As the ongoing credit crunch has meant a reduction in monetary resources as of late, many are now turning to appliances that will help save money on their bills.

Everything from water-saving kettles to laundry balls have seen an increase in sales as more of us are beginning to become wary of how much energy we are using.

It may seem a bit paranoid at first, but keeping an eye on your energy levels can be beneficial for keeping an eye on the cost of your utilities – as well as saving you some money in the process.

One of the most popular appliances are units which will calculate the level of energy used by taking readings from your meter, and warning you when you’re using too much.

Energy meters are sold in easy-to-assemble kits, the sensor itself clips to the cables on your meter or fuse box and uses wireless signals to communicate with the battery-powered base unit, which can be placed anywhere in the house.

Throughout the day, the sensor takes readings of how much electricity you are using. Depending on the mode you select on the base unit, it’ll tell you how much electricity you are using in monetary terms as well as kilowatts.

By keeping a tab on how much you are using, you could save money on your gas and electricity billsby keeping an eye on your levels of energy use.

Some units will even come with software you can install onto your home computer, with the option of viewing comparisons of your energy uses through graphs and charts, allowing you to see how much you energy you’ve used over a period of time.

As gas and electricity prices continue to rise, investing in an energy meter can certainly help you to keep an eye on how much you are spending on excess energy and save yourself some much needed money.