Tips on saving money

Support with utility bills during rising cost of living

Below you can find some general tips on saving heating, electricity and water. With energy bills and cost of living being much higher than recent years, we've put together a dedicating cost of living hub on our website which features a breakdown of support available, as well as more specific information, advice and support on rising energy prices and reducing the amount of energy you need to pay for, and managing your money. Click here or the button below to visit our cost of living hub

Cost of living help

Pocket Power ​is here to help

Pocket Power is our partner who offers a free telephone service for SNG customers to help you save money on a wide range of utility and household bills. They do this by looking for better deals to switch to or looking for any grants or discounts you may be able to apply for.

Please contact us and ask to book in a Pocket Power appointment so we can arrange this at a time convenient for you.

Heating saving tips

• Switch supplier – don’t just renew your contract. There’s almost definitely a better deal out there you just need to shop around for it. Lots of comparison sites will compare different tariffs so you can pick the most cost effective option.
• Keep out the draft - Around 20% of all heat-loss is due to drafty windows and doors. You can fully draught-proof your home by using inexpensive weather-stripping or foam tape around windows and doors. You can purchase these in most hardware stores. 
• Radiator reflectors – These can save you money by reflecting back heat from radiators which would otherwise be lost through an exterior wall. A three-pack of reflectors (which can be cut to fit six average-sized radiators) could reduce your bills.

Electricity saving tips

• Switch supplier – don’t just renew your contract. There’s almost definitely a better deal out there you just need to shop around for it. Lots of comparison sites will compare different tariffs so you can pick the most cost effective option.
• Electricity monitors – these display how much electricity in pence your household is using every hour. By being conscious of how much electricity you’re using this could help you save money. Speak to your electricity provider to see if they provide monitors and check if there is a cost involved.
• Energy-efficient light bulbs – this use up to 80% less electricity. Energy-saving light bulbs can save you £60 over the lifespan of the bulb as they last up to 10 times longer than normal light bulbs.
  How to change a lightbulb video
• Boil the amount of water you actually need – electric kettles use a surprising amount of energy. If you’re only making one cup of tea, boil just enough for that.
• Slow cookers – Cooking a stew in your average 2kWh oven for an hour costs around 28p. However, cooking the same stew in a slow cooker for 8 hours will only cost around 10p – do this once a week for a year and you could save £9.
• Keep a lid on it – pans with a lid boil much faster and save energy in the long run.
• Switch off, not standby- Don’t leave electrical items on standby (e.g. kettles and TVs – leave the fridge and freezer on!) and remember to switch off lights in rooms you’re not using. 

Water saving tips

• Cut down shower time - An average daily power shower usually lasts eight minutes and costs about 60p. Just think, if you reduced your time under the shower to four minutes, you will save around £110 per person a year.
• Water efficient show heads - You can also save 30% more by using a water efficient shower head. These combine air and water to give the same feeling but reduce water usage.
• Put a full load in the washing machine – and try and wash your clothes at 30°, this is a time saver too!
• Don’t leave the tap running whilst you’re brushing your teeth – pretty simple really.

• Switch supplier – don’t just renew your contract. There’s almost definitely a better deal out there you just need to shop around for it. Lots of comparison sites will compare different internet and phone contracts so you can pick the most cost effective option. You may be able to able to access a 'social tariff' broadband and phone package if you claim Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. 
• Use more than one price comparison site – they don’t all show the same providers so the more you check, the more likely you are to find the best deal for you.
• Match your deal to your needs – make sure you’re not on a mobile contract which gives you more data than you can use.
• Cancel what you don't need- check through your Direct Debits to see if there are any services you might want to cancel (e.g. streaming services). Always check there aren’t any cancellation fees.
• Swap to a SIM only contract – contracts tend to be much cheaper this way and means you’re not tied to a contract for a number of years. This is a great option if you're happy with your phone and don't want an upgrade.

Pocket Power ​is here to help

Pocket Power is our partner who offers a free telephone service for SNG customers to help you save money on a wide range of utility and household bills. They do this by looking for better deals to switch to or looking for any grants or discounts you may be able to apply for.

Please contact us and ask to book in a Pocket Power appointment so we can arrange this at a time convenient for you.

• Websites like Quidco and TopCashBack can help you earn money back when you shop online and in-store at particular retailers.
• Cashback sites work by receiving commission from retailers if you use the link on the cashback site. That commission is then given back to users as ‘cash back’.
• Cashback sites are partnered with over 4000 retailers so you can earn cash back whether your spending money on groceries, utility bills, clothes or holidays.
• The average user earns back £300 every year.
• Apps like Airtime rewards allow you to link your bank card and earn as you make your everyday purchases, and you can use your earnings to pay towards your monthly phone bill with certain providers.

