Cut Winter Electricity Costs in an Older Building: How Many Euros You Can Realistically Save per Month

How much you can save per month in an older building during winter

Key takeaway: In a typical older-building household, simple actions targeting 8–10 common winter electricity hogs can save about 25–40 euros per month (single), 35–55 euros (couple), and 45–70 euros (family with 2 kids)—without losing comfort, but with a bit of planning and consistent use of power strips with timers, efficient bulbs, and adjusted laundry and heating habits. This is based on an electricity price of 0.35 euros per kWh.

Master table: Typical winter electricity hogs in older buildings and your savings potential

The table below summarizes the most important winter electricity-consuming devices in older-building apartments. The values are averages for the heating season (per month) and are meant as a guideline for a single-person household. In the euro-savings columns, you’ll find the typical monthly savings potential for single, couple, and family.

How to interpret this:

• Single in an older building: typical savings potential approx. 25–40 euros/month.
• Couple in an older building: typical savings potential approx. 35–55 euros/month.
• Family (2 kids) in an older building: typical savings potential approx. 45–70 euros/month.

The higher amounts for couples and families come from more devices, longer usage times, and additional savings opportunities—especially with the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, and lighting.

Step 1: Take stock and find the three biggest electricity hogs

Before you change how you use appliances, you need a simple but clear snapshot—ideal for an overview in your household ledger or a personal finance app.

1. Write down your electricity meter reading
   • Go to the electricity meter (often in the stairwell or apartment hallway).
   • Record the current reading with date and time, for example: 11/21, 6:00 PM, 34,820 kWh.
   • Repeat this note exactly 7 days later. This gives you an initial weekly consumption benchmark.
2. Identify three main electricity hogs in the living room
   • Make a list: TV, game console, receiver, sound system, floor lamps, possibly a space heater.
   • For each device, note the estimated daily usage time, e.g., TV: 4 hours, console: 1 hour, space heater: 1 hour.
   • Highlight the three devices with the longest runtime and/or the highest wattage (space heater, large TV, console).
3. Identify three main electricity hogs in the kitchen
   • Typical candidates: refrigerator/freezer combo, dishwasher, electric kettle, microwave, lighting.
   • Again, note the approximate daily usage, e.g., kettle: 4 times for 2 minutes each, dishwasher: every 2 days.
   • Highlight the three most relevant devices for savings. Almost always included: refrigerator, dishwasher, and kettle.

Step 2: Immediate actions for space heaters and room temperature

Electric space heaters are convenient but expensive stopgaps in older buildings. Even a few hours a day can push your bill up quickly.

• Limit usage time
  • Use space heaters only in clearly defined time windows, e.g., 20 minutes in the bathroom in the morning, 30 minutes in the living room in the evening.
  • Rule of thumb: max 0.5–1 hour per day in winter instead of continuous operation.
  • Savings potential from the table: up to 35 kWh/month less for a single person, and more for couples and families.
• Use textiles to stabilize temperature
  • Runner rugs on cold floors (wood planks, tile), especially in drafty areas.
  • Heavy curtains in front of windows—close them consistently in the evening.
  • Draft stoppers at apartment doors and windows, especially in the hallway.
  • These measures reduce the feeling of drafts so you can more easily stay at 66–68°F (19–20°C) instead of supplementing with electric heat.
• Alternative: heat one room intentionally instead of the whole apartment
  • Make one room your main living space (living room or combined kitchen-living area).
  • Use textiles, curtains, and, if needed, a hot water bottle or blanket there instead of electrically warming the entire apartment.
  • This keeps the space heater a backup option for short periods, not the primary heat source.

Step 3: Make lighting efficient—fast, noticeable euro impact

In winter, lights run much longer in older buildings, often with old halogen spotlights or mixed setups. Switching cuts consumption immediately.

• Inventory your bulbs
  • Walk through your apartment one evening and note: number of bulbs, wattage per bulb, and estimated hours on per day.
  • Prioritize rooms with long usage: living room, kitchen, hallway, kids’ rooms.
• Replace halogen and old CFLs with LEDs
  • Example: 4 halogen spots at 35 watts each, 4 hours per day:
  • Before: 4 × 35 W × 4 h ≈ 0.56 kWh/day → about 17 kWh/month.
  • After with LEDs (4 × 5 W): 0.08 kWh/day → about 2.4 kWh/month.
  • Savings: about 14–15 kWh/month in just one room, which is roughly 5 euros/month at 0.35 euros/kWh.
• Zone lighting instead of lighting everything
  • Task lighting (desk lamp, reading lamp) instead of always turning on all ceiling fixtures.
  • Motion sensors or timers in hallways and storage rooms.
  • Goal: 1–2 lamps per actively used room, not all light sources at once.

Step 4: Washing machine and dryer—lower temperature, less runtime

In winter, there’s often more laundry (thick clothes, bedding). In family households, this is where big differences show up between efficient and habitual use.

