6 Cheap garden lighting ideas to illuminate your exterior and save money

Summer is upon us, and you may be thinking about relaxing in your back garden, inviting friends over for BBQs or enjoying your budding flower beds. Why not create an outdoor space that you can enjoy and relax in, day or night? One of the main ways you can transform your garden into a welcoming and cosy environment is to incorporate garden lighting into your outdoor living space.

However, not everyone has the budget to create a lighting landscape design, and no one wants their energy bills to soar. So, we’ve assembled a list of five ways to light your garden for less, with ideas that will help you enjoy garden lighting without using excessive electricity.

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How much do outdoor lights cost to run in the UK?

It’s challenging to determine the average running cost of outdoor lights for the entire UK, as people use their lights for a different number of hours a day, and they also have different lighting types, which need varying levels of power.

So that you can control what you will spend on running your garden lighting scheme, you can work out how much energy you will use and how much it will cost using this equation.

The cost of running lights depends on the wattage of each individual bulb. So to work out how much it will cost to run your outdoor lights, you will need to know the wattage of each light bulb and the amount your electricity provider is charging for each kWh.

From 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2023, the average cost per kWh in the UK was 33.2p/kWh (pence per kilowatt hour). The formula to determine the cost of running a light bulb is (wattage/ 1000) x hours of use x kWh cost = cost in pence.

Lights with LED bulbs produce more lumens than traditional bulbs at lower wattages, meaning they will be brighter, more cost-effective and last longer.

How can I light my garden without electricity?

Choosing lights that don’t wire into the mains will save you from your electricity bill going up when you install outdoor lighting. Two types of lights don’t use electricity and therefore give you more flexibility when illuminating your garden, either solar lights or battery lights.

1. Solar lights

Solar power lights use energy from the sun during the day and store it in their in-built batteries to illuminate at night. Some solar lights turn on automatically when they sense the sun has gone down, meaning they don’t waste their energy.

You don’t have to wire in these solar lights, so they are easy to install, and you can place them wherever you want and need light or even change their location. There are a few different types of solar lights you can choose. Choose solar table, floor lamps, string or spike lights; these require the least arduous installation. However, you can purchase solar wall lights, path or post lights for a more permanent solution. These lights require mounting, but you won’t have to wire them to the mains.

These eco-friendly garden solar lights will cost you an initial price but then nothing to run. Discover our range of solar garden lighting and find the perfect one that suits your budget.

Are solar garden lights any good?

Solar lights have a bad reputation for being untrustworthy and breaking easily. However, they can last for years, produce hours of bright light and look beautiful if you invest in a decent set.

You also have to accept that even though many good-quality solar lights can charge with cloud cover, they will produce their best light during the summer or after long sunny days. They may also be weather and frost-proof, but they will last longer if you keep them inside during bad weather.

If your solar light stops working, it might not have broken. Solar light batteries will eventually die after two years, so you must replace them to carry on using your solar light.

Also, remember that no solar light will be as bright as mains-powered or battery-powered lights. However, larger solar panels will acquire more energy from the sun and shine brighter.

If you’re satisfied with these caveats, solar lights are a fantastic money-saving solution for lighting your garden.

2. Battery-operated lights

Battery-operated lights are another cost-effective solution to light your garden. Similarly to solar lighting, you don’t have to wire in these lights and pay for expensive outdoor wiring. Without having to wire in these garden lights, you have the freedom and versatility to put them anywhere in the garden, patio or decking and move them around for many different light designs.

Battery-operated lights won’t add to your electricity bill. However, you will need to purchase fresh batteries when they wear out. Alternatively, you can opt for rechargeable battery-operated lights, which will use a small amount of electricity when charging.

How can I light my garden cheaply?

If you want to create a more permanent garden lighting solution, you may have to mount lights or wire them in. If you aren’t a qualified electrician, you must employ a professional to do it for you. Even though these lights will use your mains electricity, there are still ways you can light your garden cheaply, for example, LED, motion-sensor and low-voltage lighting.

3. LED lights

With the advances in LED technology, you can illuminate your exterior for less money. LED lights are more efficient than traditional bulbs and can save up to 90% on your electricity bill. We offer thousands of outdoor lights which use LED bulbs in our collection, so get the perfect lighting scheme while saving money. All the outdoor light fittings at Moonlight Design take LED bulbs so take your pick in our outdoor lighting collection.

4. Motion sensor lighting

Motion sensor lighting can also help you light your garden cheaply. Not only is motion sensor lighting good for security lighting, it only illuminates when necessary.

When the PIR light senses motion, it will light up, giving you light as you pass by and saving energy by not being constantly on.

Look at our range of motion-sensor and PIR lighting and find an exterior light that will help you save money and energy.

5. Low-voltage lighting

Initially developed to facilitate safe outdoor landscape lighting, the technology uses an LED driver or transformer to “step down” the voltage from 230v to 24v, 12v or lower. The driver or transformer is either built into the light fitting or installed separately, but its presence is essential for the light’s operation.

Advantages include safer lighting, low-wattage bulbs, giving you a more diverse range of light fittings and a longer lifespan for your lights, especially with the addition of LED technology. Discover low-voltage lighting here at Moonlight Design.

6. Cheap garden lighting at Moonlight Design

When lighting your garden, even a little goes a long way. Discover our cheap garden lighting for any budget. Select from any range in our outdoor lighting collection like wall lights, porch lights, path lights or whatever you prefer, and toggle the budget bar at the bottom of the side menu to find all the lighting options within your budget.

Light your garden cheaply with Moonlight Design.

With options to suit every budget, we have you covered at Moonlight Design. From energy-efficient lights with LED light bulbs to cost-efficient solutions, you can create a beautiful garden lighting landscape design without your electricity bill skyrocketing. And with our extensive range of affordable lighting options, your initial purchase won’t break the bank. Why not browse our outdoor & landscape lighting today to transform your exterior space or dining area into a sanctuary or entertaining oasis?

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