Energy Saving Light Bulbs - traditional bulbs use 5 times more energy than the new energy efficient ones, which should last longer too!

Insulation - the average home loses half its heat through walls and the loft. Get your loft lagged with eco-friendly insulation, such as newspaper or wool. And for a few hundred pounds, cavity walls can be insulated. You may be entitled for a grant for both

Foil behind radiators - it may sound a bit odd but you can lose heat through the gap between the radiator and the wall. You can buy foil panels specifically for this purpose at DIY stores and they're cheap!

Save water - on average, we each use 150 litres of water daily in this country. The toilet is the biggest culprit, so think about installing a dual-flush loo or for a cheaper option, place a full plastic bottle of water in your cistern so less water is used per flush. Don't leave the tap on when brushing your teeth and make sure the dishwasher and washing machine are full when you switch them on

Turn appliances off - don't leave the TV or any other appliances on standby. Can you believe we waste  6 to 10% of our electricity bills a year by doing this? So switch off at the socket ...

Boiling the kettle - only boil enough water for what you need otherwise you are wasting energy, as well as time!

Making your own energy - is your home suitable for solar panels, solar thermal installs which provide 50% of your hot water needs for a year, and wind turbines? Half the average home's yearly electricity could be provided by �7000 worth of solar panels

Switch to Green - you can switch your electricity supply to a 'green tariff'. This is easy to do, current supplies can be provided by Ecotricity or Good Energy

Get smart - with a "smart meter" you can find out which appliances are costing you the most money to run. It will provide you with real-time energy usage and some will show as blue if you are not using much electricity, turning redder with the more you use

Energy efficient appliances - next time you need to replace the fridge or freezer, look at buying one that is 'energy efficient'. These appliances are on all the time, so it could work out to be a good investment