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An energy company that hiked bills by 18 per cent last year told customers today to cut their gas and electricity costs by giving up tea, showering with other people, going to bed early and playing Monopoly.

First Utility — Britain’s biggest independent energy firm, with 120,000 customers — says households should follow the “5:2 energy diet” based on the principles of the popular weight-loss programme.

The company, which charges Britons an average £1,120 for dual fuel each year, advises customers: “Just stick to the low-usage energy plan on fast days, then use what you like on the other five and you could save an average of £154 a year on your energy bills.”

Its suggestions include: “Shower together. It can save you £34 a year — just ask permission from the other person first! With the average time in the shower being 10 minutes, there would be a cost of 33p per shower. By showering together for 104 days you will save 104 showers, or £34.32.”

First Utility also proposes that customers “opt for an early night”. The company says: “It’s up to you what you do but putting out the lights and turning off the box can save you £18 a year — and it could be lots of fun.”

Giving up caffeine is another suggestion. “Cut down on tea and coffee and don’t boil the kettle,” the firm advises. “We won’t debate the health benefits but simply staying away from a hot drink twice a week could save you approximately £10 a year.”

It says Britons boil the kettle around about 1542 times per year, or 4.22 times a day. “Each time you make a cup of coffee it costs around 2p to boil the kettle. Consequently, over 104 days you would expect to save £8.79.”

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Other ideas include cooking in bulk and microwaving meals for two nights a week as “the microwave is a far more efficient way to heat food than the oven and cooking in bulk could save you £20 a year”. The company also suggests customers should read rather than watching TV - “it could save you £12 a year” or “play Monopoly, or any other family game.”

The energy firm explains on the two so-called ‘fast’ days households should “gather together and play a game. Not only do you get some quality family time, but assuming you don’t have multiple TVs or games consoles/computers running you could save £22 a year.”

Last year the chief executive of First Utility, Ian McCaig, told Britons to turn their heating down. “When did it become OK to walk around our houses in shorts and T-shirts in the middle of winter?” he asked. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

Shadow Energy Minister Tom Greatrex said the advice was an “insult” to millions of people struggling to pay their bills.

Mr Greatrex said: “Rising energy bills really aren’t a laughing matter and cause genuine hardship for millions of people.

“Issuing ridiculous advice, however tongue in cheek, will insult and annoy many consumers who are struggling to heat and power their homes this winter. Instead, they should be helping customers make their homes more energy efficient. The time has come for a complete overhaul of the energy market.”

Watchdog Consumer Futures said: “Fuel Poverty levels in the UK are extremely high with 6.5 million households affected. More needs to be done to help consumers, ideally through a robust and well targeted energy efficiency programme.”

Mark Todd, of comparison site Energy Helpline, said: “The really big issues for cutting energy bills is how you heat the house. Heating costs are about £600 a year. So sharing a shower might save you a few pence, but it’s not a major saver. And you’ll need to beware the relationship issues of your money-saving shower - if you’re sharing a flat it’s not going to be much of an option.”

In a statement First Utility said it was "committed to offering a low-price alternative" in the energy market, adding it "consistently offered some of the cheapest tariffs".

It said its latest advice to customers aimed to help "customers use less energy" by "shedding some light on what different activities cost."

It said: "These tips are meant to provide some advice as to how we might reduce our energy usage and absolutely not intended to trivialise the issue of fuel poverty, something we take very seriously."