With temperatures dropping, and nights getting longer, it’s certainly starting to feel like winter. We’ve put together some tips on staying warm this year, which could also help you save on your heating bills!

Heat the human, not the home. Instead of turning up your heating, try to warm up yourself first by adding an extra layer of clothing, blanket or even using a hot water bottle. We have a huge selection of fleece pyjamas, bed socks and heat holders here at the Mill, designed to keep you extra-cosy when it gets cold outside. Double up with a fleece throw and one of our many hot water bottles if you’re really feeling the cold!

Did you know, it’s recommended that you only use a hot water bottle for 2-3 years after manufacture. Look out for a small daisy sign on the side of the bottle, which should have a number in the centre, indicating the year it was made. After a couple of years of use, your hot water bottle may be prone to leakages and damage, which can result in very dangerous and painful burns on the skin. To prolong usage, try to avoid putting water straight into your water bottle once your kettle has boiled, and instead leave it for a few minutes to cool down before use.

Heated blankets are another way of saving money on your electricity bills at night. With a selection of heated blankets costing an average of just 2-5p per hour to run, you could save up to 20% on your bills with one of these to keep you cosy in bed.

If your home is a little older, you may be feeling the cold because of a draught that’s getting in under doors. Putting draught excluders where the cold is getting in the most can make a huge difference to how your home feels in the winter, and again this can help you save on your energy bills!

So, next time you go to turn your heating up, pause for a second and think of what you could do instead to save yourself some serious pennies this year.