Are you running your home efficiently?

There are two parts to this. The first, as you point out, is the active strategy of looking at what is bought in terms of energy saving and value for money. The second part is a little more negative, and that is the time and effort needed to keep track of everything. When life gets busy or uncertain, we ( me certainly, maybe others) set priorities and deal with things that demand the most attention. If water flows down a pipe, electricity comes down a wire and gas arrives at the boiler, it is not the most immediate thing on the list to change these and to worry about cheaper options unless the bills suddenly become astronomic. We also have our own particular life-styles and they dictate – to some extent – what we spend and how we save. While one family might economise in one area it might overspend on another more than the neighbour next door. Those with time constraints are less likely to spend time in the supermarket looking for deals when the shopper knows the favourite cereal and simply puts it in the trolley before hurrying on. Time and effort count as much as bargain hunting and energy switching.

I have not needed to switch energy recently, having done so some years back when almost everyone was on British Gas and what ever the equivalent electric company was called. Now I have one supplier and a monthly payment. Energy might be cheaper elsewhere, but not by that much and I am content with the service I receive. I do switch insurers though it is my broker who does this for me. In the past, a bill would arrive at the end of the year and I would compare it with the previous one. A huge increase would make me look round for other offers a small increase would cause a shrugged shoulder.
I always take a shopping list to the supermarket and, give or take an item or two, stick to it. I don’t replace items unless they break. Newer, more economical ones will have to wait until I need to research for another one. I generally try to buy what I need and get quite cross when I find things in my cupboards unopened and unused. It also annoys if something is used once and I find it is more trouble than it is worth. I have a juice machine that is a pain to clean and is seldom used, even though it was an expensive purchase.
I divide my budget into things I need to buy regularly and things I would like to own at some point. I save up for the luxury items and never use a credit card without thinking about it. Last year I wrote huge cheques to the builders and now I think twice about spending in order to regain some of that lost capital. This mental attitude is a form of saving since it translates in to money unspent.
Long ago, I used to do a monthly spreadsheet, mortgage, car, house, rates, electricity, gas etc. I knew what my end of month bank balance was likely to be. Now I am less fastidious but I still keep a mental check and this is a good thing to do.
I have to admit that sustainability is not something I worry about as a topic in itself. This becomes important only when making a purchase or when I seem to be using something in excess and the bill tells me that I am. I dislike waste of any kind, particularly food and am quite proud of my bin record which usually only contains peelings, rind and a few spare rib bones. I am lucky enough to be able to live without wondering how to pay the bill at the supermarket checkout, but I do make sure that my trolley only contains things I will use and that is extrapolated to life in general. An awareness of world resources and my own consumption of them makes me careful but I know I could do more.

My routine bills including paying off credit card balances are paid by direct debit, on the basis that I should be protected by the direct debit guarantee if there is a mistake. The only hiccup was when I switched energy provider and cancelled the direct debit. Apparently that prevented the company from refunding the credit balance into my account, so I had to wait for a cheque.

I try to avoid continuous payment authority, for example small annual subscriptions charged to my credit card, but if this is unavoidable I put a reminder in my calendar.

I avoid automatic renewal of insurances to avoid the risk of price hikes. It was encouraging to see that my car insurance premium had decreased, but like many people I have not been driving much during the pandemic.

I have been with Utility Warehouse for nearly 10 years because I hated having to make sure everything was paid, checking all the bills, etc. Its so easy, but I do worry that I am maybe overpaying for electric as we are a fully electric household. UW has been one of Which’s top providers for years so I get complacent about not swapping. If I am likely to find considerably cheaper Electricity elsewhere I might move despite the hassle. Anyone else in this situation?