Do you want to slash 20 euros off your monthly electricity bill? Try these simple measures...

The electricity bill has become a nightmare for many people in Spain. That is why it's important to learn a few small daily habits, apart from changing tariffs and keeping an eye on time fluctuations, that can help you keep the bill lower. No, we are not talking about turning off the lights, but about other tips that may not even have occurred to you.

Let's start with perhaps the most obvious trick. The devices installed in your home should be completely switched off. Leaving the television, decoder or video game console in 'standby mode' accounts for up to 10% of your annual consumption. Installing power strips with switches or unplugging those devices that are not going to be used can save you up to five euros per month.

Caution in the kitchen is also helpful. Preheating the oven for longer than necessary, for example, considerably increases the bill. Covering food (with aluminium foil or using a container with a lid) saves time and money when cooking, as does taking advantage of residual heat. To do this, switch off the oven ten minutes before the scheduled cooking time and let the food continue cooking without using electricity.

Few of us are aware of the impact (about two euros per month) of placing small pots on too large burners on the hobs. We think that this way the food will cook faster, but the only thing that is certain is that we will be using more energy than is strictly necessary.

Using the dishwasher, washing machine or tumble dryer at half load is not a good idea for your wallet. In fact, the main manufacturers recommend always using long cycles, with these appliances up to the maximum capacity indicated in their manuals. In the case of laundry, it is also advisable to prioritise programmes with cold or warm water: this can save up to 15 cents per wash, which is between 30 and 60 euros per year for an average household.

Does it really take three minutes to heat up that latté or 40 minutes to defrost some chicken thighs? In many cases, these numbers are based on what worked for your with your first microwave. If you've upgraded more recently, chances are you can be far less generous, saving yourself a couple of euros on the electricity bill in the process. After all, manufacturers are bringing out appliances that are increasingly less demanding in terms of power consumption.

Savings usually start long before a household appliance enters your home: in the shop, when you choose it according to the energy efficiency label. When it comes to fridges, for example, experts recommend, in addition to choosing one that uses the least energy, setting it at the right temperature (4C degrees for the fridge itself and -18C for the freezer) if you want to stop wasting around five euros a month.

Televisions are also expensive. On top of taking up too much space in a small living room that doesn't allow you to leave the minimum recommended distance from the sofa, too big a TV set will unnecessarily raise your electricity consumption. Adjusting the brightness level and using the 'eco' mode that many models include leaves another couple of euros in your pocket. It all adds up.

Many homes already use LED lighting because of its low energy consumption, but you may still have some incandescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes that are adding up to three euros a month to your electricity bills. One option is to replace them with smart LED versions linked to motion sensors.