Have fun this Christmas with money saving tips from Loans 2 Go…
In the countdown to Christmas, the wintry weather is gradually arriving. Evenings are darker and colder, and many of us have already seen that touch of frost on the ground and on our cars in the mornings.
Our recent article – How to Save Money on Heating this Winter – contained lots of useful advice about how to reduce your energy bills as the colder weather hits us. But as well as that, we wanted to look at some other practical ways that you can stay warm this winter. Ways that are fun – but free!
Here are our Top 10 ways to do just that:
Socks sometimes get a bad press around Christmas time. They are the joke present that everyone pretends not to want: the present you buy someone when you really can’t think of anything else. But socks are everyone’s best friend in the winter! If your feet are warm then that’s a really good start to keeping the rest of your body warm. Our feet have a large surface area with lots of blood vessels that are susceptible to losing heat. They also have less heat-producing muscle, which makes them likely to cool down faster than the rest of our bodies. So keeping our feet warm and toasty is essential to avoiding discomfort. Reflexologists also believe that there are critical connections between the nerve endings in your feet and in the rest of your body, making it even more important to ensure that your feet are well cared for this winter.
We all love comfort food and there’s nothing more comforting in cold weather than a bowl of hot steaming soup. It can warm you up instantly and leave you feeling warm for hours. So make soup your trademark this winter. Home made soup is easy to make and you can use pretty much anything as ingredients so it’s also an ideal way of using up leftovers. Check out some brilliant soup recipes on the Love Food Hate Waste website. The beauty of soup is that you can make large quantities and freeze some; or swap soups with friends for variety. But make it an essential part of keeping warm this winter.
Sometimes when you are sitting around at home you just can’t seem to get warm whatever you do. Even if you turn up the heating and wrap up warm, you still feel a chill that just won’t go away. One of the best ways to get warm fast is to do some exercise. This will warm your body up fast, and the after effects can often be felt for hours. So even if it’s the last thing you feel like doing, getting out for a brisk walk or run or cycle ride can give you a warm glow that will last all day.
If you really can’t bear the thought of going outdoors during the cold weather then doing some physical activity round the house is also really good at getting you warmed up. So why not kill two birds with one stone and do some housework? Whether it’s clearing out a cupboard, dusting and vacuuming from top to toe, tackling the dreaded oven or cleaning the kitchen or bathroom to within an inch of its life – you will be warm as toast and also have the satisfaction of a job well done.
Whilst on your cleaning mission keep your eyes open for sources of draughts in the home. We can often spend a small fortune on heating only for much of the heat to escape right out of the house. Check all doors and windows for gaps, and also fireplaces, light fittings and ventilation panels. If there are places that are letting in draughts then you can decide whether to use draught excluders or find a way of either sealing the gap or adding some kind of insulating material.
On a cold dark night there is nothing more atmospheric than candles in your home. The flickering light adds a real ambience and makes everything feel so cosy. Candles can also help to add a little more warmth to a room. There is a wealth of information online about this; for example, some people swear by using candles and flower pots to create makeshift heaters. But even a few simple candles around a room can make everything look and feel just that little bit warmer.
Returning to our outdoor theme, there’s nothing better than a bonfire! So if you are getting friends together in cold weather, rather than spend a fortune on trying to warm up your home, why not decamp outside. Either light a bonfire or use an outdoor heater such as a chimenea. Everyone will enjoy huddling round the heat, perhaps toasting either marshmallows or chestnuts or just watching the flames flicker. They will be left with a warm glow that will last for hours.
If you are inside and feeling chilly, there’s nothing that will warm you quicker than wrapping in a blanket. Even if you put on layers of clothing there always seems to be that one part of your body that misses out! But a blanket can be all-encompassing. So if you feel the cold creeping up then grab that blanket and enjoy the warmth.
One of the best and quickest ways to keep warm is to snuggle up with someone else. Whether this is a partner, sibling, child or pet – you will quickly make each other warm. So on a cold night don’t keep turning the heating up: just assemble a huddle of people and/or animals on the sofa and you’ll generate enough heat between you to keep everybody warm.
Last but not least, when you come in from the cold a little nightcap can be just the answer. Whether your preference is a good old cuppa, a milky hot chocolate or a nip of something stronger, make sure you have a warming drink as soon as you come in. It will help to warm you up and prevent you from feeling any colder. Also do the same if you have been sitting around at home for a while, and the cold is creeping up on you: it’s easy to start getting cold without realising it, and the mere act of getting up to make a drink will help to get the blood circulating again.
We hope that these tips help you to keep warm this winter whist saving money in the process. If you do need help with heating bills this winter Loans 2 Go may be able to help: you can get in touch with us either online or by calling us on 0330 400 0403.
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