Top tips to stay warm for less this Christmas – including budget heating pads
MoneyMagpie: How to save money on bills during Winter
The mornings are getting colder but it’s so expensive to put the heating on all day that a lot of us feel we should just shiver and put up with it.
In fact, according to Ofgem, as of October 2023 the price for energy a typical household who use gas and electricity and pay by Direct Debit will be £1,923 per year.
Suddenly leaving your heater on, even for a few hours, doesn’t feel like a very affordable option. Happily, though, there are lots of ways to keep those energy bills down so you really don’t have to shiver to save money.
Firstly, let’s look at some great gadgets that help you stay warm without putting the heating on.
In fact, you can win a free winter fuel bundle on MoneyMagpie.com right now and keep yourself warm for nothing. Go and add your name here to be in with a chance of winning one.
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Warm sheets and blankets
There are various ways to keep warm in bed without resorting to switching on electricity. Have you tried a weighted blanket? They are absolutely amazing and keep you so toasty. I have one from Simba and while it is pricey at £169.99, it is a quality product and is an investment for a good night’s sleep.
The company says that the blanket shapes itself to your body, “feeling like a gentle, full body hug!”. If you’d like a cheaper one that is not quite as impressive, Amazon sell one for £18.99.
Electric blankets are a great way to keep warm in bed for less, but another idea that is even cheaper is to use a heat-reflective bedsheet underlay.
These were developed by NASA to help astronauts cope with freezing conditions in space. This version stops heat from escaping through your mattress. You can buy one from Coopers of Stortford for just £19.99.
Have you heard of teddy fleece duvet covers? Along with brushed cotton sheets, this combination will help you stay warm in bed all night long. You can get both from Marks and Spencer. Duvet cover sets start from £19.50 and the sheets from £12.50.
Heat-producing products
Selki Store sell heat pads that cost £33.99. Although they are aimed at one part of your body (they are intended for people with issues that require therapeutic heat), they can work to keep the whole of you warm. You know what it’s like – if one part of you is warm (particularly your extremities) it can make the whole of you feel warm!
Amazon also sell heating pads that are great to either sit on or pop on your lap, especially if you work from home. They have one that costs £15.34 that we’ve tried and it really does work!
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Hot water bottles and electric blankets
Electric blankets are a great way of warming your bed when the heating is off. Just pop it on for an hour or two before bedtime and then it will stay warm with body heat through the night. Silentnight sell one for £22 (available from Asda) which they say costs 1p to heat up for 2 hours. Dreams do luxury electric blankets from £35 for single size.
According to the Citizens Advice website, it costs an average of 7p to boil a full kettle. That will fill a normal sized hot water bottle. I am a fan of the long thin ones that are the length of your whole body (Remember you should always let the water cool down a little bit before filling a hot water bottle and never fill it completely full.). Onlinehomeshop.com does a lovely range of covered hot water bottles for just £5 each.
Sheepskin and wool products
I swear by anything non-synthetic for staying warm. Sheepskin, for example, is fantastically warm and hard-wearing and is so natural that many parents love it for keeping their baby warm. It has incredible temperature regulation, is dirt resistant, flame resistant and looks fantastic.
Sloov do a lovely range of sheepskin products that cost very little to run. The Stoov Ploov cushions and Big Hug heat warmers are the ideal solutions. Available to buy online with prices starting from £90, Stoov can help you to focus on what is truly important: you. We love the look of their products and they come in a wide range of colours to fit your decor.
The same can be said for wool and you can get real wool throws for a really reasonable price these days. Pagazzi have a fantastic one for only £45 which looks great on the sofa.
Warmth you can wear
Whilst admittedly not the most glamourous looking thing, I love my Oodie. The people who make the Oodie describe them as “like a jumper crossed with a blanket , crossed with a cloud.” They are on sale at the time of writing – you can grab an adult sized one for £54. They also have lots of other offers, so keep checking their site for deals.
Kuddly does a similar range of warm, snuggly products, like their hoodie blankets that are currently £49.99 (down from £89.99.)
Another idea is the Selkbag. It’s even warmer than the Oodie but a little less easy to move around in. We can only describe it as a giant sleeping bag with arms and legs! They retail at around £59.99 but you really wouldn’t need anything else on to stay warm and of course they are free to run.
I also can’t imagine those freezing winter dog walks without my Snug Bud. It is a wearable hot water bottle cover and manages to keep my body warm. You can wear under or over a coat and really is a gamechanger.
You can even get a heated gilet that costs next to nothing to warm up. YardForce.eu does a great lightweight gilet with 5 different heat settings to give you some extra winter warmth when needed for just £79.99.
Stay warm from the inside
As well as using a body warmer, or investing in a weighted blanket, why not try some of these delicious foods that can help to warm you up on the inside They also have the added bonus of helping you sleep better too!
Whatever you do, make sure you stay warm and don’t let your temperature drop. I am writing this under a warm blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a warm dog on my leg!
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