A pensioner has shared an unusual energy saving hack that she claims has made a “big difference” in her bills.
The woman, who did not want to be named, told how she has resorted to lighting her home with battery-operated fairy lights to save money on electricity bills.
It comes amid concern for older people in particular as energy costs continue to soar across Ireland.
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The woman, who is aged in her 70s and from Wales, says she pays £3.99 (€4.80) for a pack of 12 batteries and it works out “much cheaper” than switching the lights on.
She told North Wales Live: "At night I don't have any of the lights on, I just put the fairy lights all around the living room and in the bedroom.
"When I go to bed, I've got a battery operated lamp, which I use rather than a plug-in light, to keep the costs down. Especially with the prices as they are at the moment, I've noticed a big difference in my bills. It's a marked difference."
She revealed the money-saving hack as she thinks other people could benefit from it too.
"I've been doing it for years now and I've noticed a big difference. I'm not talking pennies. I've saved a lot on electric since I started doing this.
“At the moment I pay £3.99 (€4.80) for 12 batteries - that's much cheaper than switching the lights on. I'm not a skinflint but I object to unnecessary bills and I think other people could benefit from it too.
"Especially when you're a pensioner, you don't have any extra money coming in so you have to work with what you've got. I use oil for heating and I was horrified when I got a quote and saw the price had doubled since last time. The prices just keep going up."
It comes as the Government is expected to temporarily reduce VAT on certain energy products in a bid to help with rising costs.
This comes on top of a €200 rebate that is due to come off electricity bills in the coming weeks.
It’s understood that the VAT reduction will apply to gas and electricity products only and not home heating oil or solid fuels.
Active Retirement Ireland has warned that it won’t help the majority of older people.
Commenting last week, CEO of Active Retirement Ireland, Maureen Kavanagh, said: “The proposals to reduce VAT only on gas and electricity products disregard older people around the country who are far more likely to rely on older heating systems that use heating oil and solid fuels.
“We are urging the Government to include these more traditional heating methods in the proposed energy VAT reductions which currently offer little relief to older people and which put even more older people at risk of falling into poverty.
“Already, older people are more vulnerable to the rapidly increasing cost of living and current energy crisis that’s being felt hard in Ireland. Recent measures around the Fuel Allowance don’t go far enough.”
READ MORE: Government fails to reduce costs on home heating oil as new cost of living package details announced
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