4 ways to slash your winter fuel bills

The company who supply our electricity at Little Green Blog HQ contacted me last month.

I didn’t realise prices (and our usage!) had crept up and my account was in arrears to the tune of £300.

I paid the deficit but realised I would still need to increase my monthly direct debit bill to keep up with payments.

Not good news for the family budget!

But I’m a resourceful gal and love nothing more than a challenge, especially when I can combine two of my favourite passions – saving money and being more green. While some of these ideas require initial investment, others are totally free!

Here are some of the things we’ll be doing:

Turn off the lights!

With a teen in the house – who needs to make sure every hair is in place, every eyelash is mascaraed and whom is more often than not the last one into bed – it’s not uncommon to come down in the morning to find lights have been left on. While it might not seem like a big contribution to high bills, lighting can account for up to 18% of a household’s energy usage.

Mr Green is currently installing a few motion sensors so lights come on and go off automatically, when they detect movement in the rooms.

More solar panels

It seems crazy to dig up fossil fuels when nature provides energy sources for free. We’re huge fans of solar here at Chez Green and have a few small panels. But the time has come to invest in more.

It’s something we’ve been planning on doing for years, but not got around to yet. Yes, it’s quite an initial investment, but Sunlife Solar tell us that if you own your own home and spend over $100 a month on your electricity bill, chances are you’re a good fit for solar.

Change the bedding

If you live in a temperate climate like we do, there’s little point complaining you’re cold at night if you’re using the same weight duvet 365 days a year. I have some friends who insist on wearing shorts and t-shirts in the house, whatever the time of year – instead of putting on more clothes, they turn up the heating!

Here, we’ve dusted off the heavier weight bedding and are back to using hot water bottles – there’s nothing like the comfort of  a warm bed! We have a variety of duvets and blankets to choose from which can be layered for extra warmth and snugness.

You are what you eat

It makes a huge difference to how you feel if you eat warming foods and drinks. I don’t just mean the temperature of the food either. If you add spices like cinnamon to your porrage, drink licorice tea, add thyme or sage to your meals and a little turmeric in your soup, you’ll be glowing from the inside-out!

One of the most helpful gadgets in the kitchen this time of year is a slow cooker or crock pot. You can enjoy hearty soups, stews and casseroles with the minimum of fuss.

What about you – how do you stay warm, and sustainable, during Winter?