Winter has arrived and it’s rainy and cold. At this time of year, there are plenty of people telling what you should do – insulation, solar panels, upgrade your boiler – but these things take time. So here at MoneyTowers, we’ve compiled a list of things you can do today to help keep yourself warm and reduce those heating bills this winter:

- Let in the light!: The sun will help to warm a cold room, so while the sun is shining, open the curtains. This is particularly effective for south facing windowed rooms. Close the curtains when it gets dark to save the warmth.
- Cover up cold floors with rugs: This is particularly good for wooden and stone floors which can feel incredibly cold. Rugs will keep your feet a lot warmer than the bare boards!
- Block drafts: If you have a drafty door, put a blanket in front of it. If you have drafty windows, shut the blinds to the level of the draft so the draft doesn’t enter the room. Eliminating drafts can minimise heat loss from a house, therefore making it feel warmer.
- Get a portable heater: These generally use less electricity and power than a normal central heating system. They may take a while to warm up, but when they do, they are a cheap way to heat a small area.
- Put a jumper on: Long sleeved tops, jumpers and warm trousers should be worn indoors. These will keep you feeling toasty without having to put the heating on. Slippers or finger-socks are also a brilliant way of keeping your feet warm.
- Programmable thermostat: These are really easy to install and they can help cut your heating costs by up to 50% without a noticeable difference.
- Electric Blankets: Use one of these when you are about to go to bed to make the bed nice and cosy. If you are prone to getting cold in the night, keep it on all night. An electric blanket is cheaper to run than heating the entire room.
- Unused rooms should be closed: There is no need to heat them, so turn the radiators off in them. If your house is drafty, remember to use a blanket to ensure the heat stays in the parts of the house you are using the most.

In the long-run, we suggest that you look at making your entire house more energy efficient by install insulation in both the wall cavities, but also around things such as your water heater and ducting.

There are also companies which can look at your house for you and make recommendations as to what you can do to make your house more energy efficient and reduce energy bills. Please click here if you would like to see our recommended companies.

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