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You’ve been using your tumble dryer all wrong and an easy hack could slash your bills

MILLIONS of customers are facing rising energy bills – but there are ways to cut costs.

A tumble dryer is a handy appliance to have in your home, especially during the winter when you can’t dry clothes outside.

Clothes in a washing machine.
We share a hack to keep your energy costs down

However the common device can be costly run, using around 4.5kWh of energy per cycle.

That works out at around £1.12 per hour to use under the current energy price guarantee.

This rises to £7.84 a week if you use the item for an hour every day each week or £31.36 to your energy bill if you intend to use your tumble dryer every day each month.

That means if you use your tumble dryer every day for it a year it could add £376.32 to your yearly energy bill.

However an energy expert has shared a hack which could help you save £32 a year on tumble dryer costs.

Will Owen says households should put their clothes on a spin cycle if there clothes are still very wet when they take them out of the washing machine.

He said using the spin cycle will remove excess water, “meaning your clothes will dry faster in the tumble dryer or on an airer”.

“If your clothes are still very wet when you take them out of the washing machine, you could make use of the spin cycle setting. 

“Using the spin cycle will remove excess water, meaning your clothes will dry faster in the tumble dryer or on an airer. 

He said using the spin cycle could cut your bill by a quarter and save you 23p a load.

“So if you’re doing three loads a week, it could add up to £36 a year,” he added.

The spin cycle on a washing machine is a setting which rotates wet clothes at a high speed to remove excess water from the clothes after washing and rinsing.

You find the setting on dial of your washing machine, if you are confused you can read your manual.

This should also be the case if you have a combines washer/dryer.

OTHER HACKS TO SAVE ON YOUR TUMBLE DRYING BILL

Will added that households should avoid overloading the drum as it mean your machine has to work harder and may end up costing you more money in the long run.

Meanwhile underloading your tumble dryer will also waste energy. 

It is generally recommended that your washing machine be 75% full when you use it.

HOW ELSE CAN I SAVE ON MY BILLS?

Heated clothes airers can be a great alternative to tumble dryers if you’re looking to save more money.

That’s not all. Buying insulation will prevent heat from escaping through your loft, and it could save you hundreds on your bills.

You should insulate your loft hatch as well – that will prevent further heat from escaping.

Closing your curtains in the evening when temperatures drop naturally drop will keep the heat in too.

And opening them up in the morning to let the sun in will warm you up

4 ways to keep your energy bills low

Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.

1. Turn your heating down by one degree

You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.

2. Switch appliances and lights off 

It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills

3. Install a smart meter

Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.

4. Consider switching energy supplier

No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.

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Map reveals all 20 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches closing in March

A MAP has revealed where Lloyds Banking Group is shutting 20 branches next month.

In line with many other UK banks, Lloyds and its subsidiaries are increasingly focusing on a shift towards digital banking.

As a result, the banking group will be closing 20 branches across England and Scotland next month.

Lloyds Bank is closing 13 locations, including branches in Surbiton, Newquay and Ealing, between March 3 and March 31.

Halifax will shut an additional six sites, with closures in Portsmouth, Camberley and Didcot scheduled between March 4 and March 27.

Meanwhile, Bank of Scotland will close a single branch in Montrose, Angus, on March 10.

Last month, the banking giant announced plans to enable customers to access services at any branch regardless of which brand they bank with.

For example, this means that a Lloyds Bank customer will be able to access the same services when visiting Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches, and vice versa.

Lloyds has also stated that increasing its mobile app user base is a key priority, and recently highlighted the development of updated mobile apps for Halifax and Bank of Scotland.

Since June 2022, Lloyds Banking Group has shut 537 bank branches across its three brands.

A further 203 branches are set to close by 2026.

The banking group currently operates out of 932 branches across the UK, according to trade union Accord.

What’s happening at other banks?

Customers are increasingly turning to online banking to manage their finances while banks and building societies look for ways to cut costs.

Since 2022, UK bank branches have seen widespread closures, with Barclays leading the way with 394, followed by Lloyds Bank (270), NatWest (243), and Halifax (197), according to ATM operator LINK.

Looking ahead to 2025, Lloyds Bank has the most planned closures (97), significantly more than Halifax (80) NatWest (54), Bank of Scotland (26) and TSB (11).

