With energy bills seemingly on a never-ending upward trajectory, it's up to homeowners to make changes to both reduce their energy consumption and keep the amount they pay for electricity and gas each month as low as possible. There are many things that can be done to keep your bills down, and whilst some of them are long-term solutions which may require some investment to begin with, many are very simple fixes which can save a few pence here and there. As the old saying goes, if you look after the pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves, so here are 40 top tips to help you regain control of your energy spending.
1. Keep bare floors covered. Quite a lot of heat is lost through the floors of properties, so insulating these with a rug or carpet is ideal to make energy savings.
2. Limit the use of portable electric heaters, which are good at heating single areas of your property but cost quite a lot to run.
3. Keep your central heating running if you go away during the winter, but lower than normal and only for a couple of hours per day to reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting.
4. Use the sun to help with heating by installing solar panels. This is a long-term solution, and you won't necessarily see much financial benefit straight away, but the rewards are far lower energy bills in the long run.
5. Even during winter, the sun's rays can help to heat your home. Ensure blinds and window shades are raised during the day to give you a boost on clear days.
6. Reduce the temperature on your thermostat when leaving the house during the winter. 
7. Make sure all light bulbs used in your property are energy-saving bulbs. These are far less expensive to run than traditional incandescent bulbs.
8. When checking the light bulbs, ensure that all are the correct equivalent energy rating for the light fitting. This will help to prolong the life of the bulb.
9. Replace all halogen lights with energy-saving bulbs. In some instances, halogens can run hot enough to cause a fire hazard, but in any case the energy savings are massive.
10. Rather than using traditional lighting outside, install motion-sensitive lights, which only illuminate your garden when someone is there.
11. If you are likely to forget to turn your lamps off in the morning when you leave the house, consider using timers to do the job for you.
12. If you do not have a microwave oven, consider investing in one, as they use far less energy to heat up leftovers than doing so in a conventional oven.
13. Ensure that your freezer is always full, as it uses far less energy than an empty one.
14. When cooking on a stove top, try to match the size of the pan to the size of the hob. Heat is lost when using a pan which is too small for the hob.
15. Ensure that extractor fans in your kitchen and bathroom are always switched off directly after they have been used. When there is nothing to extract, you are wasting energy.
16. Always turn off appliances properly rather than using the standby mode.
17. Never plug in mobile phones to charge over night. Not only will you damage the battery, but you will use far more energy than is necessary.
18. Try to use laptop computers rather than a desktop, as they use far less energy.
19. When replacing a large appliance in the kitchen, look for an energy-efficient appliance with an A rating if possible.
20. If you have electronic devices such as the TV and games console all plugged into an extension cable, turn this off at the wall when none are in use.
21. Reduce heating costs by installing insulation in your loft.
22. Keep draughts at bay by using excluders and checking the seals around doors and windows.
23. Using a smart electricity meter can help you to pinpoint appliances which are the most expensive to run.
24. Try to avoid re-boiling a kettle immediately after it has been boiled to make a hot drink.
25. Installing cavity wall insulation if applicable will help reduce heat loss through your walls.
26. Checking and replacing the seals on your refrigerator and freezer if necessary can reduce the energy that these appliances consume.
27. Washing your clothes at 30 degrees can save a great deal of energy on a cycle.
28. Many modern washing machines also come with a quick economy setting which costs far less to run than the usual full-length cycle.
29. Using a programmable thermostat can help you to manage the heating in your home up to a week in advance.
30. Some thermostats even allow for remote operation using a mobile phone, so that your heating could be turned off if you are unexpectedly not coming home one day. Take a look at our Internet Thermostats. 
31. Replacing an old, inefficient boiler with a new one can help to cut gas costs.
32. Monitor the time you take in the shower, and ensure you are only spending the time that you actually need to in there.
33. Make sure a dripping hot tap is attended to as soon as possible, as it can cost a fortune in wasted energy.
34. Ensure that radiators in rooms that are seldom used are lowered if not turned off completely.
35. Preheating the oven prior to putting food in there can reduce the total time that it is needed to be used.
36. Turn the oven off before the time that the food should be ready and let the heat present in the oven finish off the cooking process.
37. Use double-glazed windows to reduce heat loss in all rooms of the house.
38. Ensure that your immersion heater has appropriate insulation to keep the costs of heating water down.
39. Install a wind turbine to harness the power of the wind to help generate electricity.
40. Ensure all windows in your house are closed before turning up the heating.