Christmas is supposed to be a time of joyous celebration with family and friends, but with the cost of living crisis, many households are considering cutting back this year. The soaring cost of bills is on everyone's minds this winter, and with the festive season just around the corner, the added expenses will be a cause of concern for many.
But celebrating Christmas doesn't mean you'll end up with a massive bill, as energy experts at Utility Bidder have come up with a few simple ways to cut costs - and one of them involves the type of decorations you use. If you plan on buying twinkly lights this year, you should opt for LED ones.
Lights play a big part in getting your home ready for Christmas, whether they're on the tree or strung outside the house, so choosing the most energy efficient kind is key to cutting costs. It's been reported that LED lights use just 10 per cent of the energy that non-LED lights use, which will help to lower your energy bills.
James Longley, managing director at Utility Bidder, said: "Christmas is a time to celebrate and enjoy precious time with family and friends but unfortunately, due to the cost of living crisis and high energy costs, the festive period this year will leave many homeowners feeling anxious about their finances.
"Simple changes such as using LED lights instead of non-LED lights can help to reduce your energy usage by 10% and at a time when every penny matters, these are simple changes that will help to go a long way in such difficult times."
Here are four more ways to cut down on bills this Christmas, according to Utility Bidder.
1. Use pan lids when cooking
On Christmas Day, the oven and hob are often in use for long periods of time. When using pans to boil vegetables, make sure to place the lids on top of the pans as not only will this help to cook the food quicker, it will also play its part in reducing energy usage by around 10 per cent.
2. Be sure to switch lights off
It’s more than likely that the majority of UK households will add additional lights to their home over the Christmas period, mainly for decorative reasons. When leaving the house or when you go to bed, make sure to turn the lights off as this will help to cut your energy usage significantly.
3. Lower the thermostat
Over the festive season, people tend to cook more often and have family and friends around to celebrate the festivities. When the oven and hob are in use and more people are in the home, this will increase the surrounding temperature, which means you can lower the thermostat in order to save energy and not feel a chill.
4. Keep TV usage to a minimum
Research has suggested that Brits spend over £1 million combined on powering our TVs on Christmas Day, as families enjoy time together in their own homes. Although many of us like to watch films over Christmas, spend some time playing board games and going for walks to lower the amount of energy your TV is using, which can be a lot.
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