Many of us are on the lookout for ways to shave money off our bills as prices continue to leap, and it seems that sometimes even the smallest changes can make an impact.
Many experts say that one way you can save on your energy bill is to consider what time of day you’re washing your clothes, as certain periods will be more expensive.
Deyan Dimitrov, CEO of on-demand laundry company Laundryheap, said that there are specific times at which running your washing machine or tumble dryer can ‘eat up your energy bill’, as increased demand can make electricity more expensive depending on your tariff.
Dimitrov previously explained: “The most expensive time for you to wash or dry your clothes is between 4:00pm and 7:00pm, so try to avoid using your machines between these hours, if possible.
“A handy way to cut costs when it comes to running your washing machine, is to make use of its time delay setting, which enables you to control when a cycle starts.
“Putting your washing in during the evening and setting the machine to run into the early hours of the morning could greatly reduce your electricity costs, as energy prices are lowest between 10:00pm and 5:00am.”
However, bear in mind that it’s not advised to leave a washing machine going overnight while you sleep, as it can be a potential fire risk.
If you don’t fancy staying up until 4:00am to wash your pants, maybe just consider doing it at a time that’s outside of the peak window.
Dimitrov added: “If you need to dry your clothes during the day, the timing of your tumble drying cycles can also help save you money. Switching loads while the dryer is still warm from its previous cycle can conserve the remaining heat inside the dryer for your next load of clothes.
“This can help shorten drying time, as the machine won’t need to work as hard to dry your clothes!”
Business utility specialists 001 have echoed the idea that using your washing machine – and other appliances, for that matter – can be more cost effective at night.
The firm told the Metro: “If you have a two-rate meter, use devices such as your washing machine and tumble dryer between midnight and 7:00am when rates are cheaper.”
And the experts at EnergySavingTrust also agree that it can be cheaper to use appliances during off-peak periods.
In a 2020 article, the Trust explained how tariffs such as Economy 7 and Time Of Use (TOU) encourage off-peak usage by offering lower prices per kWh (kilowatt hour), in turn countering the drain on resources that can happen when everyone tries to use gas and electricity at the same time.
“Like Economy 7, time of use tariffs encourage people to shift their energy use away from peak times,” EnergySavingTrust said.
“Fewer people drawing power at peak times means less likelihood of supply shortages, plus a better ability to use all the renewable energy we produce.”
According to MoneySavingExpert, other ways to cut down on the price of doing your laundry include washing more clothes at the same time, but less frequently.
You can also try washing on a colder setting - such as at 30°C rather than 40°C - and avoiding using the tumble dryer, the latter of which could save £40 a year.
