Some ideas on how you can beat the winter blues, save money and keep warm

If, like me, you’re worried about the coming winter months, and how you’ll afford your heating bills, then you’re not alone. New analysis from Citizens Advice shows 1 in 4 (24%) people in the UK simply won’t be able to afford to pay their energy bills in October based on current forecasts. This is double the number already financially suffering ahead of the price cap rise.
In fact, more than 1.7 million UK households are planning to strike on payments from 1 October, according to a recent Opinium Research survey, representing 6% of the country.
But you don’t need to be an activist to take action, as there are some fairly straightforward and easy ways to stay warm this winter and save electricity, without boycotting paying your heating bills!
Heat the human, not the room
As Martin Lewis from Money Saving Expert says, ‘heat the human, not the room’. The foundation of this advice is that we don’t need to heat the entire house to stay warm - that's a sure way to haemorrhage cash this winter.
"It really will become a matter of choosing between heating and eating." – Martin Lewis
If you’ll be using central heating, then the first step to save electricity is to turn off radiators in rooms you’re not immediately using. The second step to save money is to find ways of heating the space around you without using your central heating system.
Here are some ideas and products that can help you to save money on your heating bills this winter.
Tip #1 - Invest in an electric heater
We love this Wärme electric panel heater, which you can control and programme from your phone. It proves that electric heaters can be sleek and attractive after all, and has even been recommended by Architecture Art Design Magazine!
This Dreo Space Heater is a slightly cheaper option to the wall panel heater, and it’s a fast heating ceramic tower - making you feel like you’re in a warm, quiet library.
Tip #2 - Get a hot water bottle
Another tried and tested way of staying warm this winter is the classic hot water bottle. But why settle for some garish old rubber thing when you could go plush? This unusual and extra long 2L hot water bottle comes with a soft fur cover in slate grey.
Another hot water bottle set which also looks fantastic - you get a large 1L water holder, a lovely soft cover, and a plush waist cover so that you can use it around your waist, shoulders and neck.
If you can’t be bothered to keep boiling the kettle every few hours to refill your hot water bottle, then maybe the next idea to save electricity this winter is for you. This Livivo electric heated thermal therapy heat pad is not only great for keeping you warm all year round, but it’s also great for sufferers of shoulder and neck pain, and arthritis. It looks great with a super soft microfleece cover.
A similar alternative is this soft cover electric heating pad, which looks a little like a trendy gilet, and instantly heats your back, neck and shoulders for immediate relief from the cold. Goodbye, awful British winter...hello, feeling like I'm sitting on a beach in the Caribbean.
Tip #3 - Electric foot warmers and blankets
We’ve been thinking of getting one for these for ages, and with the cost of living crisis looming, now seems to be the time. The Beurer Cosy Foot Warmer looks like it would live up to its name, and fits up to a size 12.5 shoe. If you’ll be working at a home office or doing a lot of sitting down this winter, then it could be the perfect thing to keep you warm.
Electric blankets have been around for years, and are clearly here to stay. There’s nothing quite like getting into a nice toasty bed, so why not invest in a lovely teddy fleece electric blanket and make the most of staying warm this winter!
Amazon’s Choice right now is the Silentnight comfort control electric blanket - for under £50 you can transform your freezing cold bed into a warmth haven that you just won’t want to leave.
Alternatively, this stylish extra large CosiHome heated throw can be used in the bedroom or living room, and is a low cost way of keeping warm and saving money on your heating bills.
Tip #4 - Wrap up warm: add layers, thermal socks and blankets
This sounds like an obvious one to help save electricity, because it is! By adding thin layers to your outfit, you trap warm air close to your body, thereby keeping you much warmer this winter.
We like the look of these thermal Heat Holder socks, which can keep your extremities warm in the colder months.
There’s no better way to keep warm organically than by getting yourself this luxurious reversible Sherpa fleece throw blanket, which comes in a range of sizes and brings you ultimate softness and warmth - we’re imagining some cosy afternoons in front of your favourite Christmas films, snuggled up under one of these.
Or a cheaper alternative is this Bedsure blanket, which is fluffy, warm and perfect for indoor and outdoor use in chilly weather.
Tip #5: Keep the cold out
In many ways, the first place to start when trying to stay warm this winter would be to reduce the amount of heat that is being lost through draughty windows or leaky door seals.
If your property suffers from old sash windows or doors, this Duck Indoor Window Insulation Kit looks like a great way of reducing heat loss and saving money. The cost-saving pack is suitable for 10 windows, is home-smart and earth friendly!
Whilst Edwina Currie’s recent advice on radiator foil wasn’t massively well-received, SuperFOIL have created this Radical Radiator insulation which is super easy to install and reflects over 95% of heat back into the room.
You could also look at the seals of your windows and doors with very easily (and cheaply) install this transparent silicone draught excluder, for very little money.
Tip #6: Upgrade your duvet
If you’re used to proper ‘adulting’, then you’ll be used to changing your duvets with the seasons. For anyone struggling through the winter with their 10 tog summer duvet, then please, we beg you: for under £30 you can get a proper cosy night’s sleep with this slumber down anti allergy 13.5 tog winter duvet - the #1 choice in duvets on Amazon. You won’t regret it!
Tip #7: Avoid the booze

