Christmas has become a time for excess; excess food, drink, gifts and, sadly, excessive heating and electricity bills, too. When you’re splashing out on delicious food and drink, it can seem counter-intuitive to scrimp on the heating and lights. However, there are some very easy ways that you can reduce your heating and electricity bills and reduce the chances of your trip switching going, too.
Check out our simple tips for a warm, bright, but not hideously expensive, Christmas.
- The Littlest Light – Of course, it is lovely to have the Christmas lights on all the time, but traditional lights can add a considerable amount to your normal energy bill. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade: switch your old lights for LED or even solar powered lights and you’ll see your electricity bill drop.
- Some Like It Hot – you don’t want to feel the chill over Christmas, but you nor do you want you, your family and guests melting. With all the cooking, candles and extra guests, you can afford to switch the heating down a notch or too. Or, to put it more bluntly: you can’t afford NOT to.
- Sparkle and Shine – fairy lights twinkly gaily are a big part of Christmas décor, but sometimes, less is more. Try reducing the volume of non-solar light and add plenty of iridescent or reflective decorations instead. These borrow light from other sources, giving plenty of sparkle without you having to pay for it.
- Keep the Heat Low – when it comes to heating, keeping your heating on low for longer periods of time is much more efficient than letting your house cool down completely then having to heat it up again.
- Turn it Out – if you go out for a few festive carols or drinks, don’t forget to switch pretty much everything off. Heating on low, lights out will prevent you from spending money while you are not at home. If you can’t bear the thought of leaving your house in the dark, put your Christmas tree lights on to guide you home.
- Watch Your Radiators – try not to put trees, presents or extra furniture in front of radiators; they absorb the heat and make your heating less efficient (what’s more, if you have a real tree, the radiator won’t do it any favours!).
- Reuse and Recycle – yep, we know it’s boring, and we know that you have heard it a million times before, but reusing and recycling doesn’t just save the earth, it can save you serious cash, too.
Christmas can be a stressful time of the year. You can help to reduce that stress by minimising waste and expense in your home. One of the biggest ways to do this is by being as energy efficient as you can; if your boiler or electrics are old, speak to a trusted electrician or boiler specialist to see how you can upgrade and save money in the long term.
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