
“But there are steps you can take to save money which, if you introduce now into your daily lives, can also help you save money for the rest of your life.”
Here’s Jonathan’s A-Z guide on saving money:
Avoid tumble dryers. They use a shocking amount of energy, and can cost upwards of £300 a year to run based on usage twice a week. You can easily work out how much it costs to run a tumble dryer yourself based on your specific model if you know the kWh. As a more cost-effective alternative consider drying clothes outside on a washing line or even investing in a heated clothes airer which usually costs around 6p an hour to run.
Bleed your radiators. Not only will it release pressure on your finances, trapped air can make your radiators less efficient, so they’ll be slower to heat up.
Draw the curtains. It sounds simple but failing to do so means you can lose a lot of heat at night in every room.
Dusty condensing coils behind your fridge and freezer, which are used to cool and condense, can trap air and create blockages. This is not what you want. Keep them clean and they’ll stay cool and use less energy.
Exhaust fans around the home cost a fortune. Turn off kitchen or bath exhaust fans as soon as possible after you’ve used them.
Fill it up. Don’t worry I’m not referring to the petrol tank. Fill up the washing machine and dishwasher. Research by Thames Water and Gov.uk recently found that 68 per cent of households are only putting the dishwasher and washing machine on when they are completely full in a bid to save energy. It is a savvy move to wait until a washing machine or dishwasher is full as the appliances will use the same amount of energy to clean fewer items. So it’s smarter to wait to do fewer washes with more items, than waste energy on more half full washes.
Going away on holiday or a business trip? Make sure to turn off your water heater while you are gone. Otherwise it will keep heating the water in a “standby mode” costing you money in the process.
Hive is, in my opinion, the best energy saving app on the market right now. Use the app to keep track of what’s happening at home and set schedules or switch any home electrical device on or off rather than leaving them on standby.
Insulate your loft. I know it’s probably a job you’ve had on the to-do list for a long-time but now is the perfect moment. You can save hundreds of pounds a year by creating better insulation up there.
Things may be tight, but consider treating yourself to a jacket – for your boiler… The best come with a recommended thickness of 75mm and help keep your water hotter for longer and reduce your energy bills. A new one is easy to fit – the materials will only cost you about £25 and it could save upwards of £100-£150 a year.
The kitchen is a great place to cook up money saving methods. Consider using slow cookers and pressure cookers during the spending squeeze. They are more economical and you can batch cook dishes like stews, curries and soups that will last for days.
Loft hatches are the forgotten item when it comes to energy saving plans. Attach insulation to the top of it and create a seal with draught proofing around the perimeter. So many people spend a huge amount insulating their lofts, but neglect the loft hatch completely meaning lots of heat escapes up through the hatch. If you are looking for a really simple way to save energy in the home, then ensuring the loft hatch is adequately insulated and draught proofed is a great way to get started.
My Earth App is one of my favourite go-to apps at the moment. Originally created by researchers and students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology, the app is designed to help you keep track of your personal energy usage, your savings and your total impact. The app contains five main categories: electricity, recycling, travel, food and usage. It includes day-to-day activities to measure how environmentally friendly your actions are. These activities can range from small measures like recycling your glass bottles to larger tasks like switching your appliances with energy-efficient replacements. It also includes a diary for users to check off their activities and lets you visualise how small steps can add up to a bigger impact environmentally.
Nighttime rates are a must during this ongoing credit crunch. A few energy providers charge less for using electricity at certain times of day or night). These off-peak hours tend to be quieter periods when power demand is at its lowest, for example between 8pm and 8am. The name for this type of charging approach is time of use tariffs. The amount you pay depends on the time of day you use electricity. Ask your provider.
Nothing makes life better than a brew. But don’t overfill the kettle. Boiling more water than necessary each time could save you £36 year, based on calculations from the Energy Saving Trust.
Kettles will vary in the amount of energy they use, but you can easily work out how much it costs to boil a kettle by checking the wattage and price you pay for energy per pence/kWH.
Print on both sides of paper. A friend of mine suggested this to me last year and within a few months I’d saved a packet on my printer ink costs. So many of us now work from home and most schoolchildren need to print off work. By switching your printer settings to double-side you can save money double quick.
Flick on the quickwash settingon a dishwasher. The longer washers soak plates at a lower temperature so are cheaper
Radiators are generally set too high in most homes. turn the thermostat down in unused rooms. If you lower the temperature of your radiator down by just one degree you can save £55 a year.
Showers….Look, I’m not going to force you to get in and out in four minutes. If you can, great. One minute less in the shower could save you up to £80 annually.
But there are other things you could do too – like fitting a water-efficient shower head.
The Energy Saving Trust predicts that a water-efficient shower head could save a household up to £195 a year. One minute less in the shower could save you up to £80 annually.
Modern shower heads use current-limiting technology to save up to 40 per cent water usage, while showering under normal water pressure. This will cost you around £20-£40, but will save you in the long run.
Install tap aerators. These ‘inject’ air into the water as it comes out the tap, so while it looks like there is no impact on the flow rate, a fraction of the water is used. These are especially useful if you are on a water meter.
USwitch, Compare the Market and other comparison sites are a must at the moment. Look at them regularly – once a fortnight if you can – as they will help you check to make sure you’re on the correct tariff
The vehicles we own are increasingly being powered by electricity. Aim to charge your car overnight when you could benefit from a cheaper night-time rate for your power.
Wasting power is a no-no in the current climate and leaving appliances on standby is like pouring money down the drain. It’s widely reported that the average household could be wasting as many as 7,374 hours of electricity every year when a device is left on standby.
It’s easy to do. For example, many of us disconnect our phones but leave the charger plugged in. And some devices, such as TVs, don’t have an easily accessible on-off switch.
But leaving devices on standby uses up power – sometimes known as ‘vampire energy’ – and over the course of a year it can really add up.
These are some indicative annual savings, found particularly among older devices:
· Turning off the light in an unused room – £25
· Television – £16-24
· Set-top box – £20-23
· Games devices – £16
· Smart speakers – £3.45 per speaker
· Microwave – £16
And if you’re working from home, don’t forget about office equipment:
· Printers (particularly those with LED displays) – £3-4 a year
· Laptops – £5 (but make sure you shut down and switch off rather than simply closing the lid)
X4 – that’s the amount more you pay for electric heating compared to gas. If you don’t have a choice opt for infrared or if funds allow, try and push for a heat pump – these two types of electric heating are by far the most efficient.
Yellow light bulbs and other LED saving options are just a great way of saving cash. You can save £2-3 per year for every traditional halogen bulb you switch to a similarly bright LED bulb. If the average UK household replaced all of their bulbs with LEDs, it would cost about £100 and save about £40 a year on bills.
Replacing a 50W halogen with an LED equivalent could cut your energy costs by £75 over the lifetime of the bulb – not including the price all the replacement halogen bulbs you no longer need to buy; of a typical LED costs between £2.50-12.
Zap-map is a brilliant new app. It lists and regularly updates electric charging points for cars. You can download it for free and find available charge points locally by searching the most comprehensive database of charging points, plan journeys, share updates and pay for charging on participating networks.It allows you to locate the 33,000 publicly available charging points in the UK when you are out and about, taking the stress out of electric vehicle driving.
