Winter is great. Snow, hot chocolate, Christmas! It’s not all good though. Winter can mean a spending increase for some. Let’s talk about some ways you can be saving money in winter.
Heating Your Home
When temperatures drop and maybe even ice appears on the pavements, we want warm houses. It’s tempting to crank up the thermostat but here’s something to do first. Make sure you’re wearing suitable clothing for the weather. We’re talking jumpers, thick socks, layers. Extra blankets on your bed. By all means turn the heating up but you won’t really notice a degree or two of difference. You will though, notice it on your utility bill! No one should have to sit in the cold through lack of funds to pay the bills. You might be able to claim a winter fuel payment or be eligible for the warm home discount scheme. If you’re entitled to it, make sure you get it!
Ensuring your home is winter proof is a great idea too. Insulation, weather stripping around doors and windows, thick curtains. These things can all help keep heat in your home and cold out. Draught excluders can pay for themselves in the long run. If you’re away for Christmas, turn your heating down. Make sure it’s at a low temperature where pipes won’t freeze but there’s not point in heating you entire house at 20 degrees when you’re not there.
Comforting Food
There’s nothing quite like home cooked hearty food when it’s chilly outside. We’re thinking about pies, casseroles and crumbles with custard! Not only do they comfort, they sustain you as they warm you up from the inside. Just because they are hearty, doesn’t mean they can’t be healthy.
Warm up first thing with porridge oats which are cheap. Bring it to life with fruit or honey. Ensure your cupboards are well stocked with affordable essentials such as tinned tomatoes. Canned legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas can help meals go further without much extra cost. Slow cookers can be picked up for as little as £20 and will be your best friend during the winter months. Chuck your ingredients in, switch it on and a few hours later you’ve got a delicious meal without much effort. One of the great things about slow cooking is tenderising cheap cuts of meat. Don’t forget your vegetables too, frozen are often cheaper than fresh and are just as good! Consider batch cooking and freezing leftovers for another day.
Cold weather brings bugs, chills and the flu. Affordable veggies like broccoli and tomatoes are full of Vitamin E & C which boost your immune system and help you fight infections. Not only will they fill you up, it’s better than paying for flu tablets!
Take a look at our recipe section for some foodie inspiration.
It’s Christmas Time And There’s No Need To Be Afraid
People can get carried away with festivities. Whilst we certainly don’t want to dampen the idea of the season of giving and goodwill, it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Could you make gifts for people this year? Or have that awkward conversation with loved ones and suggest only buying for the children this Christmas? Make a list of presents you want to buy and stick to it. Look for offers, shop around and click through cashback sites. Don’t feel that you have to buy for someone because they turn up with family gifts for you. That gift-for-gift giving can put pressure on those with less money. Presents don’t have to be the latest and greatest thing as seen on the TV. Children often get more fun playing with the boxes than they do the toy.
People often treat themselves to more expensive food at Christmas time. You don’t have to though. Budget supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi have fantastic ranges of festive food which won’t break the bank. Don’t buy something just because it’s on offer and just because it’s Christmas. Are you really going to drink that extra bottle of Bucks Fizz?
Save, Save, Save
Other ideas for saving money in winter include spending dark evenings watching boxsets on ITV Hub & 4OD rather than paying for Netflix or Amazon Prime. You’ll also enjoy the entertainment more with the lights off, thus saving you cash. Borrow films for the library for cheap movie nights or opt for a workout DVD which will keep you in shape and keep you warm. If you need new winter clothing, check charity shops and eBay rather than going and buying brand new.
There are many ways you could be saving money in winter. Pull a jumper on, snuggle up on the sofa and save some pennies.
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