5 tips on staying warm (without adding to heating bills)

Heating your home is essential during the winter months and having a steady heat can also help limit issues with condensation, damp, and mould. But with energy bills rising steeply, many of us will be looking at ways to stay warm without breaking the bank. 
 
As part of our Money Matters campaign, we are back with some nifty tricks to consider whatever your age.

1. Wear the right clothing

Whether it’s fleece-like attire, thermal undergarments, or simply the number of layers, wearing the right clothing can stop blood from being diverted from the extremities when your body gets colder.

• Polyester is the ideal material for your inner layer
• Avoid cotton, which is ineffective at keeping moisture away from your skin
• Investing in a woolly hat and a fluffy pair of slippers can help your top and bottom retain more heat for longer

2. Push warm air lower

Many of us have ceiling fans but how many people know they can be useful in the winter as well as the summer?

• Reverse the direction of the fan in the winter
• A fan in reverse will actually push the warm air near the ceiling back down

3. Maximise that warmth

When the sun goes down;

• Maximise warmth by drawing curtains or using draught stoppers on your doors and windows. If you can’t get hold of any of them, old clothing garments can also work well in keeping that chilly breeze out.
• Closing doors to any rooms you don’t use can help to concentrate the warmth within your home and you can get hold of a good quality hot water bottle for around a tenner, a worthwhile investment

4. Gentle exercises

Doing gentle exercise, even around the home, will warm the body and pump blood around – plus it’s good for our mental wellbeing! Find a happy balance, though, because if you generate too much heat and start to sweat, your body will lose heat and therefore become colder faster.

• Try small-scale exercise, even if it’s just by doing those dreaded household chores

5. Cooking from fresh

Preparing a nice home cooked meal or baking a cake will help heat your kitchen, often one of the most used rooms in any household.

• If you’ve used the oven, instead of shutting the door after taking out your food, leave it open for 10 minutes to let some additional heat into the home
• Heating your body from the inside through cups of tea and coffee (in moderation) or by eating a tasty soup can also be a cost-effective way to stay warm

If you want any further advice, please head over to the My Money area of our website for lots of helpful tips on everything from debt and benefits to budgeting and maximising your income. If you have concerns about heating your home, please speak to your neighbourhood coach as we are always here to help.