A SAVVY great-grandmother has slashed her energy bill by switching her weekly washing schedule to take advantage of cheaper off-peak power.
Ria Oldroyd, a 76-year-old retiree who lives alone in a one-bed bungalow in Kessingland, Suffolk, with her two pet cats, is a British Gas customer.
Ria Oldroyd saves serious cash by doing her washing on SundaysSince signing up to it’s Peak Save scheme – where customers get half-price electricity on Sunday – a few months ago, Ria has dubbed her weekly routing ‘Soapy Sunday’.
She has three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren – and lots of those family members live close by.
The money-saving pensioner, who was a support worker before retireing, told The Sun: “I made some major changes to my weekly routine after taking up an offer for ‘half-price electricity on Sundays’ from my supplier, British Gas.”
“Sunday used to be a day for going out and seeing people, but I now tend to spend the day at home, taking advantage of my ‘cheap energy’ window”.
“I allow my washing to pile up through the week, and then aim to get as much done as I can during the allocated five-hour slot on a Sunday.”
Ria currently pays £70 a month for gas and electricity.
Since signing up to the scheme, she’s saved £50 and is expecting to save around £100 over the next year.
Timing is key for discounts
Ria has established a routine that works really well for her.
“I separate out my whites, my colours and my darks,” she said.
“If I’m efficient, I can just about get three or four washes in between 11am and 4pm when my electricity is half-price.”
Helpfully, the energy price cap is set to fall to £1,720 from July 1, down from the current £1,849. Nevertheless, costs remain high.
Thankfully, Ria runs a tight ship – and this includes monitoring her energy usage very closely.
“I don’t usually switch on my tumble dryer because it’s so expensive to run,” she said.
“However, I’m happy with the idea of using it carefully during those half-price hours on a Sunday.”
Other firms offering time of use discounts
British Gas is just one of a host of energy suppliers to offer time-of-use incentives to consumers to smooth demand and encourage smarter energy use, according to comparison site, Uswitch.
Other providers which have schemes with free or half-price electricity at ‘off-peak’ times include EDF, Octopus, Ovo and Scottish Power.
As well as Sundays, electricity suppliers often charge less late in the night or early in the morning (such as 7am-8am).
All of these off-peak slots – when demand is lower – can work out a lot more cost-effective.
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Suppliers are offering these free and half-price schemes to help move electricity use away from peak times to those points in the week when everyone’s using less energy.”
Schemes like these, she adds, will become increasingly important as the country shifts towards using more renewable energy, such as wind and solar.
“Washing machines and tumble dryers are some of the most energy-intensive appliances in the house, so they are perfectly suited to such schemes,” she said. “By saving up your laundry, you can save significant amounts of money.”
Ria urges other households to cotton on to the fact there are big savings to be made by adjusting their washing routine.
“Over the course of a year, savings from a scheme like this can really add up,” she said.
“I’d really recommend avoiding peak-time power use – and saving laundry through the week for a big Sunday session.”
To find out if your supplier offers a scheme, visit their website.
Note that to take advantage of “off-peak” schemes such as this, you will need a working smart meter.
Ria’s other tips to keep energy costs down
Saving up her washing for the cheaper “off-peak hours” on a Sunday is not the only step that Ria takes to help keep a lid on her energy bills.
“I always keep a pillow and blanket by the sofa in case I need to layer up when temperatures drop,” she said.
“And I’ve got hot water bottles ready to go whenever I need them.”
Ria is also diligent about keeping cold air out of her home and ensuring that warm air stays in.
“I’ve got big thick curtains that cover the doors completely, as well as draught excluders to go along the bottom.
“Lots of these are habits I learned from my childhood.”
The savvy pensioner is also disciplined about not cranking up the heating.
“I can’t afford to get tempted to notch up the thermostat,” she said. “If anything, I try turning it down a little.”
As we’ve reported previously, reducing it by one degree can potentially slash your heating bills by around £100.
Ria added: “It might not sound like a lot, but small changes can make a big difference.”
Suppliers offering free or half-price electricity
PLENTY of suppliers cut rates for customers at certain times.
British Gas PeakSave and PeakSave Green Flex
Electricity pricing: Half price unit rate Available hours: Sunday 11am – 4pm. Additional 1-2 hour sessions when renewable energy is plentiful with PeakSave Green Flex. Reward mechanism: Bill credit applied after event. Half price electricity during events. Requirements: British Gas electricity customer with working smart meter. Sign up to one of the schemesEDF Energy Sunday Saver Challenge
Electricity pricing: Free Available hours: Up to 16 hours per week on Sundays Reward mechanism: Bill credit applied after the final free Sunday of each month Requirements: EDF electricity customer with smart meter that sends 30-minute readings (or set up to do so). Shift electricity use away from peak times throughout the week to build up free hoursOctopus Energy Free Electricity Sessions
Electricity pricing: Free (extra electricity above normal usage) Available hours: Variable – customers are notified when sessions occur (most common when renewables are abundant) Reward mechanism: Bill credit applied after each event Requirements: Octopus Energy customer with smart meter and signed up to the Octoplus loyalty scheme.OVO Energy OVO Beyond
Electricity pricing: Free Available hours: Customers choose two hours of free electricity each week by midnight on Sundays (excluding peak hours) from May 5 to August 31, 2025 Reward mechanism: Bill credit applied the following month Requirements: OVO Energy customers signed up to OVO Beyond with a smart meter capable of sending 30-minute readings. No specific tariff required.Scottish Power Power Saver (Half-Price Weekends)
Electricity pricing: Half price unit rate Available hours: Saturday and Sunday 11am – 4pm Reward mechanism: Bill credit applied after event Requirements: Scottish Power electricity customer with smart meter capable of sending 30-minute readings (or set up accordingly). Sign up for the scheme Read More Details
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