During the winter months we all feel the pinch, with those expensive heating bills, office parties and all the trappings of the festive season. Yet there are ways to save money this winter so you can enjoy your hard earned money to its maximum – here are ten to help you out…
1) Staying in is the new going out
Enjoy a night in rather than spending a fortune on taxi fares, food and drink and a new outfit. Instead of going out clubbing or the casino, gather your friends round and keep warm indoors playing some games online. You can replicate the feelgood ‘going out’ mood within your own four walls.
You can even host your own dinner party. Try out some new recipes and impress your friends.
2) Make sure your home is insulated
Reduce your heating bills by ensuring the heat stays securely in your home and doesn’t disappear out of the windows and walls. You could save hundreds of pounds a year by insulating your loft or with cavity wall insulation.
3) Pump it up
Ensure your car tyres are at the correct pressure as the temperature outside drops.
Checking your tyre pressure reduces the chances of a blowout or other serious tyre malfunctions, which can be costly to repair. The wrong tyre pressure also affects your car’d performance, which means you could be spending more at the petrol pumps.
4) Enjoy a cheaper cuppa
Your kettle is one of the most expensive home appliances to run and in the winter months we often stay at home longer enjoying lots more warm drinks. To save money don’t fill the kettle to the top – simply use your cup to measure the right amount to be heated. The kettle will boil quicker and use a far smaller amount of electricity.
5) Shut the door
Close off unused rooms in your house. We all have a spare room or space in our house that we don’t use for much of the time. So to save a few extra pounds make sure you close that room off and turn the temperature down if not off.
6) In the pipeline
Find out where your stopcock is located. If the weather changes and gets very cold you could end up with frozen pipes bursting. If you know where to look and know how to turn off your stopcock then it could prevent a flood which can be very costly to repair.
7) Keep wrapped up
When you’re spending your time at home wear layers of clothes. Add an extra base layer of clothing and put on an extra thick jumper to save on turning up the heating.
8) Gift planning
It’s easy to get carried away with presents so make a list of gifts and try not to stray from what you have planned to spend. Don’t get your head turned by extra offers online or in stores.
9) Get crafty
Make your own presents that will be significantly cheaper to produce and a lot more satisfying for your friend or loved one to receive something that you’ve spent time on. The same goes for cards too.
10) Switch it off
During the festive season many of us like to get into the Christmas spirit and decorate our homes with lights. The best way to save money when doing this is to turn off lights when you are not in the room and switch all your old lights to LED bulbs as these last for a greater amount of time.
