Conor Pope, Consumer Affairs Correspondent with The Irish Times, joined Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss taking the sting out of winter bills. Listen back above.
“Generally speaking, winter is very expensive,” says Pope, explaining that heating and lighting our homes in the colder, darker months adds up.
Additionally, the need to tumble dry clothes can be a big expense, alongside buying warmer clothing, extra food, and saving up for Christmas presents.
“I’ve done the maths, and I reckon that winter time costs about €10,000 more for the average household than summer time,” he states. “That’s not even being wildly extravagant.”
The first step in bringing those costs down? Shopping around for an electricity provider.
“The reality is that more than 70% of Irish consumers don’t switch their energy provider,” the savvy saver explains, “despite the fact that, even in a climate of rising prices, you can still knock about €500 off your annual bill – just by moving from company A to company B.”
Many people will avoid switching because it feels like too much hassle, but Pope insists that sites like Bonkers.ie and Switcher.ie make it incredibly straightforward.
Once you’ve switched, you can save even more money by being more conscious of your energy use: avoid using the tumble dryer, turn lights off as you leave a room, and stick on a jumper when you feel a small chill.
“If you were to lower your thermostat by one degree, your energy bill will fall by 5 or 10%,” he explains.
Other suggestions include: only running the washing machine and dishwasher when they are full, running these machines on eco-settings, and reducing time spent in the shower.
If your home has oil heating, Pope warns that “chronically” rising costs will be felt this winter.
“In January of this year, 500 litres of home heating oil was costing about €400,” he states. “Today, 500 litres of home heating oil is costing about €650.”
Musing on Ireland’s upcoming October budget, global politics, and the long-term realities of relying on fossil fuels, the Consumer Affairs Correspondent says that “somebody has to make some pretty hard decisions”.
Another winter cost that may take people by surprise is health insurance; for most people, policies will come up for renewal in January, February, and March.
“There is big savings to be made by shopping around and switching insurance providers,” says Pope.
Unfortunately, unlike switching energy providers, switching insurance can be a complicated task to take on.
“There’s a real difference between policies, and it’s a really complicated market,” he explains, noting that the vast majority of people in Ireland will stick with whatever company they first signed up with.
Although it’s an effort, Pope insists that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of euros to be saved: “To all your listeners, I guarantee, if they haven’t switched health insurance providers in the last three years, and they do make the switch, they’ll save money.”
For more money-saving tips and advice for speaking with your health insurers, listen back to the full segment above.