Could gas and electricity bills be lower for Christmas?

Christmas can be an expensive time for UK households, with presents to buy for friends and family members as well as a big meal to prepare.

And Britons hoping to save money by entertaining at home over the festive period may wish to ensure they start taking steps now to boost their energy efficiency in order to ensure they achieve cheaper gas and electricity bills.

Research by Abbey recently revealed that as more people opt to stay at home rather than go out, 57 per cent of paid-for entertainment is now consumed inside the house.

However, such technology could put a strain on the home energy bills of households.

Enjoying greener entertainment

Reza Attar-Zadeh, director of savings and investments at Abbey, said: "The recession has made people far savvier when it comes to saving money and millions of us have worked out that in-tertaining is a great way to cut back without missing out."

But while playing on a games console or watching a DVD could be a cheaper option than going out, it could also see Britons' consumption of electricity increase.

In light of this, households may wish to ensure that all its members are using energy efficiently, which means switching off electrical appliances, including computers, games consoles, television sets and music systems, when they are not in use.

By taking this simple step, people may be able to ensure that their electricity bills do not spiral over Christmas.

Have a cheaper Christmas at home

Households which are planning to host friends and family over the Christmas period may be keen to create a warm and cosy atmosphere in which to entertain.

However, when it comes to central heating there are still steps people can take to be energy efficient and keep their gas bills low.

These include bleeding all of a household's radiators, using heating controls to monitor when central heating comes on and in what rooms and having a gas boiler upgraded to a greener condensing boiler.

By taking these simple steps, Britons may find that they can enjoy an economical Christmas at home with their loved-ones this year, without the concern of high gas and electricity bills.