The start of the colder months sparks a lot of excitement for a lot of reasons; Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas, New Year, cosy jumpers, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fairy-lights, hearty food and more! Personally, Autumn and Winter is when I thrive – I absolutely hate Summer so I look forward to these colder months for ages and when they hit, you can be damn sure that I’m going to make the most of them!
It can be tempting to whack the heating on as soon as October 1st hits but it’s not entirely necessary all the time and bills really can shoot up in the colder months when the easiest and most convenient thing to do is pop the heating on. Heating is obviously a necessity in the colder months but before we even go into these tips, you can already save money and compare boiler cover to get the best deal.
There are plenty of things you can do to save energy when the temperature drops and if you’re really serious about it and looking to save money in the long term, one of the home booster sets from complete pump supplies could be an option for you but in the meantime, here are some pretty easy, free and effective things you can do to save energy this Winter!
Stock up on cosy blankets
Autumn and Winter is the perfect time to switch up your home decor and grab some new bits for around the home and what’s more perfect and multi-use than proper cosy blankets that not only make your home look super snug but are also handy to grab when it starts getting a bit chilly.
Layer up!
Instead of heading straight for the thermostat, head for your wardrobe instead. It’s much easier to warm yourself up than cool yourself down so layering up, even when you’re at home is an effective way to save energy and money. And it gives you an excuse to buy lots of cute new jumpers. Win, win!
Cover drafty doors and windows
Drafts can really affect the temperature of a room but they’re also relatively easy to fix. Although maybe not permanently but you can certainly buy draft excluders to use on your doors to keep the draft out and they come in all sorts of cute designs!
Monitor your heating usage
As we’ve said over and over again, putting the heating on isn’t always the most necessary option especially when you’re trying to save energy. But keeping track of how much you use your heating and when you could probably get away without it is useful. Do you need it on all day, every day? Do you turn it off when you go out? Do you turn it off at night? And it’s always worth hiring in insulation installers Pipe Lagging if you’re investing in new systems.
Only heat rooms you use
Probably more relevant if you live in a slightly bigger house but there’s definitely rooms and areas which don’t get used as much as others and if there’s a radiator in those rooms that never get used, what’s the point in heating them?
This is where it’s a good idea to keep track and keep an eye on how much energy you’re actually using, so you can act accordingly and alter things if/when needed. A smart meter can come in really handy for this sort of situation and help you monitor your energy and heating usage.
And don’t forget that if your boiler is very old it could be very inefficient and be costing you a fortune in wasted heat. If you are on a low income you may be entitled to a free boiler upgrade, you can find out at boilergrants.org.uk”
Consider LED Christmas lights
LED Christmas lights use 90% less energy and can cost you nearly 6 times less to run. Maybe try exchanging some of your “regular” Christmas lights for LED this year and save a little bit that way!
Plan your cooking times
There’re even small things you can do on the big day to save some energy if you really want to try and knuckle down with it and planning your cooking times better is a great way to save energy and electricity. This might be a bit challenging, unless you’re really talented in the kitchen but worth looking into!
How do you save energy in the Autumn and Winter months? Any handy hacks which I haven’t mentioned here?
* This post is a collaborative post
[…] water bottle 2. Change your bedding into something fresh 3. Check your boiler is working properly (and get it fixed if not!) 4. Watch a Christmas film 5. Bake something with Christmassy flavours 6. Go to the library and […]
These are nice energy saving tips. Thank you so much for sharing this great information.
Some great tips here! We’ve had some shocking bills sonwill be taking note!
http://littlemissmelanie.com
They can easily pile up can’t they?
I’m a huge fan of the idea of covering up drafty windows. Whether it’s putting plastic up during the winter or just investing in insulating (and pretty!) curtains…keeping the heat in and the cold out is a good energy saving tip.
Rugs are also a great investment option if you don’t have carpeted floors and cozy socks and slippers help you stay warmer when hanging out and lounging as well!
Rugs are a great shout! Plus they feel nice on your feet 🙂
me and Oreo absolutely LOVE blankets!! lol
We live on the ground floor of an apartment block and if they people above us turn on the heating our pipes warm up and we get the heat lol.
Lucky you haha!
Great tips! We have a fire we use a lot in winter xx
Pumpkin Spiced Lattes are absolutely THE best! 🙂 xx
Yes to so many of these! I am all about layering up in Autumn and Winter and several blankets are a must! xxx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
i start switching off lights in the evening and having my led fairy lights and candles to supply light, something about autumn and candles that are a winning combo
I literally have all the blankets ready for when it gets super cold!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Yay! Super cosy!
I love that it’s become colder – I always have a blanket on me! x
http://www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk
Me too! Hot water bottles are a life saver too!
I’m always freezing in winter so I wear as many cosy layers as possible x
Haha thankfully I don’t get too cold, I quite like the cold but I do love a cosy layer!
Great tips there! We had cavity wall insulation done a few years back & that really helped cut down on heating bills. I don’t like to be too warm anyway. I’m that person that has both windows & a fan on all year round, even on the coldest of days. I can’t sleep in a warm room lol 🙂 x
Same! I hate being too warm and the radiator in my bedroom is NEVER on!
Great tips. The best part of summer is fall. 🍁
Agreed!
these are some lovely ideas I love getting underneath a blanket with a hot drink and watching a film. x
Sounds perfect!
This is something I’m definitely thinking about this year, as with moving out of halls I’m now paying based upon what I use rather than a flat rate. These tips are so useful though! I definitely need to look out for some LED fairy lights, because I’ve usually got a few sets on in my room and I didn’t realise they were energy drainers.
Megan // http://www.pixieskiesblog.wordpress.com
Definitely worth looking into alternatives if you pay for what you use! Hope you find some solutions this year 🙂