• Batch loads
  • Instead of small loads every day, plan full drums, e.g., 3–4 large loads per week.
  • Full loads significantly reduce kWh per pound/kilogram of laundry.
• Lower the temperature
  • Where possible, go from 60°C to 40°C and from 40°C to 30°C (check care labels).
  • In typical family households, that saves 5–10 kWh/month, or about 2–3.50 euros.
• Use the dryer intentionally
  • Use it only for towels, bedding, or emergencies (when things must dry fast).
  • Dry everything else consistently on a drying rack with good airflow, ideally in the warmest room.
  • Even cutting dryer use in half typically saves 15–20 kWh/month—at 0.35 euros/kWh that’s 5–7 euros/month.

Step 5: Optimize the kitchen—refrigerator, dishwasher, kettle

Older-building kitchens often have older refrigeration units, plus dishwashers and kettles. These offer easy savings with no loss of comfort.

• Refrigerator and fridge-freezer combo
  • Set the refrigerator temperature to 44–45°F (7°C) (instead of 39–41°F / 4–5°C).
  • Defrost regularly as soon as a thick layer of ice builds up.
  • Don’t put hot food straight into the fridge; let it cool to room temperature first.
  • Keep the door open only as long as necessary; keep the interior organized.
  • These simple measures typically save 5–10 kWh/month.
• Dishwasher
  • Run it only when fully loaded; avoid half-empty cycles.
  • Use the eco program—it runs longer but saves electricity and water.
  • Skip pre-rinsing normally soiled dishes; just scrape off large leftovers.
  • Result: about 8 kWh/month less, i.e., roughly 3 euros/month with normal use.
• Electric kettle
  • Heat only the amount of water you actually need (one mug instead of a full kettle).
  • Descale regularly, because limescale increases energy use.
  • Example: cutting 4 kWh/month equals about 1.40 euros/month.

Step 6: Cut standby power and small devices intentionally

Standby consumption adds up quickly over winter—especially when multiple entertainment devices are in use.

• Use power strips with switches
  • Plug TV, console, receiver, sound system, and, if not needed at night, the router into one shared strip.
  • Switch the strip fully off in the evening or when you’re away.
  • Savings potential per the table: up to 10 kWh/month and about 3.50 euros/month for a single-person household, more for families.
• Use timers
  • For lights in hallways, living rooms, or outdoor areas that otherwise stay on too long.
  • For the router or other devices that can safely be turned off overnight (e.g., 12–6 AM).
• Charging cables and power bricks
  • Unplug chargers right after charging, or group them on a switched power strip.
  • Each individual saving is small, but in winter it adds up—especially in larger households.

Step 7: Create a mini winter budget in your household ledger

To make sure the savings show up not only on the bill but also in your budget, set up a small, clearly defined winter electricity budget.

1. Set a monthly electricity buffer
   • Create a category in your household ledger or personal finance app: Winter electricity buffer.
   • Buffer size based on household size:
   • Single: 20–30 euros/month
   • Couple: 30–45 euros/month
   • Family: 40–60 euros/month
2. Offset savings using the master table
   • Using the master table, estimate which three to five actions you will reliably implement (e.g., limit space heater use, switch lighting to LED, cut dryer use in half).
   • Add up the euro amounts listed there for your household type.
   • Example family: €17.50 (space heater) + €7 (lighting) + €8 (dryer) + €3.50 (dishwasher) ≈ 36 euros/month.
   • Enter this amount as the expected winter savings in your financial plan.
3. Monthly review of your payment amount
   • Once a month, record your meter reading and compare it to the prior month.
   • If your real consumption stays consistently below the level you previously assumed, you can later evaluate whether adjusting your monthly payment with your utility makes sense.
   • This helps prevent large true-up bills and actively incorporates saved amounts into your household planning.

Step 8: Older-building-specific checks—seal drafts instead of heating nonstop

Especially in older buildings, drafts and poorly sealing windows can drive heating costs up. Small insulation measures help further reduce the need for electric space heaters.

• Find leaky spots
  • Run your hand along window frames and doors, especially on windy days—noticeable airflow indicates weak points.
  • Look for visible gaps, crumbling seals, and loose window handles.
• Simple sealing on a small budget
  • Self-adhesive weatherstripping for windows and doors (foam or rubber).
  • Door bottom seals or classic draft stoppers for apartment doors.
  • Typical cost level: usually 20–60 euros in materials for a 2–3 room older-building apartment.
• Cost-benefit comparison
  • If sealing reduces your space-heater usage by, for example, 20–30 kWh/month, you save 7–10.50 euros/month.
  • That means simple sealing measures often pay for themselves within one to two heating seasons, in addition to improving comfort.

Conclusion: Cutting winter electricity in an older building means linking habits, tech, and budgeting

For households in older buildings, winter electricity costs can mainly be reduced through three levers: limiting supplemental electric heating, systematically replacing inefficient lighting, and optimizing how you use the washing machine, dryer, and kitchen appliances. The master table shows that realistic savings of 25–70 euros per month—depending on household size—are achievable if you consistently implement a handful of measures. By combining this with a clearly defined winter electricity budget in your household ledger, you keep consumption and costs under control and can make a well-founded adjustment to your monthly payment over time.