How to stay warm in a cold snap and keep heating costs down

Here are ways to keep cosy when the temperatures plummet without drastically increasing your heating bills

Though the differences may be subtle, every little heat-saving trick helps. (Alamy/PA)

Temperatures have recently been dropping below freezing, but putting the heating on for extended periods of time is something many people will want to avoid in a bid to keep costs down.

So how can you keep warm in a cold snap without drastically increasing your heating bills?

Get a heated blanket

(Alamy/PA)

One of the key benefits of a heated blanket is that it’s sufficient. Without having to turn on the central heating to heat your entire home, you can solely switch the blanket on to heat your bed, which will ensure you stay warm at night — when temperatures are the coldest.

However, it’s not advised to sleep with it turned on. In fact, they stay warn so long that there’s no real need to keep it on overnight.

Use a hot water bottle

Who doesn’t love holding a hot water bottle? Especially when you are settling down for a good night’s sleep.

Hot water bottles have become a staple when trying to keep warm in colder months. They can help to warm up your bed during the winter or keep you snug on the sofa while watching your favourite TV show.

Open and close your curtains

(Alamy/PA)

Keeping your curtains open in the daytime, during sunny spells, helps to heat your home due to the natural light and heat.

But in colder months, when skies are grey and temperatures have dropped, keeping them closed can be a great way to help insulate the home — especially if your curtains are made out of thick material.

Keep your radiators clear

Often, radiators are hidden behind furniture or used to dry clothes in the colder months.

But covering them with material or blocking them stops heat from circulating through your home.

So if it’s possible, try to avoid having your sofa in front of your radiator, or use the valves to turn down the temperature to help reduce your heating bills.

Though the difference may be subtle, every little helps.

Get a rug

(Alamy/PA)

Laying a rug on your floors — especially if you have wooden floors — can help insulate your home when temperatures have dropped.

And if you don’t wear warm fluffy slippers or socks around the house, this also allows you to create a barrier between your feet and the cold floorboards, which can make a significant difference to how warm you feel when moving from room to room.