The 10 best ways to save money on your electric in Spain this winter

Although there is absolutely no doubt that Spain is the place to go if you’re in search of sun, receiving around 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, that doesn’t mean it’s immune to the chill of the approaching dark winter nights. Unfortunately, the ongoing energy crisis continues to hit Spain, with energy bills rising eight times more than France, and four times more than Germany, which means you might also find yourself in search of tips on how to save money on your electricity bills this winter, with heating making up around half a household’s total energy consumption. Fear not, The Euro Weekly News have compiled a list of the 10 best ways to save money on your electric in Spain this winter. 

1. Weatherstrip your doors and windows 

Your windows and doors can leak out more heat (otherwise known as a draft in less technical terms!) than you might realise, which means a colder living space for you! By sealing the places around your doors and windows, you’ll be able to trap in a lot more heat, which will stop that heating bills from creeping up and up! 

2. Consider switching to a smart thermostat 

A way that has proven cost-effective for many people to manage their heating is by installing a smart thermostat. These devices can be set to off or low when you’re out or sleeping, and only turn on once you’re back home and ready to get out of the cold and into your warm and cosy homestead. 

3. Make sure that your air vents aren’t blocked 

Blocked vents creates more pressure in your ductwork, which can lead to cracks and leaks. By clearing your vents, you can aid good circulation throughout your home, meaning your heating has to work less hard and less money is coming out of your pocket for the effort. 

4. Lower your hot water temperature 

Running hot water in your home costs money as well, and your hot water heater might be using more energy than you realise. By setting the temperature at 120 degrees, you should have more than enough hot water for everybody in your household. By adding a hot water blanket to your hot water heater, you can also add another layer of insulation and trap heat in, so it doesn’t have to run as often. It’s also a good idea to insulate your pipes so that you can get hot water faster, meaning you don’t have to wait so long for a deliciously hot shower! 

5. Service your heating system annually 

Before the cold winter weather becomes unbearable, make sure you have your heating system serviced to ensure that your boiler won’t break down during the colder period. This will prevent unnecessary or unexpected expenses later on down the line and keep your electricity bills low in the long term. 

6. Invest in an airfryer 

You might have seen people raving about air fryers on pretty much every social media platform going. Compared to a traditional oven, these kitchen appliances can help you to cut energy costs as they turn off as soon as the timer you set goes, and don’t need time to pre-heat either! According to real life experiments, ovens can cost more than double to cook the same meal as an air fryer. We’d say it was well worth the investment for the energy savings (and all of the delicious meals) you’ll make! 

7. Run the dishwasher and washing machine overnight 

To save money, turn your dishwasher on over night, between midnight and 8am on weekdays, as this is when electricity consumption is cheapest in Spain. Likewise, running a washing machine during peak tariff times will set you back around 47 cents, but this can be reduced by around 18 cents if you run it overnight.

8. Only wash/dry full loads of laundry 

As well as doing your laundry in off peak energy times to save money on your electric this winter, another tip is to wait until your washing is enough for a bigger load, rather than running lots of little loads which use up more energy and ultimately cost you more money. 

9. Smart plugs are just as clever as smart thermostats 

Smart plugs can be really helpful for saving money as they can be programmed to switch on and off so that they use energy during Spain’s cheaper energy hours. The average household ends up guzzling electricity without us even realising it through various appliances that we forget to turn off when we’re not using them. Smart plugs help you save by turning these appliances, like TVs, fans, lamps and speakers, into energy saving products because they can be controlled from anywhere, according to Hive Home. 

10. Bundle up warm 

Perhaps the most obvious tip is instead of blasting the heating this winter, layer on the jumpers and warm blankets. This also makes for a really cosy movie night with the family! Even simple things like placing rugs on hard floors instead of cranking up the heating will help you save some of your euros this winter!

So how much much could you save on your electric in Spain this winter? 

By employing the useful tips we’ve suggested in this guide, you’re guaranteed to save at last a few cents during the winter!

More accurately, by weatherproofing your doors and windows, you an expect to save around 74 euros over the course of a year. 

The savings for smart thermostats are even more impressive, estimated that you’ll have an extra 144 euros per year in your pocket. Likewise for smart plugs, it’s estimated that they save between one and five percent on your energy expenditure per year. That may not seem much but in terms of euros, thats around 57 to 98 euros per year! 

By unblocking your vents, it’s likely that your ducts might become more than 20 percent efficient, which can save you around 206 euros in electricity bills over the course of a year. 

If your water temperature is too high, you could be wasting anywhere between 37 and 62 euros on electricity that by setting your boiler at around 120 degrees you could repocket each year. 

By having your boiler serviced regularly to prevent unexpected costs during the winter months, you could save around 10% on your annual electricity bills! 

Running an airfryer costs around 90p less per hour than having an oven on for that amount of time, leading to even greater savings over the course of the year! 

If you do your washing overnight, you can expect to save around 29 cents per wash, and if you use your dishwasher just once per week on an eco cycle, you could save around 1.10 euros per week! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.