After the festive season left many of us counting the cost of social events, food, and presents, January’s stretched finances mean a good number of UK households are on the lookout for ways to penny pinch.
With January pay day feeling like an age away, lots of us will be looking at trimming our energy bills – which are set for another hike come 2025.
To keep costs low, some people are adding extra layers, cuddling up with hot water bottles or burrowing under blankets to avoid cranking up the thermostat.
Meanwhile, one savvy woman has taken to TikTok, sharing her trick for keeping cosy without the costly heating bills. And its doing wonders for her wallet.
Sharing her personal challenge of wiping her £12,000 credit card debt before hitting 30, Hannah has been documenting her tips and progress on TikTok under the handle @fixingmyfinances. Her inventive approach to saving involves slashing those pesky heating bills wherever possible.
Hannah reveals: “So far we’ve had the heating on three times this side of summer so this hack works.”
Living with her partner and dog, Hannah demonstrates a practical hack for other remote workers, saying: “So, I’m in £12,000 of credit card debt and one of my favourite money saving hacks as a work from home girlie is using my heated blanket instead of turning the heating on. The heating costs £1.65 per hour vs my heated blanket costs 27p per hour.”
Heated blankets, a cosy way to keep warm, are available from various stores. Bargain hunters can snag one from Amazon for just £11.99, while Dunelm offers another option at £17. The price tags vary depending on the size and thickness of the blanket, as well as the overall quality.
Hannah was also keen to stress: “Just a side note that I’m not glamorising keeping the heating off and I know that some people will struggle to afford to put the heating on to keep their families warm. I’m aware of my privilege to have the choice to turn the heating on if I need it and this is just something I’ve found to help save some money on my debt free journey.”