Tier 1 - Big wins: £100 - £400/year each
1. Switch to a smart energy tariff (£200 - £400/year)
On a standard flat-rate tariff you pay 24 - 28p/kWh regardless of when you use electricity. On Octopus Agile, the overnight rate is typically 3 - 8p/kWh - up to 10× cheaper. For a household that can shift 40% of usage to overnight windows: £200 - 400/year saving.
See how much you'd save with Octopus Agile in your region →
2. Timer-shift your washing machine, dishwasher, and tumble dryer (£250 - £320/year)
These three appliances together use roughly 1,250kWh/year. Running them at 6pm peak vs 2am overnight on Octopus Agile:
| Appliance | Peak cost/year | Overnight cost/year | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing machine (7×/wk) | £116 | £15 | £101 |
| Dishwasher (daily) | £190 | £22 | £168 |
| Tumble dryer (4×/wk) | £166 | £21 | £145 |
| Combined | £414/year |
All three have delay start. Load before bed. Press delay. Done. Full guide →
3. Replace a pre-2010 fridge freezer (£60 - 100/year)
Old fridge freezers (pre-2010) use 400 - 600kWh/year. Modern A+++ models use 150 - 200kWh. The difference costs £60 - 100/year - and new models often pay back within 5 - 7 years.
4. Cut shower time by 2 minutes (£60 - 130/year for families)
An electric shower is the biggest single electricity draw in most UK homes. Cutting 2 minutes per shower saves 25% of shower electricity. For a family of four: £130/year.
5. Get an air fryer (£80 - 130/year)
An air fryer uses 50 - 70% less electricity than a conventional oven for everyday meals - no preheating, smaller space, faster cooking. Full comparison →
Tier 2 - Medium wins: £30 - £100/year
6. Wash at 30°C instead of 40°C (£35 - 50/year)
Uses 40% less electricity per cycle. Modern bio detergents clean just as effectively at 30°C for everyday loads.
7. Turn your thermostat down 2°C (£60 - 100/year)
Every degree lower saves 8 - 10% on heating costs. 19°C is comfortable for most households. Full heating guide →
8. Install a smart thermostat (£80 - 150/year)
Hive, Tado, Google Nest, or Drayton Wiser. Cost £100 - 200 to install but save through better scheduling and geofencing. Typical payback: 12 - 18 months.
9. Switch all remaining bulbs to LED (£40 - 60/year)
LED uses 8W vs 60W for halogen. For 15 bulbs used 4 hours daily - saving £40 - 60/year. Bulbs cost £1 - 3 each. Payback in weeks.
10. Use the microwave instead of the oven for reheating (£30 - 50/year)
A microwave uses 700W for 4 minutes to reheat a meal. An oven uses 2,000W plus 15 minutes preheating. For daily reheating: £35 - 50/year saving.
11. Only boil the water you need (£11 - 18/year)
Overfilling the kettle is one of the UK's most common small energy wastes. Use a marked mug. Completely effortless.
12. Switch to eco mode on your dishwasher (£12 - 18/year)
Uses 30 - 40% less electricity than standard cycle. Since you're running it overnight anyway, the longer runtime doesn't matter.
13. Fill your dishwasher fully before running (£15 - 20/year)
Half-empty loads waste electricity. Waiting for a full load saves 1 - 2 cycles per week.
14. Turn off devices at the wall (£20 - 35/year)
Sky/Virgin boxes on standby use 12 - 17W - surprisingly high. TV, console, and set-top box off at the wall overnight: £20 - 35/year.
Tier 3 - Small wins: £5 - £30/year
15. Keep your fridge correctly stocked (£10 - 15/year)
A full fridge maintains temperature more efficiently than an empty one. Keep bottles of water in a half-empty fridge.
16. Defrost the freezer regularly (£10 - 15/year)
Ice buildup makes your freezer work harder. Defrost when ice exceeds 5mm.
17. Cover pots when cooking (£8 - 12/year)
Covered pots boil 15 - 20% faster. Small saving but completely effortless.
18. Use residual oven heat (£8 - 10/year)
Turn the oven off 5 - 10 minutes before food is done. Residual heat finishes the cooking for free.
19. Dry clothes on a rack when possible (£20 - 80/year)
Avoiding one tumble dryer cycle per week saves £10 - 40/year depending on your tariff. Combined with a heated airer (200W) vs tumble dryer (2,500W): significant saving in winter.
20. Time your EV charging to overnight cheap windows (£400 - £1,500/year)
If you have an electric car, this belongs in Tier 1. Charging a 60kWh EV at peak (35p/kWh): £21. At overnight Agile (5p/kWh): £3. Three charges a week: saving of £2,808/year. Even conservatively: £500 - £800/year for most EV owners.
The two changes that matter most
Switch to Octopus Agile + set delay start on your dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer. Together, £300 - 600/year saved from changes that take 5 minutes to set up - once.
See tonight's cheapest window for your region →