Woman halves energy bill by cooking on camper stove and charging phone on solar panel
A woman has shared her thrifty tips and tricks which have seen her halve her energy bill, including charging her phone on a solar panel and cooking on a camper stove.
Having seen prices saw during the cost of living crisis, Kerry Collinson, 51, from Crewkerne in Somerset decided to try to ruthlessly reduce her gas and electricity bills.
Since making a conscious effort to switch up her habits, Collinson has slashed two-thirds off of her gas bill, and halved her electricity bill - meaning she now only pays £10 a month after the £60 government grant.
The commercial cleaner has not turned on her central heating since February, and says she only spends £1.20 a week cooking, after swapping her induction hob for a camping stove.
Despite the cut backs, Collinson says her "quality of life is just as good", but she's "saving a fortune".
Read more: Frugal mum shares savvy tips for slashing bills during cost of living crisis
"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," she explains of her lifestyle changes.
"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."
Collinson says that her simple yet clever tips and tricks have seen her halve her energy bill, even 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," she says of her switch ups. "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."
Instead she uses two camping stoves, an air fryer or a microwave to cook her meals. "It costs me £1.20 for the whole week whereas before it would cost 70p per meal," she explains.
Solar lights are also something Collinson has used to effectively cut costs.
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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 used the tumble drier, which she says is an "inconvenience" but not essential.
Another tip she swears by is using a window vacuum cleaner to help remove moisture and ensure the house doesn't get damp.
But her most important money-saving tip is to be aware of turning things off when they're not needed.
Read more: Woman shares how to make five-course Christmas dinner for 10 people for under £50
Instead of charging her phone and electrics from the mains, she has a transportable solar panel that can charge essentials during the day.
"We started buying solar stuff in the summer because we had a feeling that we should be prepared," Collinson explains.
"So we bought lights, lanterns and a fold up solar panel that charges our devices for free."
At it's highest, the family's monthly energy bill for their three-bedroom bungalow was £230, whereas she says it's now only £95.
Watch: Cost of living: Mother-of-three who works full-time and says she earns a good wage tells of her daily struggle
Despite no longer using her oven for cooking, she is planning to use it on Christmas day to cook her turkey, potatoes, and other meat cuts for the festive season.
Everything else will be cooked on the camping stoves and in her airfryer.
"It's mostly about being more aware, turning things off when you're not in the room and being more frugal," Collinson says of her new energy-saving regime.
"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, but I don't want to give my money to people like that - I'd rather spend it on other things I love."
Read more: 30 ways to save cash: Brits battle cost of living crisis with these top hacks
Collinson isn't the only one opting to share their cost-cutting tricks to save money during the cost of living crisis.
Earlier this year a mum revealed how she saved thousands of pounds by shopping for yellow sticker produce, putting away enough to take her family away on their first holiday in years.
Michelle Newton, 49, from Runcorn, Cheshire, has always looked for ways to reduce spending on her food shopping, regularly scouring the shelves for yellow sticker bargains.
But, after noticing the cost of food rising, she now shops almost exclusively in the ‘reduced to clear’ section, which has enabled her to save thousands of pounds as a result.
Additional reporting SWNS.
