Still using tungsten, halogen or fluorescent bulbs? Changing to LED lighting can save energy and money.

Draught excluders are a cheap way of cutting out the chill from poorly fitting doors and windows. Most are also easy to fit, a simple DIY task.

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills. If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.

Insulate hot water pipes along their full length. Don’t waste the energy you have used to heat your hot water.

Giving your plants’ roots a good soaking once or twice a week in dry weather is much better than lightly watering them every day because most of that water just evaporates away. However, new plants do need regular watering until they are established.

Keeping extract fans and vents clean and clear from obstruction reduces energy use and makes then work more efficiently.

Fitting a new insulating jacket to a bare hot water tank can save over £100 per year. Costing just a few pounds, the investment can pay itself off in a few months.

Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – a running tap wastes over 6 litres per minute.