The average Irish household spends over €1,500 per year on electricity. With some straightforward changes, you can reduce this significantly—potentially saving €300-€500 annually. Here are 15 proven ways to cut your electricity costs.
1. Switch Electricity Supplier
Potential saving: €200-€400 per year
This is the single biggest saving most households can make. If you haven't switched suppliers in the past 12 months, you're almost certainly paying more than you need to.
New customer deals typically offer 25-40% off standard rates, plus cashback of €100-€200. Even if you switched last year, your introductory discount has probably expired.
Action: compare suppliers today using our [electricity comparison tool](/energy/compare). Switching takes 10 minutes online.
2. Upgrade to LED Lighting
Potential saving: €50-€100 per year
LED bulbs use up to 90% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and last 15-25 times longer.
| Bulb Type | Power (60W equivalent) | Annual Cost (4 hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|
| Incandescent | 60W | €28 |
| Halogen | 42W | €20 |
| CFL | 13W | €6 |
| LED | 8W | €4 |
Based on €0.32/kWh
Replacing just 10 bulbs with LEDs could save €150+ over the bulbs' lifetime.
Action: Start with the bulbs you use most—living room, kitchen, hallway. LED bulbs now cost as little as €2-3 each.
3. Use Your Smart Meter Data
Potential saving: €50-€150 per year
If you have a smart meter, you have access to detailed data about when you use electricity. This visibility helps you identify wasteful habits.
Log in to your ESB Networks account and review:
- Which days you use most electricity
- What time of day usage peaks
- Unusual spikes that might indicate inefficient appliances
Action: Create your ESB Networks account and spend 15 minutes analysing your usage patterns. Look for obvious opportunities to shift or reduce usage.
4. Switch to Time-of-Use Tariffs
Potential saving: €100-€200 per year
If you can shift usage to off-peak hours, smart meter tariffs offer significantly cheaper night rates (typically 35-40% less than day rates).
This works best if you can:
- Charge your EV overnight
- Run dishwashers and washing machines after 11pm
- Use storage heaters on night rate
- Heat water overnight
Action: Check what percentage of your usage occurs during night hours. If it's over 40%, a time-of-use tariff could save money. See our night rate guide.
5. Eliminate Standby Power
Potential saving: €30-€60 per year
Devices on standby still consume electricity—sometimes 10-20 watts each. A TV, games console, and set-top box on standby 24/7 can cost €40+ per year.
The worst offenders:
- Games consoles (especially older ones)
- Set-top boxes and DVRs
- Desktop computers
- Older TVs
- Phone chargers left plugged in
Action: Use power strips with switches to turn off multiple devices at once. For devices you use daily, smart plugs with timers can automate this.
6. Manage Your Heating Efficiently
Potential saving: €100-€200 per year
If you heat water or space electrically, this is likely your biggest electricity cost.
Immersion heater tips:
- Only heat water when you need it
- Use a timer rather than leaving it on constantly
- Insulate your hot water cylinder (costs €20-30, saves €30-40/year)
- Consider heating water at night if on a day/night tariff
Electric heating tips:
- Use a timer to heat only when you're home
- Don't heat unused rooms
- Lower the thermostat by 1°C (saves roughly 10% on heating)
- Ensure radiators aren't blocked by furniture
7. Use Appliances Efficiently
Potential saving: €40-€80 per year
Small changes to how you use appliances add up:
Washing machine:
- Wash at 30°C instead of 40°C (uses 40% less energy)
- Wait for full loads
- Use eco modes when available
Dishwasher:
- Run only when full
- Use eco mode
- Skip the heated dry cycle—open the door instead
Tumble dryer:
- Air dry when possible (dryers are energy-hungry)
- Clean the lint filter every use
- Use moisture-sensing auto programmes
Fridge/freezer:
- Keep coils clean and dust-free
- Don't overfill (air needs to circulate)
- Check door seals are tight
- Set fridge to 3-4°C, freezer to -18°C
Action: Review your appliance habits. Even one change (like washing at 30°C) makes a measurable difference.
8. Draught-Proof Your Home
Potential saving: €25-€50 per year
Draughts make your home feel colder, leading you to use more heating. Simple draught-proofing costs little but saves year after year.
Focus on:
- Window frames and sashes
- External doors
- Letterboxes
- Gaps around pipes and cables
- Chimney (if not in use, fit a balloon or cap)
- Loft hatches
Action: Walk around your home on a windy day and feel for draughts. Draught-proofing strips cost €5-15 per door/window.
9. Install a Hot Water Cylinder Jacket
Potential saving: €30-€50 per year
If your hot water cylinder doesn't have a jacket (or has an old, thin one), heat is escaping constantly. A proper 80mm jacket costs around €20-30 and pays for itself within a year.
Action: Check your hot water cylinder. If it's warm to the touch, it's losing heat. A jacket is one of the cheapest energy-saving investments.
