With the nights drawing in and the air growing ever colder it’s becoming more and more tempting to turn up the heating, put on the lights, and put the kettle on. This approach can be expensive, and if you’re on a budget you can wind up spending a lot of money on energy bills over the winter months.
Luckily we’ve got you covered, here a few tips to help you make it through the cold and not break the bank.
Insulate your home
One of the most common ways people waste energy is by not having a properly insulated home. Little things like have your loft insulated and getting double glazing put in mean can make a surprising difference. Although it can be expensive initially to get the work done you will be able to save money in the long run as you will need considerably less energy to heat your home.
Light a fire
This one only applies to those with a fireplace obviously, if you are lucky enough to have one in your home then use it when you can. Not only is coal and wood relatively cheap but it also adds to the seasonal spirit and you can’t buy cheer!
Put on a jumper
Wearing warmer clothing during the colder seasons is an easy way to make sure you’re not wasting as much money on heating. Even though Christmas is over a month away you can stay warm and infuriate everyone you live with by wearing an early Christmas jumper.
Set the heating
Although it can be tempting to have the heat running constantly when it gets chilly, it’s not always necessary and can be a huge expense. If you live in a well-insulated house, then you set the heating to come on every couple of hours, or only at time when a lot of people are in the house.
Get out the house
There’s plenty to do around the Christmas season, whether it’s going to check out the Christmas market or going to see those cousins whose names you forget, options are plenty. Make sure your turning everything off when you’re not there and potentially getting an app like Hive, which means you can turn your heating on on the way home to make sure you don’t come back to chilly house.
Keep lids on pots
Although the aroma of whatever dish your cooking up wafting through the house might seem like a pleasant smell, you can achieve the same heat with a fraction of the energy by leaving the lid on, cooking your food quicker and allowing you to turn the stove off sooner.
Warm Home scheme
You could potentially save £140 on your electricity bill with a new scheme brought in by the government. The money isn’t paid to you directly but rather acts a one off discount on your bill between the months of September and March. You can see if you eligible for this scheme by checking https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme
