SAVING ENERGY

1  Layer up, think of those that spend time in outdoor climes in Winter.  Think base layer, mid layer and outer layer.  They don't need to be      expensive.  Use what you have.  Old tights work perfectly well under leggings or trousers.  That old band top that has seen better days, use them as your base layer.  It's not going to be seen and will serve you well.

2  Use Electric blankets, hot water bottles or heated blankets.  Click here to find out the cheapest way to warm up

3 Try and eat regularly and have at least one hot meal a day.  Utilise those left overs and make heartwarming soups.  Check out 'goodfood' to find 5 easy ways to make soups out of leftovers

4  Keep your feet warm with rugs and slippers.  For slippers for all see what we have to offer at NEXT

5  Try the hot water in a sleeping bag trick.  Why not make family time fun.  Get out those sleeping bags and add a hot water bottle to warm them up, before snuggling up and watching a favourite movie

6  Turning your thermostat down by just one degree has a much bigger impact than most people think and is one of the easiest things to do.  British Gas says dropping the temperature by one degree could save £115 a year on average for a typical home.  The World Health Organisation says that 18 degrees is warm enough for healthy adults with slightly higher temperatures for the very old or young

7  Don't heat your whole home when you spend most of your time in one room.  Simply go round the house and turn off the radiators in the rooms you don't want to heat

8 Bleed your radiators regularly to prevent air being trapped inside ensureing that your heating system is more efficient.  See eon to view their simple guide on how to bleed a radiator

9  Try washing your clothes on a cooler setting, ensuring you wash a full load and save washing one load a week.  Washing at lower temperatures is fine for everyday cleaning.  Tough stains may need a higher setting.

10 Reduce the times you use the Tumble Dryer or try not to use them rarely as they are an energy hungry appliance

11 Don't overfill your kettle.  The more water you boil the more electricity you use.  Think of how much you will need for your cuppa and put that amount in the kettle only.  If you've overfilled put the heated water in a flask and use it for drinks you'll want later in the day.

12 Cut your shower time down.  Just a minute off your shower time could save £35 a year in energy bills and £30 in water bills.  Try and encourage everyone in your household to do the same to make even greater savings.

13 Keep your doors closed!  A simple and effective way of reducing draughts and keeping the heat in whilst you're in a room

14 Use the power of the sun and make the most of natural light during the day so open your curtains and blinds. Remember to close them to keep in the heat once the sun goes down. 

15 Don't leave your mobile phone to charge overnight as the average phone takes up to three hours to fully charge, leaving it plugged in and charging is wasting energy unnecessarily.

16 Batch cook meals to cut oven use. Try making use of all of the oven shelves by cooking more than one meal at a time.  You could double or triple portion sizes, freeze anything you don't use and portion out for future days.  It will also save on the temptation to buy processed or take away meals when you know you have good wholesome food that is ready to defrost and reheat.  Resulting in another saving.

17 Hob Cooking.  Put a lid on your pans which will keep the heat in and cook food quicker.  Use the smallest saucepan you can which will use less energy.  Finally ensure you use the right size hob ring for your pan which will save on heating more of the hob than is needed.

18 Use a washing up bowl rather than leaving the tap running whilst washing up

19 Try to cultivate the habit of turning off the tap and not leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or shaving.  Swap your bath for a shower and turn the shower off when lathering up

20 Finally our favourite of Martin's tips.  Don't iron items that people never see.  A saving of energy and time our most important resource!