The six best tips to help save money on the heating bills – and stay warm while working from home have been revealed.
Although working from home is now the new normal – unless employees are offered an allowance by their employer, which many aren’t in a position to do so – many employees will have to pay for additional heating costs required during their working hours.
According to reports, those who work from home could see their energy bills soar by up to 18 per cent – equivalent to £107. Given the current climate, spending more just isn’t an option for a lot of people.
However, there are simple and uncostly changes that can be implemented around the home to help reduce a household’s energy consumption this season.
What have experts suggested?
Will Owen, Energy Expert at Uswitch.com suggests some ways to keep costs down and keep your home warm this winter:
- Install thermostats on every radiator – this way you can control the temperature in each room.
- Keep the thermostat down and at a steady temperature – keeping the temperature down by just one degree could reduce your bills by £80 a year.
- Fit curtains as well as blinds – this prevents cold windows from cooling down the room.
- Invest in an electric heater – they can be cheaper than using the boiler to heat up the house. If you’re working from home, you can place the heater next to you so you can stay cosy at your desk.
- Bleed your radiators regularly – this can reduce your radiators from having cold spots and leaving you without warmth.
- Don’t forget to claim for working-from-home tax relief – you can get a £6 tax reduction per week meaning you’ll take home more money and contribute this to your energy bills.
Here are some simple and quick ways to stay warm while working from home:
- Use a hot water bottle – a classic hot water bottle can make all the difference to your body temperature, especially if you’re working from home doing a sedentary job.
- Drink up – Pop the kettle on and keep yourself warm drinking hot drinks. Better still, warm liquids such as herbal tea count towards your daily water consumption.
- Enjoy a good hot meal – Hot food like soups, stews, and your winter favourites are not only a great way to sustain your energy, they will warm you from the inside.
- Wear slippers and cover your extremities to heat up your joints – a hat, scarf, and fingerless gloves will prevent your temperature dropping when you’re sat at a desk while ensuring you stay comfortable.
- Wear layers of clothing – opt for a thermal vest as a base layer and wear more on top so that, if you do get a bit warm, it’s easier to peel back the layers and cool down as and when you need to.
