Video: Five quick tricks saved this family £400 a year on household bills Here are five low-cost and low-effort ways that anyone can use to cut home energy use and their bills. Don't forget to check our energy switching guide - updated here - for the best deals and expert predictions on bill rises. 1) Thermostat turned down by one degree: £73 a year The Higgins had their thermostat turned up to 22 degrees. By turning down one degree, they have already saved £73 a year. Mrs Higgins said: "I know the thermostat is high, but I feel the cold. I I just keep it turned up. However, Mr Horne said that a one degree change - while making big savings - would not be a noticeable difference. 2) Heating and hot water controls on when needed: £150 a year The Higgins have their heating on a timer, so they have a warm house in the mornings and when Theo and Lily return from school. However, their hot water is on 24 hours a day, which isn't necessary as the family are out during the day. By putting both devices onto a timer, families could save up to £150 on home heating. 3) Gadgets turned off at the socket when not in use: £80 a year All the tech we use must be running up our bills. We each have a laptop and when the children have friends round they are gaming," said Mrs Higgins. Certainly, gadgets contribute to high energy consumption - but devices silently run up your bills even when switched off. By leaving televisions on standby and failing to turn appliances off at the socket, the Higgins were adding £80 to their energy bill. "When we are back at work and school we need to make sure we get into the habit of switching off before we leave home," Mrs Higgins said. 4) Changing habits when using kitchen appliances: £31 Overfilling the kettle is a bad habit that costs homes £7 a year, than if they only heated the water they needed. The family were washing their whites at 40, when a much lower temperature would also do the job and save £6 a year. It's also a sunny day when Mr Horne visits. The family could save on tumble drying by hanging the clothes outside. Drying your clothes rather than using a tumble dryer on warm days saves £18 a year. 5) Replacing halogen light bulbs with LEDs: £40 Simply switching light bulbs can make big savings - especially as it only costs £5 to replace a halogen bulb with an LED bulb. Also, the LED typically lasts twice as long. How to save £240 with LED lightbulbs ... and other ways the Higgins could trim their bills Unusually, the family have two chest freezers to accommodate Mr Higgins' hunting hobby. Even with enormous freezers to power and pheasants to keep cold, the family could save by switching to newer, more energy-efficient models. Two new chest freezers would save £36 in energy bills a year, when compared with their 12-year-old appliances. A freezer rated top for energy efficiency would set the family back around £150 to £250, meaning they would recoup their investment after about eight years. The family recently installed a wood burner, which is a source of free energy for the family. Mrs Higgins said: "We don't ever buy wood but take it from fallen branches nearby, so we should use it more to heat the home." We recently spoke to a family who saved £14,500 a year on oil and electricity by making changes, including installing an £8,000 wood burner. For more energy saving tricks, tips and loopholes, enter your email below. What's your secret to beating energy bill rises? Email kate.palmer@telegraph.co.uk