Winter is that time of year where it’s easy to feel a bit of financial pressure. Keeping your home warm, getting ill occasionally due to the cold weather, hosting plenty of Christmas parties, not to mention loads of Christmas shopping are just some of the things we spend a fortune on during the winter season.
Luckily, there is a way to get some respite from all this spending and that’s to do with lowering your energy bills. With a few simple tips, you can save quite a bit of money—money that should be spent on better things such as outings with your family or shopping of course!
LOWER YOUR THERMOSTAT A BIT
This may sound like the opposite of what you want to do in the winter but lowering your thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees can greatly reduce your energy bills. Gradually make these small adjustments so you can get used to the change and soon you’ll hardly feel the difference!
Lower the heating during the night when you’ll be asleep or during times you’ll be out of the house. Better yet, if you’re away, turn off the heating and have it turn back on before you arrive home. You can use a programmable or smart thermostat to time it perfectly to your schedule.
MAKE YOUR HOME MORE COSY
When you lower your heating by a couple of degrees, it’s also time to make your home feel cosier! Hang thicker curtains to help trap hot air in your home. Switch out your thin blankets for warm duvets, place a few luxurious rugs throughout your home, and throw some throws on your sofa. You can never have too many throws!
Get out all your warm accessories. Winter is a good excuse to wrap yourself in blankets and relax at home, so take advantage of it!
CHECK UP ON YOUR HEATING
A significant cause of exorbitant energy bills is a poorly-functioning central heating system. Check on your boiler and radiators to make sure they are working properly with no cold spots anywhere. For the more technical aspects, you’ll need to get a professional to inspect and service your boiler.
With regular servicing and checks, you’ll maximise the efficiency of your central heating. This will also prevent major malfunctions and breakdowns in the future. The benefits of regular checkups definitely outweigh the costs here.
HARNESS THE POWER OF THE SUN
Even though you should use thicker curtains to help keep your home warm, don’t be afraid to open them up once in a while. During the day, especially when it’s bright and sunny, let in the sunlight.
This is basically free heating so let the sun flood your home and warm up your rooms. Once the sun goes down, close your curtains once again to trap that heat. Your home will be feeling warm and cosy through the day and night.
SEAL THINGS IN
Make it easier for your central heating system by making sure there are no draughts in your home. Take a bit of time to walk through your house and feel for cold air entering where it shouldn’t. These are usually the edges of your windows, doors, keyholes, letterboxes, electrical fittings, and loft hatches.
Apply easy-to-use adhesive draught excluders to seal off these gaps. If you are into DIY, you can make your own cute draught excluders. By blocking any gaps and holes, you’ll keep the cold air out and the hot air in so you don’t have to crank your heating up so high.
Are you eager to save money this winter? Do you have any other tips for lowering your energy bills in the winter?
*Disclosure: This is a Collaborative Post
Thanks for stopping by,
Love you all ❤️
Franca 💋
We have our heating on timed, it really helps with the savings
I find that if you keep your feet warm with thick socks (which I knit) and cosy slippers, it really helps the rest of your body to stay warm. Another way to reduce energy bills – don’t run the tap until the water gets hot and then have to add cold at the end to cool it down! Use the cold water at the start. It will save you a lot of water and heat too.
Some very handy tips there, I always dread the heating bill after a cold winter.
We have our heating on timer so it comes on about an hour before we wake up and warms the house and goes off shortly after we leave for work and again before we get home and before going to bed. I do love a cosy home. We have a lovely open fire and it is the best feeling to be sat in front of that reading my book! Doesn’t get any better.
We leave our heating on all winter and adjust the thermostats for each room. It saves money because the boiler doesnt have to stop and start all the time and our house stays lovely and cosy all winter
Oh this is very interesting! I might do that too! 😉
Valuable advice we had a new boiler fitted a gew years ago amazed how much weve saved