11 Budget-Friendly Ways To Keep Your Home Warm In The Winter

Whilst temperatures are beginning to drop at this time of year, homeowners across the UK are starting to turn their heating on to warm the house up.

Heating can put a real strain on your finances when the winter draws in, so we've come up with a few cost-reducing solutions that will ensure you don't get hit with a huge energy bill, leaving you with more money to get your house ready for the run up to Christmas, start your Christmas shopping and attend all the seasonal celebrations.

But how do you keep your home warm on a budget?

It's actually a lot easier than you'd think. We've put together eleven helpful steps to creating a warm and cosy home without the price tag:

1 - Radiators

If you have a spare bedroom or another room in the house that doesn't really get used often, make sure your radiator is turned off to ensure you're not paying to heat a room that will not benefit anyone.

2 - Blankets & Throws

There's nothing better than getting cosy on the sofa, snuggled up with blankets and cushions. They're a great way of keeping warm when it's gloomy outside but you don't really want to whack the heating on yet. They can also completely transform a room and colour scheme, injecting some life into a usually plain room.

3 - Thick Curtains

Thick blackout curtains are great for keeping the cold out as they add an extra layer of insulation to the room. They're also brilliant for keeping the early morning winter sun out of your bedroom and are perfect for people who work shifts and have to sleep through the day.

4 - Rugs

Thick and fluffy rugs are a great way of keeping your floor warm. If you have bare wood or tiled flooring, it can be quite cold to walk on in the winter, especially first thing in the morning. Investing in some rugs will keep your feet cosy. They also make the overall look of a room seem warmer and more inviting.

5 - Chimney Balloon

A chimney balloon is a simple and effective measure for any energy-conscious home. The specially engineered design stops warm air going up your chimney and draughts coming back down, saving you a lot of money in the long run. They can be inflated easily in your chimney breast and deflated every time you want to actually light a fire, which is extremely handy and a lot better than blocking the chimney up completely.

6 - Draughts

Even the smallest of draughts can cause your house to be incredibly cold. Buy draught excluders for your doors, or make your own using fabric and stuffing and seal any window gaps with self adhesive foam strips from DIY stores. Ensure that your postbox isn't letting any cold in by using a PVC or brush draft excluder on the inside, and if you have an older style of front and back door with large key holes, you can buy covers for these too. You will notice a big difference once everything is sealed up.

7 - Furniture

When you do have your radiators on, make sure that nothing is blocking the heat from warming the room up. If you have large items of furniture in front of your radiators such as sofas, beds or units, the heat won't circulate around the room. If this is the case, move your furniture around to ensure you're getting your money's worth.

8 - Wood Burning Stove

A wood burning stove is a nice alternative to a heater and makes your entire home seem cosy and warm. Wood burners can be used in the home as long as you have suitable ventilation and a flue pipe to ensure the fumes are removed from the room. Installing a wood burner does involve some work, particularly as a flue needs to be put in place. However, one of the great benefits of a wood burner is how much money it saves compared to other forms of heating.

9 - Keep The Curtains Open

During the day, make sure all the curtains are open to let in the sunlight. Sunlight naturally warms a room through the windows so you won't have to have the heating on during the day – just make sure the windows are closed. The sun might be warm but outside will probably be far from it.

10 - Tin Foil

Putting tin foil behind your radiators is an old but effective trick that has been used for years. A lot of heat can be lost through the back of the wall, but tin foil reflects the heat back into the room so that you're not paying money for something that you will not benefit from.

11 - Doors

If you have a heater or wood burner in the room, ensure the door is closed so that you're not losing any heat. Similarly, if you have a very cold room, make sure the door is closed so that you're not letting the cold air into the rest of the house. Another great way to warm up your kitchen is leaving the oven door open after cooking your tea.

Just a few simple steps can ensure your house is as warm and cosy as possible without the huge energy bill at the end of the month.

Do you have any tips to share that you've found to benefit your house during the colder months?

Let us know in the comments below!