How to save money on winter bills

As Britons begin to feel the chill, there may be many households who are wondering where they will find the finances to cover both their Christmas celebrations and the cost of heating their home.

However, there are a number of simple steps that people can take to save energy, which as well as reducing gas and electricity bills could have the added bonus of lowering a household's carbon footprint.

And such action does not need to take all day or cost the earth, indeed, the Independent's Martin Hickman states that while home energy saving is "boring", once it is done it does not have to be done again.

Wrap up for winter

One of the easiest ways to keep warm without turning up the radiators is to put on an extra layer of clothes, Mr Hickman notes.

By putting on a jumper or wearing pyjamas in bed, Britons may be able to put off turning on their central heating until November, which could save them £60, he adds.

"Turning down the central heating thermostat by one degree saves an extraordinary amount, £55 a year; it's unlikely you'll notice the difference - especially wearing that chunky-knit Aran jumper," he recommends.

And to save even more money on gas and electricity bills through energy efficiency, Mr Hickman advises only heating water when it is needed, not leaving televisions, DVD players or computers on stand-by and replacing bulbs with low energy ones.

Get central heating winter-ready

For Britons keen to put their DIY skills to good use, there are yet more ways that they could achieve cheaper gas and electricity bills.

Writing in an article for the Move Channel, Catherine Deshayes recommends that households ensure all of their water pipes and tanks are effectively lagged to prevent water from freezing, while loft and cavity wall insulation is another useful home improvement task.

Finally, she advises taking the time to bleed all of a property's radiators to remove trapped air bubbles, which can increase the units' energy efficiency and put households another step towards cheaper gas and electricity bills.

By following this advice, Britons may even find they have more cash to splash once Christmas arrives.