As energy bills continue to rise, households across the country are seeking ways to reduce their costs this winter. Heating your home and remaining warm can prove quite expensive, but it is something that is necessary once the temperatures drop. However, there are ways you can remain warm without turning on the central heating.
Indoor living experts, Vonhaus, have shared their methods for keeping warm this winter without breaking the bank with your energy bills. They said: “The run-up to Christmas should feel warm and welcoming, not stressful. By swapping a few everyday routines for smarter, cheaper ones, it’s possible to stay comfortable and still save enough for the things that matter most.”
Invest in a heated throw
If you’re sitting in one location, it can be a waste of money to heat the whole house, or even just the room you’re in. Instead, Laura Bradbury, Head of eCommerce at Vonhaus, recommends investing in a heated throw.
She said: “We’ve seen more people using heated throws instead of turning the heating on early. They’re versatile, affordable, efficient, and make a real difference on cold nights, especially when every bill feels higher than the last.”
A 50-watt heated throw, used for eight hours, will cost just 10p a day, totalling £3.15 a month.
Only heat the rooms you’re in
Rather than heating the whole house by using your central heating, you can save money by using a portable heater or oil-filled radiator to just heat the room you’re in.
Oil-filled models warm up quickly and retain heat for a short time after being switched off, using roughly 20-30p per hour, depending on the setting. Just keep them clear of large furniture or long curtains, so the heat can move freely, and close doors so warm air stays where it’s needed
Stop heat escaping
Cold air often slips through gaps under doors, around windows, and through letterboxes, making the room colder and meaning any heater has to work harder. However, this can easily be prevented with some small and cheap changes.
Foam strips, door brushes, and letterbox seals all help, and most cost less than a takeaway coffee, saving between £60 and £100 a year on heating bills.
Focus on hallways and older windows first, where gaps are usually widest. Once these gaps are sealed, rooms will warm up faster and stay that way for longer.
Laura says: “It’s one of the simplest jobs you can do before winter. A few pounds spent on draught-proofing can make a big difference to how warm a room feels and how long the heat lasts.”
