When it comes to washing the dishes it's an age old question over what's cheaper - a dishwasher, or the good old-fashioned scrubbing in the sink?
Most of us would assume rolling up our sleeves and doing the dirty work saves us money in the long run.
However, it all depends on how often you wash up, how full your dishwasher is, what setting it is on, and how much water you're heating and using in the process.
Using a dishwasher could actually save us up to £307 - provided it's used efficiently and on an eco setting, according to theecoexperts.co.uk.
With energy bills set to skyrocket once again this autumn plunging even more households into hardship, everybody is looking for ways we can save on our consumption.
Are you worried about rising energy bills? Let us know by emailing: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
Josh Jackman, a writer for theecoexperts.co.uk, estimates a fully-stacked dishwasher run on an eco-mode could save you £307 between October and April.
This is compared with washing the same number of plates by hand - and is more than three times more savings than turning down your thermostat.
According to Uswitch, there is no absolute proof as to whether hand-washing your dishes or using a dishwasher is more energy-efficient - again, it depends on your current technique.
Using your dishwasher's energy-efficient setting saves 20% by heating the water more slowly and over a longer cycle, it said.
Uswitch also advises people not to bother rinsing dishes beforehand, which is unnecessary and wastes water.
This tip to save energy comes after Ofgem confirmed its price cap will rise to £3,549 in October for those on default tariffs, paying by direct debit.
For those paying by prepayment meter - typically vulnerable households or those struggling to pay for their energy - there is a bigger jump from £2,017 to £3,608.
Standard credit customers - so where you pay once you've received your bill - will see their price cap rise from £2,100 to £3,764.
Approximately 24 million households are covered by the energy price cap, including four million on prepayment meters.
Don't have a dishwasher?
Here's how you can save on your water bills if you only have a sink.
Make sure to pre-soak all those extra dirty dishes such as burnt lasagne crusts and roasting tins.
This ensures you're not wasting water and heat scrubbing away.
Always wash your dishes in a smaller bowl - this conserves the heat in the sink meaning you're not constantly using more hot water.
Meanwhile, rinse your dishes in a second bowl rather than under the tap. This again saves on water and heat, and every penny counts.
Are you worried about rising energy bills? Let us know by emailing: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