Tip: Before you get started, grab as much information (bank statements, bills etc.) as you can. The more up to date your details are, the more accurate your budget planning will be. Websites like The Money Advice Service provide easy to use budget planners. There are also a number of budgeting apps such as Good Budget and Daily Budget Original. These can help you get on top of your household spending by making you more aware of your incomings and outgoings

• Use your budget planner to work out your basic needs (like your rent, food and utility bills) which you need to spend money on every month.
• Once the basics are taken care of, look at your wants. These might be extras, like going out and hobbies or may be longer-term goals such as paying off your debts and saving for Christmas.
• If you can’t afford all your wants, you’ll have to decide which matter most to you or look at ways of cutting costs.
• Many budget planners will give you personalised advice to help your household save.

• Beware of special offers – Vouchers, special offers and cashback deals were invented to make you spend more, not less. Never buy something you don’t need just because it’s on offer.

• How to make the most of supermarket special offers- with food shopping costing more and more, it makes a big difference when you find ways to save money on your weekly shop. Websites and apps like Yellow Sticker Cookbook make those savings stretch further as it that allows you to scan in discounted foods at the supermarket and gives you some recipes inspired by them ensuring that you can make the most of what's on offer in the discounted aisle. This way you end up buying food on offer that you can be confident you will use.

• Don’t impulse buy, sleep on it – take some time to think about whether you can afford something before making a big purchase.

• Shop around - Don’t just shop at a supermarket because it’s the one you’ve always gone to. Check out the competition and compare prices.

• Saving as you spend- Some banks and apps allow you to automatically round up your purchases to the nearest pound (£) and build savings from what you're already spending. Visit your local bank or online banking app/ website, or look into apps like Plum to see if you can set this up.

• Remember your rights – If something you purchase turns out to be faulty, remember you have the right to complain and you may be entitled to a refund.

• Take advantage of loyalty cards - such as Tesco Clubcard, but beware of store cards that give you a discount but have high interest rates.
• Support for pregnant people and parents of children under four-  If you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old, you could get help to buy milk, fruit and vegetables. Visit the NHS Healthy Start website page for more information: Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start) - NHSBSA
• The Olio app  matches volunteers with surplus food. They then offer this free to their community.

• Travel cards – check online see if you’re entitled to a travel card which could mean a discount on train travel.
• Book in advance - Train tickets are generally cheaper if purchased several weeks in advance.
• Shop around for petrol - Saving just 5p a litre on the price of petrol or diesel could save £100 a year for the average driver. 
• Drive efficiently - slowing moving off can make your fuel last longer. 
• Supermarket petrol pumps - Supermarkets often give you a discount at their petrol pumps when you spend a minimum amount in store which can be as much as 5-10p a litre.
• Car sharing - If you commute by car, consider sharing your journey and the cost with others on the same route.
• Consider other means of transport - Public transport is cheaper than driving, walking or travelling by bike is almost free – plus they keep you fit!
• Cycle to work scheme - If you don’t have a bike and are thinking about getting one to commute with, then you might be able to benefit from a tax-free bike through the Cycle to Work scheme.

What is a Help to Save account?

Help to Save is a Government savings offer- it’s a digital savings account designed to help working people on ta credits and Universal Credit to build up their savings.

The accounts are government-backed, simple to open, and flexible. Savers can pay in from £1 to £50 each calendar month and instead of interest, you will earn £50p for every £1 saved up until £2,400 of savings. Once an account has been set up, it will run for four years (you can only open one account). This means that customers making the maximum deposit of £2,400 over four years without making withdrawals will receive government bonuses of £1,200 to spend however they would like to.

There is no minimum account balance or monthly transfer needed to keep a Help to Save account open. You can also choose to skip payments, although the less money saved the smaller the final bonus.

You can withdraw money at any time from your account. However withdrawing money will make it harder to increase the highest balance in the account, and therefore get the biggest bonus.

Who is eligible for Help to Save?

To be eligible for Help to Save, customers must be a UK resident and be receiving:

• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit and you're entitled to Working Tax Credit
• Universal credit with a take-home pay below the maximum amount set by the Government (full details here: Help to Save: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))
• If customers have a joint Universal Credit or tax credits award, both partners can open an account and you must apply separately.

Where can I apply for a Help to Save account?

Click here to apply

Need more information?

Find out more at gov.uk/helptosave or download the Government's Help to Save guide below.

Download the Help to Save guide

Click here to check if you have an exemption from paying NHS costs . An NHS exemption certificate helps you to pay for your NHS costs, such as prescriptions or dental treatment.