Three tiny changes you can make to your shower routine to cut costs

WE are getting rinsed by a ­torrent of price rises, from ­heating bills to groceries.

But tiny changes to your routine can really pay, so here are three easy steps to cut the cost of your daily shower — and save you a tidy packet over a year.

SLOW THE FLOW: A low-flow showerhead cuts water use without impacting on the pressure, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Some suppliers offer these for free so it is worth checking if yours is one of them.

If you have a water meter, then lower usage equals lower bills, so a more efficient showerhead could save a typical family around £65 a year.

But even if you don’t have a meter, you’ll be heating up less water which could reduce your energy bills by, give or take, £55 a year. Please note that they are not compatible with electric showers.

SAVE: Up to £120 a year

TIME IT RIGHT: Most of us spend around seven minutes in the shower.
But if everyone in your family hopped out just one minute earlier, it would save something like £60 on energy costs, advises the Energy Saving Trust.

You could shave a further £60 off your water bill if you have a meter.

SAVE: Up to £120 a year

DIAL IT DOWN: If you have to dilute hot water with lots of cold when you run a bath or do the washing up, you are wasting money heating up water unnecessarily. With a shower, it’s less obvious because the water is already mixed when it comes out, but it’s still a drain on your cash.

The flow temperature is the boiler ­setting that determines how hot the water is. Turning this down can cut eight per cent off your energy bill, according to Octopus Energy, which saves an estimated £67 per year based on prices from next month.

If you’ve got a combi boiler, Octopus suggests setting the heating temperature to 55C and the water to 50C. If you’ve got a boiler and water cylinder, it’s important to keep the water a few degrees over 60C to stop ­bacteria such as legionella from multiplying.

Save: Up to £67 a year

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