Turning to the bottle might help you stay warm for a bit, but once that hangover kicks in, you’ll be full of regret. It’s actually much cheaper (and healthier) to look for other ways to stay warm, like the electric blankets, electric foot warmers and shoulder warmers on this page.
Tip #8: Make warming food and drink

Again, an obvious one, because who in their right mind really fancies a salad in the winter? By cooking up big batches of stews and soups with seasonal veg, you’ll be keeping warm this winter in the best possible way - through good food! Underneath are some great appliances to help you do that.
Tip #9: Don’t use the oven or hob - get an air fryer, slow cooker or microwave!
Related to the last tip on keeping warm this winter, by ignoring traditional ways of cooking your food and getting yourself an air fryer, slow cooker or microwave, you’ll be saving a noticeable amount of money in no time.
Air fryers are much more energy-efficient than most convection ovens because they cook food much faster, though they do use electricity which is typically more expensive than gas.
Katie McAuliffe, reporter for the Manchester Evening News, put the two appliances head to head to determine whether it really is cheaper to use an air fryer.
The results were that air fryers cost 20p to use for 15 minutes, whereas a fan oven cost 42p to use for 41 minutes (11 minutes heating up, 30 minutes to cook).
For an entry-level air fryer under £100, go for this Cosori XXL Air Fryer version at only £99.99.
If you’ve a little more to invest, then Ninja are one of the best makes out there, and this Ninja Foodi Multicooker is actually a multi-cooker, so you can air fry, pressure cook, grill, steam, bake, roast and slow cook - an amazing bit of kitchen kit that will make you wonder how you lived for so many years without.
For lovers of low maintenance cooking, the ability to leave a gadget to cook the dinner while you go about your day is the ultimate win - slow cookers are simple and user-friendly, usually requiring no more set up than plugging it in. They score highly on energy efficiency too.
In our experience, it’s better to opt for a larger model if you can afford one, as the smaller 3.5L ones soon get full, and you can’t batch cook as much. For style and simplicity, this Morphy Richards 6.5L easy cooker looks like it would be perfect.
According to USwitch, slow cookers are among the kitchen’s most energy-efficient appliances. According to research by energy supplier Utilita, Slow cookers cost roughly 16p a day, or £59 annually to run. This puts their daily cost 87p a day to run an electric cooker, adding up to £26.38 a month, or £316 a year. A cheaper option is an air fryer, which costs just 14p a day to people’s energy bills, or £52 a year. Microwaves are the cheapest option, costing only an estimated 8p a day to use, or £30 annually.
Tip #10: Stay active

It’s tempting to curl up all day in an attempt to stay warm this winter, but another much healthier option is to get up onto your feet and move around. By getting some exercise you can help stay warm and potentially use less heating, so it’s actually a great way to save electricity too.
Tip #11: Check if you can get support

If you’re really struggling to find the money to pay your bills this winter, you can get help. You might be able to take advantage of certain benefits, grants and help offered by the government and energy suppliers.
Tip #12: Check your heating system

Have you had your boiler or heating system serviced recently? It’s a legal requirement to have a gas safety certificate every year, but by servicing your boiler or replacing it, it will make your home and energy much more efficient.
Tip #13: Lower your thermostat

Households could potentially save up to £128 over the year by turning the thermostat down by one degree, according to Uswitch.
The Committee on Climate Change recommends thermostats are set no higher than 19°C in the battle to combat global warming.
Thanks for reading!
Hopefully this article on how to stay warm this winter has given you some ideas on saving money. Have you got any others that we've missed? Feel free to comment below!
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