How to keep your bills low this winter - as Ofgem energy price cap rises for millions of homes

As colder nights draw in, MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry shares her tips for keeping your winter energy bills low

We’ve gone from sunny summer days to the mid-September greys, and that means it’s time to think about managing your increased winter energy bills.

The good news is that there are some quick and easy things you can do which could save a significant chunk of cash this winter.

Fix your energy tariff now

The Energy Price Cap goes up on October 1, which means an increase for everyone’s bill. However, it could rise again in the following quarter, adding more to your bill even without you doing anything differently. And this year, we don’t have Government energy payments to help us out.

If you can fix your tariff, do so now. It will give you peace of mind about the energy cap rises, and also help you estimate your bills if you use roughly the same amount of energy each month. If you currently pay on receipt of a bill, consider switching to Direct Debit, too. There is often a surcharge either to the tariff or to the monthly bill for paying on receipt instead of monthly by Direct Debit, which means you’re paying extra for no real reason.

Think about your heating options

Turn the thermostat down for a start! Even reducing one or two degrees Celsius on your thermostat could make a big dent in your rising energy bill. Plan ahead before the cold weather strikes, too: get your boiler serviced now.

A well-maintained boiler will run efficiently during the cold months and is far less likely to break down on you in freezing weather. Servicing your boiler regularly can extend the life of the boiler too, so you won’t have to pay for unexpected boiler repair or replacement costs.

Prepare for the cold now: snap up hot water bottles, extra comfy socks and slippers, and thermal layers. If you work from home and tend to work from a single room, consider investing in a portable heater or even a heated blanket so you don’t need to have your full central heating running all day – keep it for the evenings when the temperature drops further.

Switch to a heated airer

Tumble drying absolutely eats energy, so while it is a great way to make sure your clothes dry in winter months it will also make your energy bills rocket. Try to keep tumble drying to things like bed linens and towels, rather than for everything.

Consider a heated airer instead. Compared to roughly 40p an hour for a tumble dryer, heated airers cost an average of 14p an hour (depending on size and wattage – it could be less for a smaller one).

Cut out draughts

A cold wind breezing through your house is guaranteed to drop the temperature and let heat escape, too. Draught tape is inexpensive and a quick way to reduce breezes through windows and doors.

You can also stuff an old pillow case with newspaper, scrunched up magazine pages, or old plastic bags and place behind your door on the floor to act as a cheap draught excluder.

Turn it off at the wall

When you walk away from your TV at the end of the night, do you flick it off with the remote or do you turn it off at the wall? Leaving things on standby can considerably increase your energy bills without you realising!

There’s a name for this: it’s called Phantom Load. And it doesn’t just apply to your appliances left on standby, either. Do you leave your phone plugged in the whole night to charge while you sleep? It won’t need all that time! Manual plug timers can help reduce the amount of phantom load energy used every month.

While we’re talking of charging things, make sure you actually use the battery of laptops, tablets, and phones before you charge. Once something is charged, unplug it even if you’re still using it! Otherwise you’re continually using energy that you don’t need to use, as the battery can do its job.

Keep an eye out for winter deals

Finally, there is one obvious thing to do to make sure your winter bills stay low: always be aware of deals that can save you money. That might mean deals for switching your energy supplier (especially if you do so through sites like TopCashBack which earn you some money back for switching). Or, it could be where to find winter woollies on sale!

Sign up to newsletters for your favourite retailers, including grocery stores, and keep an eye on offers for items that’ll help you stay warm this winter without boosting your energy bills. Remember, getting a great deal on something like a fluffy jumper that lasts many winters is a good investment in your long-term energy bill reduction!

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