Could you save money by using lamps instead of ceiling lights?

Virgin Radio

26 Jan 2023, 16:10

In the cost of living crisis, many of us are finding different tips and tricks to cut corners.

From TikTok hacks to save money, to reducing food waste, there are many things to try.

Are you a fan of the "big light"? It turns out you could be saving money by leaving the overhead lights off and using lamps instead.

However, it all depends on the kind of bulbs you use.

Ben Gallizzi is an energy expert at Uswitch.com.

He told Metro.co.uk that lamps use less electricity and thus cost less to run, thanks to their lower wattage. Ben said: "Lamps will generally be cheaper to run than ceiling lights, as they are intended for close-up use and will commonly have a lower wattage.

"A bright ceiling light for a large room would typically consume 10W, costing 56p to run eight hours a day for a week. Meanwhile, a bedside lamp with a 5W LED bulb would cost you 28p for the same period."

He continued: "It’s important to remember that it’s not the light fitting that determines how much energy you use, it’s the bulb itself, so you can always swap it out for a lower-powered alternative.".

Bulbs are important when it comes to cutting costs, and Ben recommends LED ones.

"Check whether any of your ceiling lights are still using halogen bulbs, which cost four times as much to run as their LED equivalents," he advises.

"Halogen and incandescent bulbs have now been banned from being sold in shops, but they can still be found in many homes."

If you were to swap a 50-watt halogen bulb for an LED one, you could save £6 a year.

That soon adds up, depending on ow many bulbs you have.

Experts at Which? says switching to LED bulbs could save hundreds of pounds in the long run.

"A typical 700+ lumen LED bulb will cost you around £1.71 a year, based on three hours of use every day," they say.

"For a CFL alternative that would be £2.04, or £8.42 if you use an existing halogen bulb."