House prices are higher than ever, and first time buyers are struggling to even get onto the property ladder. The number of mortgages available to customers has decreased by two-thirds, while interest rates have rocketed in recent months, leaving the 1.4-million homeowners whose fixed-rate mortgages end in the coming twelve months with a lot of head-scratching and nail-biting to do. Food bills increase, while we're chastised for not eating more expensive organic food. Petrol continues to set records for expense - we're going nowhere fast!

There's no doubt about it - it's an expensive age we live in. But haven't we missed something? Oh yes; energy. Domestic fuel costs are becoming one of Britain's biggest expenditures, and recent rises in gas prices - considering the dismal list of economic problem areas listed above - couldn't have come at a worse time.

It has been reported that gas and electricity customers in 2006 spent a whopping £8 billion more on their energy than in 2003 - that's an increase of 60%. And with prices still steadily rising now, and none of the big providers avoiding hiking prices, the average energy customer's annual bill is creeping ever closer to the £1,000 mark.

It is little wonder, then, that the number of people in ‘fuel poverty' - those paying over ten per cent of their income on energy bills - is set to rise this year to over 3-million.

So what can we do? Really, there are two approaches we can take in our search for a cheaper fuel bill. Firstly, we can take matters into our own hands, and strive to make ourselves, and our homes, more energy-efficient. Simple things like using energy efficient light bulbs, installing a new, energy efficient boiler, or insulating an uninsulated loft can save money, and has the added bonuses of saving the environment; it can also be a key selling point when it comes to moving home. If you're planning to take this route, there are also grants available to home-improvers, provided by the government, energy suppliers and local authorities.

The second approach is to compare gas prices and to switch to the supplier that offers the best value for money. For a family of four, living in a three-bedroom house, experts estimate that savings of £200 can be made, just by switching providers. And now, with helpful Internet sites dedicated to helping you find out how much you could save (many offer cost calculators that tell you the best deal for you based on area, your current bills and various possible providers), and with more energy providers committed to sorting out the switch on your behalf, it's never been easier to switch to a better deal.

It's no wonder 50% of Britons have switched already!

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