With the winter drawing in, you may begin to worry – how are you going to pay for the expenses that come with the festive period, and deal with the rise in energy prices?

Heating is not something that we can compromise on, but there are a few ways in which we can reduce the need to reach for the thermostat so quickly. And as for Christmas, there are ways that you can reduce your spending, and get your finances into a better position as we approach the New Year.

If you’re already struggling to stretch your income and you’re faced with an emergency cost, this could have a detrimental impact on your cash flow. Pay day loans can help you deal with unprecedented expenses that are out of your control, with repayment terms and conditions to suit you. 

5 Best Tips For Cutting Bills This Winter

Read on as we take a look at a few tips and tricks you can use to help you cut your bills this winter:

1. Start Saving 

When winter is approaching, you should start saving. Various factors can cause us to rack up bills over the winter months, whether that’s energy bills as we try and heat our home, or credit card bills as we try and tackle the expenses that come with Christmas.

The sooner you start saving, the more money you will have to help you through these difficult times. You could set up a separate savings pot that you can use solely for winter expenses.

This can help with anything you need – if your income won’t stretch to cover Christmas and your bills, pay your bills first and use your savings to help with Christmas.

We can all benefit from an emergency fund, so the sooner you start saving the better. You are likely to become more financially stable, and it will enable you to avoid debt in the New Year. 

2. Create And Stick To A Realistic Budget 

The festivities can mean that we get carried away with our spending – it’s Christmas and it only happens once a year! But you will probably regret being so fast and loose with your credit card when the bill comes in January.

To help you avoid a hefty bill in the New Year, make and stick to a budget that you can afford. Take a look at your income and your outgoings and see how much you can realistically afford to spend on Christmas gifts, food, and everything else that comes along with it. 

Try and set yourself a limit – for presents, food shopping and socialising. If you’ve realised that you’re going to be stretching your income a little too far this year, why not try crafting some gifts? Or switching to a cheaper supermarket.

You could also simply choose to cut down this year. There are so many ways that you can make the winter more affordable for yourself, don’t be scared to get creative. 

3. Improve Insulation 

In the winter, you’ll be using your heating more often. With energy bills soaring this year, more of us will be looking for ways to reduce our usage. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure the insulation in your home is up to scratch.

Make sure your windows are sealed correctly, your home has insulation in the room and cavity walls, and you use draft excluders where necessary.

If your home is not sufficiently insulated, you’ll have to turn your heating up higher, for longer to feel the difference. Check for heat loss and drafts so you can keep the heat from escaping. 

4. Wrap Up 

Of course, this shouldn’t be an alternative to turning your heating on, you shouldn’t have to be cold in your own home. However, before you reach for the thermostat, think about what you’re wearing.

Are you really cold or could you just go and put a jumper on? Or could you grab a cosy blanket and wrap up before you head to bed?

This is the best way to avoid putting the heating on before you need to. This isn’t an alternative to using your heating – you will have to put it on at some point – but by layering up if you need to, you can save an hour or two’s worth of heating, which can all add to your bills at the end of the month! 

5. Natural Warmth 

Another great way to avoid racking up expensive energy bills is to use natural warmth to warm your home. This works well on bright, sunny winter days. Open your curtains or blinds wide and let the light stream in – this will help to warm your home without having to spend a penny.

Even when it’s cold outside, if a room is in the sun, heat will radiate, allowing you to avoid the thermostat for a little longer!