In the average household, the energy bill is normally one of the single biggest monthly outgoings and rising energy prices mean that's not going to change any time soon. However, even a home energy bill is dwarfed by the energy requirements of even the smallest company so it's very important that businesses make sure that they are paying the right amount of money for their energy. What amounts to small savings when switching residential energy can become a much bigger saving for a big company.

Of course, nobody wants to pay more than they absolutely need to for energy, and the cheaper you can make your energy bills, the more profit your company can make. The good news is that making a few very simple changes to how you approach your energy usage can make a big difference to your overall costs. Here's some of the biggest changes you can make:

Compare and switch business energy - Don't make the mistake of thinking that comparison and switching is something that only benefits residential customers. Business energy price comparison is a vital part of keeping your energy costs low for your company. Where your business is based and the size of your business are the biggest factors in determining how much you'll end up paying, but it's crucial that you shop around. There's a large number of business energy tariffs available from more providers than you might think, and simply going with the first offer or the biggest brand name is unlikely to net you the best deal.

Get a contract - If your business has just started up or recently moved, there's a good chance you may be paying rates on an 'out of contract' basis, which is usually significantly more expensive than average contract rates. You can reduce your energy bills by nearly a third by switching onto a service contract if this is the case, but again, make sure you to compare before you move to any new contract! Always find out the exact renewal date of your supply so that you can make sure to continue to compare and switch at that point, as most business energy providers will automatically place you into a new contract at the end of their existing one unless you opt out.

Switch your lights - It's the classic advice that we've heard over and over again, but when you have a medium or large business, switching to low energy lighting can save thousands of pounds a year. Not only do these bulbs use less energy, they also last over ten times longer so you don't have to worry about replacing them so often. Technology for low energy bulbs has also advanced considerably in the last five years, so don't assume they will be dingy and uninviting until you've tried them out!

Invest in timers - Relying on every single employee to be energy efficient might be noble, but in reality it's probably costing you a great deal of money in energy from devices being left on overnight. Investing in timers that make sure that all computers and electrical devices are switched off outside office hours can ensure that your company remains energy efficient when there's nobody in the office.