10. Use a Kettle Efficiently
Potential saving: €15-€25 per year
Kettles are surprisingly power-hungry—typically 2-3kW. Boiling more water than you need wastes electricity.
- Boil only what you need
- Descale regularly (limescale reduces efficiency)
- Consider a variable temperature kettle if you drink green tea or coffee (don't need 100°C)
Action: Start measuring the water you actually need rather than filling the kettle by default.
11. Optimise Your Refrigeration
Potential saving: €20-€40 per year
Your fridge runs 24/7, making it one of the biggest constant loads in your home.
Quick wins:
- Pull the fridge slightly away from the wall for airflow
- Clean the condenser coils (dusty coils work harder)
- Check the door seal with a piece of paper—if it slips out easily, replace the seal
- Don't put hot food straight in—let it cool first
- Keep the fridge reasonably full (thermal mass helps efficiency)
Bigger decision: If your fridge is over 15 years old, a new A-rated model could halve your running costs.
12. Consider Solar Panels
Potential saving: €400-€700 per year
Solar panels are a bigger investment (€5,000-€10,000 after grants), but they can dramatically reduce your electricity bills and even generate income through export payments.
With SEAI grants of up to €2,400, a typical system pays for itself in 5-8 years. After that, you're generating essentially free electricity.
Action: Get quotes from multiple installers and calculate your payback period. See our solar panels guide.
13. Use Timers and Smart Controls
Potential saving: €30-€60 per year
Automating your electricity use prevents waste:
- Immersion timer: Heat water only when needed
- Smart plugs: Schedule devices to turn off at night
- Heating timer: Match heating to your actual schedule
- Smart thermostats: Learn your patterns and optimise automatically
Action: Start with a simple timer for your immersion heater (costs €10-20). Graduate to smart plugs for other devices.
14. Check Your Tariff Type
Potential saving: €50-€150 per year
You might be on the wrong tariff for your usage pattern:
- On day/night but use little at night? A 24-hour tariff might be cheaper
- On 24-hour but could shift usage? Day/night might save money
- Have a smart meter? Time-of-use tariffs offer the biggest savings for flexible users
Action: Review your bill to confirm your current tariff. Then check whether your usage pattern matches the tariff structure.
15. Claim Available Grants
Potential saving: Hundreds to thousands
SEAI offers grants for energy efficiency improvements:
| Improvement | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| Attic insulation | €1,500 |
| Cavity wall insulation | €1,700 |
| External wall insulation | €4,500-€8,000 |
| Heat pump | €3,500-€6,500 |
| Solar PV | €2,100-€2,400 |
| Solar thermal | €1,200 |
These grants reduce the upfront cost of improvements that will save money for years.
Action: Check what grants you might qualify for at seai.ie. Consider combining multiple improvements for maximum impact.
Quick Wins Summary
Here's what you can do today for immediate savings:
| Action | Time Required | Potential Annual Saving |
|---|---|---|
| Switch supplier | 10 minutes | €200-€400 |
| Replace 5 bulbs with LED | 30 minutes | €40 |
| Turn off standby devices | 5 minutes | €30-€60 |
| Lower heating by 1°C | 1 minute | €50+ |
| Wash clothes at 30°C | No extra time | €20 |
| Boil only water you need | No extra time | €15-€25 |
Total quick wins: €355-€585 per year
Bigger Investments
For larger long-term savings, consider:
| Investment | Typical Cost | Annual Saving | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot water cylinder jacket | €25 | €35 | Under 1 year |
| Draught-proofing | €50-€100 | €35 | 1-3 years |
| LED bulbs (full house) | €50-€100 | €80 | 1-2 years |
| Attic insulation | €500-€1,000* | €200+ | 2-4 years |
| Solar panels | €4,000-€8,000* | €500+ | 6-10 years |
*After SEAI grants
Tracking Your Progress
Once you've made changes, monitor the impact:
- Note your starting point: Check your current average daily usage (kWh)
- Make changes gradually: So you can see what works
- Review monthly: Compare usage to the same month last year
- Celebrate wins: Recognise when your efforts pay off
Smart meter data makes this much easier—you can see day-by-day changes in your ESB Networks account.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Focusing only on small things: Switching supplier saves more than any amount of turning off lights. Prioritise the big wins.
Leaving heating on low all day: Despite the myth, it's usually cheaper to heat your home only when needed.
Buying expensive "energy saving" gadgets: Most don't deliver promised savings. Stick to proven methods.
Forgetting to switch again next year: Savings from switching erode if you stay on standard rates.
Summary
Reducing your electricity bill combines three strategies:
- Get a better price: Switch suppliers regularly
- Use less electricity: Efficiency improvements and behaviour changes
- Use electricity smarter: Time-of-use tariffs and shifting usage
Start with the quick wins—especially switching supplier—then work through the bigger investments as budget allows.
Ready to start saving? Compare electricity suppliers and make the single biggest saving available to you today.
Last updated: January 2026