Several banks, including HSBC and Nationwide have no current plans to close further branches in 2025.

What to do if your local bank is set to close

There are still a number of ways people can access basic banking services without having to venture to another town with a branch.

You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,684 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not to open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

You can find your nearest Post Office branch by visiting postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder.

Meanwhile, many banks offer a mobile banking service – where they bring a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch.

Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.

It’s worth contacting your bank to see what mobile services they have available, and when they might next be in your area.

New super ATMs are being rolled out across the UK where branch closures have left residents unable to access essential banking services.

These ATMs will allow customers to withdraw funds, access their balance, change PIN numbers and deposit cash.

Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank are already signed up to allow deposits, at the super ATMs.

Banking hubs are also being opened across the UK with 250 set to be available by the end of 2025.

These sites typically feature a counter service operated by the Post Office as standard, enabling customers to conduct routine banking transactions conveniently.

Each hub also has a private area where customers can consult with staff representing their banks for more complex matters.

What services do banking hubs offer?

BANKING hubs offer a range of services to bridge the gap left by the closure of local branches.

Operated by the Post Office, these hubs allow customers to perform routine transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, and balance enquiries.

Each hub also features private booths where customers can discuss more complex banking matters with staff from their respective banks.

Staff from different banks are available on a rotational basis, ensuring that customers have access to a wide range of banking services throughout the week.

Additionally, customers can receive advice and support on various financial products and services, including loans, mortgages, and savings accounts.

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Harrison Ford’s $39 Million Box Office Flop is One of George R.R. Martin’s Top 5 Movies of All Time

George R.R. Martin is one of the best fantasy writers of our time. His amazing storytelling comes not just from his imagination but also from the stories that have inspired him. Over the years, he has talked about many sci-fi and fantasy movies that influenced his writing and helped shape his ideas. One of those […]

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire

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Over 5,000 events mark first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ after BJP win in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The first 'Mann Ki Baat' programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BJP’s historic victory in the Delhi Assembly election was promoted by the party in a special way...

The post Over 5,000 events mark first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ after BJP win in Delhi appeared first on Social News XYZ.

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Royal aide tells of Prince William’s devastating phone call after Kate & Charles diagnosed with cancer just weeks apart

A FORMER royal aide has told of Prince William’s devastating phone call after Princess Kate and King Charles were diagnosed with cancer just weeks apart.

Jason Knauf – who previously worked for the Waleses – said the future monarch experience his lowest moment last year.

Prince William and Kate Middleton sitting in chairs.
Getty
Prince William and Princess Kate[/caption]
A man in a suit speaks during an interview.
60 Minutes Australia
Jason Knauf speaking to 60 Minutes Australia today[/caption]
Jason Knauf, Communications Director, at the Royal Tour in Vancouver.
PA
Knauf worked for the Waleses until 2021[/caption]

Speaking in an appearance on 60 Minutes Australia which aired today, he said: “Within a couple of weeks if you’re Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer.

“I couldn’t believe it. It was awful, absolutely awful. It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 in an emotional video released by Kensington Palace.

The previous month, Charles had confirmed he had also been diagnosed with a form of the disease following a hospital procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.

Mr Knauf went on to say matters were made worse for William – who shares children George, Charlotte and Louis with Kate – due to the “crazy” conspiracy theories about the Princess’ withdrawal from public life.

At the time of her announcement, Kate was said to be recovering after treatment in hospital in January, and hadn’t been seen in public since the previous Christmas.

Days before a scandal erupted after the Palace released an official photo of the royal and her kids, which was pulled by agencies, including Reuters, Getty and Associated Press, over concerns it had been heavily doctored.

This was later admitted by the Firm, with Kate forced to take the blame.

It led to fans online questioning where she was and if she was genuinely ill.

Mr Knauff – who officially worked for William and Kate until 2021 – said at that time “they hadn’t told the children and they were still working through how to tell the children”.

He added that the couple have always had their children’s best interests at throughout Kate’s health battle.

He said they were clear “they had to be parents first” when planning out the year.

The Cambridge family applauds NHS workers.
Getty
William and Kate with their kids[/caption]

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