IF you are worried about your bills making the smallest of changes at home could help to reduce your outgoings.

Millions of households are turning to money-saving hacks and some of them are just simple switches in your daily habits.

Many families have seen their energy bills fall after the energy price guarantee was dropped.

A typical household now pays no more than £2,074 a year for their gas and electricity.

The price cap on energy bills was introduced in January 2019 as a way to prevent households from being ripped off by their energy suppliers.

It changes every three months and this means prices could go up or down from October.

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However, despite this recent reduction many households are still struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table.

If you are worried about the increase on your bills there are ways you can look to reduce your outgoings.

Usually, the cost of gas and electricity doesn't change depending on the time of day, so there's no incentive to use a washing machine or tumble dryer at off-peak times.

But there are certain tariffs where you can pay less depending on the time of day.

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They're called Economy 7 or 10 tariffs and charge you for your electricity usage based on off-peak and on-peak rates.

The off-peak rate usually applies for seven or 10 hours of the night and the on-peak rate for the other 14 or 17 hours.

We previously revealed how these time-of-use tariffs can slash your bills by as much as £120 a year.

Plus, a number of suppliers are now taking part in the "demand flexibility service" that started in November and is being run until March.

Under the scheme, households will be paid to use their appliances at specific times to prevent blackouts.

British Gas, EON and EDF are just a few of the suppliers taking part in the scheme.

It's definitely worth noting, a number of customers on Economy 7 tariffs will see their bills rise this year due to the way the price cap works.

Economy tariffs – how do they work?

Economy 7 or 10 tariffs are sometimes referred to as a "differential" or "multi-tariff rate".

They offer good discounts for the units that you use during off-peak hours.

They can be a cheaper energy option than other price plans because you’ll commit to using most of your energy at night.

These tariffs are best suited to people with storage heaters and a hot water tank, which can be heated up at night when it’s cheapest and then used to provide hot water and heating for the next day.

A lot of modern appliances also include a timer, so you can set your washing machine and dishwasher to run during the off-peak window.

How much could I save?

The exact savings you can make will vary depending on the type of appliance you have and the settings they're on.

Plus, you should be careful of running electrical appliances like these overnight when you're asleep as it can be a fire risk.

But you can save up to hundreds of pounds.

Savvy saver Scott Dixon previously told The Sun he saves £725 a year on his Economy 7 tariff.

Is it safe to run appliances at night?

Electrical Safety First has previously reminded households to be wary of leaving appliances on at night.

Stephen Curtler, product safety manager at the charity, said leaving your appliances running when you're asleep means you aren't aware if they catch fire.

"Fires that occur at night can present a greater risk to people who may be sleeping and their response to the incident is delayed," he said.

The London Fire Brigade has echoed this, suggesting turning off as many appliances as you can before going to bed, apart from those that have to stay on like fridges.

More ways to save on your laundry costs

You could also reduce costs by doing an extra 10 minute spin in the washing machine to get it drier beforehand.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, previously told The Sun that tumble dryers are one of the most energy-intensive devices in the home.

Owen said: "The longer your tumble dryer’s cycle, the more money it will cost you.

"If your clothes are dripping wet, it will have to run much longer to get them dry, increasing your energy bill dramatically.

"Also keep in mind that overloading the drum is likely to put your machine under strain and end up costing you more in the long run, while underloading the device will waste energy.”

You can turn down the temperature settings on your washing machine too.

Lisa Barber, Which? home products and services editor, said: "One of the easiest things people can do is to reduce washing machine temperatures, as switching to 30°C could save £13 in annual costs, while 20°C could cut £24.

"Maintaining your tumble dryer could trim your bill, as filters blocking up with dust and lint from clothes can add nearly £20 to annual laundry costs.

"Making the switch to a Which? Best Buy detergent could also save people close to £50 a year, with some cheap Best Buys costing as little as 7p per wash."

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Meanwhile, the Good Housekeeping Institute reckons you should wash jeans, jumpers and towels after every three uses.

But if they look and smell OK, hold off for the sake of the planet, and your wallet.

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