Electricity costs are rising more and more, so everyone is looking for ways to reduce energy consumption levels at home and at work.

Bright Ideas, Athlone, can help reduce electricity consumption in your home. How? Read about it here!

1. Upgrade your bulbs
Replacing the old fashioned incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs is just the beginning. You have probably heard that you should switch your light bulbs to LEDs. It’s one of those pieces of advice that you hear so often that you probably forget where your first heard it or how long it’s been on your to do list. It’s also probably still near the bottom of that list.
Most of us already have working light bulbs at home, and LEDs tend to cost a little more to buy, so it might feel like there’s no urgency to make the change. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth swapping out all of your bulbs in one go. Let’s take a look at the reasons to move to LED light bulbs.
For most people, lighting accounts for around 11% of your electricity bills and switching your halogen light bulbs to energy efficient LEDs can cut those lighting costs by up to 80%. In other words; the savings with LEDs add up fast.
For each light bulb you replace with an LED light bulb, you will see immediate savings on your energy bill. While LEDs are often a little more expensive than their halogen counterparts, that cost is offset by a reduction in your bills. On average, you could save around €7 a year for every light bulb you change.
LED light bulbs don’t just save money in the short term either. The average LED bulb will last up to ten times longer than a Halogen bulb. A conventional bulb has a lifetime of about 2,000 hours while standard LED light bulbs have a lifetime up to 20,000 hours. Longer lasting bulbs mean fewer replacements and lower overall cost to light your home.
One other reason some people have been reluctant to move to ‘energy saving’ light bulbs is that they remember the first time they tried an original ‘energy saving’ compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb. And how long it took for it to actually light the room. LEDs are different. They light up instantly and can produce the same colour and intensity of light as your old halogens. In fact, you can now buy smart LED bulbs that allow you to control the intensity and colour of the light from your smartphone. Whether you’re setting the mood in the living room or looking for task lighting in the kitchen, LEDs have it covered.
LED light bulbs use up to 85% less electricity than traditional light bulbs and 95% of that energy is converted to light with only 5% wasted as heat. Not only does that energy efficiency save money on your bills, it also reduces your impact on the environment. They are also mercury free, making them more environmentally friendly all around. To help make the change over Bright Ideas have a price reduction on the top selling led bulbs with prices starting from only €2 for limited time.

2. Programmers
If you use Floor and Table lamps around you home, a plug in timer is recommended. It is a socket adapter with a 24-hour digital programmer that allows to programme turning on and off of any device, . It allows to plan working hours of any electrical device

3. Motion detectors
Lights that illuminate corridors, vestibules and stairways account for a significant share of the electricity bill. These areas can be fitting with step luminaires, with integrated motion sensors. As soon as a household member approaches the edge of the steps, they will activate the lighting or part of it and leave it on as long as there is any movement in the detectors' zone. Similar solution can be implemented at any point in the house that does not require continuous lighting for example, in toilets, hallways or storage rooms.

A stand-alone motion detectors will be useful wherever light is needed frequently but only for a moment, both inside and outside the house. It is a universal motion detector with a maximum detection range of up to 10 metres. You can adjust the lighting duration and intensity at which the sensor turns on the light yourself, adapting it to the parameters of natural light. It means that the sensor will activate the connected lights when it is dark, and on a sunny day the sensor will not turn on the lights unnecessarily. This will reduce electricity consumption and increase the lifespan of your lighting. You can successfully use them outdoors, but also in places where we often forget to turn off the light - such as dressing room.

3. Rechargeable lighting

In deep cupboards or wardrobes and under kitchen units, it is possible to install ready-made LED rechargeable strips, which are battery-powered and have integrated movement sensors. This way, you won't have to turn on the overhead light when taking things out of the wardrobe. These strips are rechargeable with USB and light for up to 50 hours on one charge. The strips will sufficiently illuminate the furniture surface and electricity consumption will be minimal.
Bright Ideas also stock rechargeable table lamps

4. Free electricity
Having a garden, we also want it to be illuminated. The bigger the garden, the more light we need to make it look good. To be economical, garden lighting should meet several conditions. It should be LED, have a movement sensor and the electricity should be free. Yes, there are lights like this - you don't even need to have wiring set up for them and they're not battery operated lights, just real garden lighting, Solar LED light fitting series stores solar energy during the day to light up the space around your house at night. You can also choose from 3 lighting levels and enjoy free energy all year round. The Solar light available at
Bright Ideas comes wall mounted and on post 500mm tall costing €49

Switching to LEDs may be on the list of things you’ll get to eventually. After you get through the pile of other ‘to-dos’ that all feel just as urgent. However, it is worth pushing it to the top of the list. You’ll see the difference in your bills straight away, and it’s hard to beat that feeling of knowing you have done something positive for the environment.

Visit Bright Ideas showrooms in Athlone for the right advice and to view the various options available.