A WOMAN has halved her energy bill by using a series of cost-cutting hacks.
Kerry Collinson, 51, ruthlessly cut back on her gas and electric bill as prices soared.
Kerry Collinson swapped out her induction hob for a camping stove
Kerry has also stopped using her tumble drier
Her drastic saving habits include charging her phone on a solar panel and cooking on a camper stove.
And her tricks have worked, with Kerry slashing two-thirds off of her gas and halving her electricity bill.
She now only pays £10 a month after the government grant worth between £66 and £67 a month.
The first of the six instalments of the £600 support started going out in October.
The commercial cleaner from Crewkerne in Somerset has not turned on her central heating since February, instead opting to use a log burner.
And says she only spends £1.20 a week cooking, after swapping out her induction hob for a camping stove.
A propane or butane gas camping stove can cost anywhere from £16.99 to £104.99.
Large gas canisters cost around £7.
Despite the cutbacks, Kerry says her “quality of life is just as good” – and she’s “saving a fortune”.
She said: “I don’t want to cut back on the nice things I’ve worked hard for my whole life so greedy energy firms can put it in their pockets.
“I’m very happy, I’ve still got what I need and I haven’t had to give up the things I love to do like going out for dinner or Netflix.
“I’ve more than halved my energy bill, even from before the price rise.
“We never put the central heating on, we got a log burner instead, and we use electric blankets when we’re cold.
“We never turn on the oven, and we stopped using the induction hob because I could see the smart metre literally spin every time I used it.
“So now I have two camping stoves and use an air fryer or a microwave to cook – it costs me £1.20 for the whole week whereas before it would cost 70p per meal.”
Solar lights are also something Kerry has used to help her cut costs.
A pack of six solar lights costs just £33 on Argos.
She never turns her lights on in the evening, and instead relies on solar lights that charge through the day, her log burner, and some chargeable tea lights from Amazon.
She has also stopped using the tumble drier, which she says is an “inconvenience” but not essential.
Interestingly, she even has a window vacuum cleaner that removes moisture to ensure the house doesn’t get damp.
Her most important tip was to be aware of turning things off when they’re not needed.
Instead of charging her phone and electrics from the mains, she has a transportable solar panel that can charge essentials during the day.
Portable solar panels for charging phones can be bought from Amazon for just £38.99.
‘We charge our devices for free’
She said: “We started buying solar stuff in the summer because we had a feeling that we should be prepared.
“So we bought lights, lanterns and a fold up solar panel that charges our devices for free.
“We don’t use the oven anymore, and generally day to day we make sure all our lights are off and make sure everything’s unplugged when we don’t need it.”
At its highest, Kerry’s bill for her three-bedroom bungalow was £230, whereas she says it’s now only £95.
She said getting a log burner was “the best thing she’s ever done” and that many others are turning to that solution.
Kerry will turn on the oven for Christmas Day, using it to cook her Turkey and potatoes – as well as other cuts of meat for the days to come.
She said: “A few people I know have said they don’t know whether they could do this but that I have a few good ideas.
“It’s mostly about being more aware, turning things off when you’re not in the room and being more frugal.
“In the past, I’d pay my bills and just think it’s a thing I have to do as an adult, but now it just rubs me the wrong way.
“Why should so many people have to cut back on other things to put money into the pocket of someone who doesn’t deserve it?
“I’m not a political person at all, but I don’t want to give my money to people like that – I’d rather spend it on other things I love.”
Other ways to get help with the cost of living
There are plenty of other ways to get help with bills on top of the government’s £400 energy support.
For example, when temperatures plummet those in low-income households can get a £25 payment.
The cold weather payments are made in locations where residents experience continuous below-zero weather.
The payment is made automatically, including to those on Universal Credit, for each seven-day period of low temperatures from November 1 to March 31.
Struggling households can also get a £150 discount on their energy bill this winter through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
The discount is available to those on the lowest incomes to help with rising costs.
Meanwhile, millions on Universal Credit and benefits will have already received a Christmas bonus.
The tax-free £10 payment started hitting bank accounts qualifying from December 5.
And next year, households struggling to cope with soaring prices and energy bills will get up to £1,350 in extra cost of living payments.
Kerry charges her phone on a solar panel
She has stopped using her central heating and instead uses a log burner
She even has a window vacuum cleaner that removes moisture to ensure the house doesn’t get damp
