With the weather getting colder, you may have turned your heating on and got your warm clothes out. Here we share top tips to keep your energy bills down and your baby at a comfortable temperature.
It’s not unusual to feel anxious about bills, especially if you’re on a tight budget. There are ways to reduce your family’s energy bills while also making sure you all remain comfortable.
Here are our top ten useful family money saving tips related to heating and energy use:
During the early weeks and months, one of the best ways to keep your baby warm and comfortable is to keep them close to you.
Babies need to adjust to the transition from womb to the outside world. They generally love to be held and touched, and can also need reassurance that someone is close by.
A sling is a great option for this. Read about different types of slings and sling safety.
Bedrooms don’t need to be as warm as living rooms if they’re only for sleeping. With light bedding, 16˚C in the bedroom is comfortable and warm enough for babies.
These fit around the body but leave your baby’s arms and head free. They are a great way to ensure your baby isn’t too hot or cold.
NCT Nearly New Sales are a great place to find second-hand items like this!
Getting out and about can help you save on keeping the heating on at home. It’s also a great way for you and your baby to socialise with other new parents.
We also know babies sleep better at night if they’ve had some fresh air and sunshine during the day, according to a study called The Relationship Between Daytime Exposure to Light and Night-time Sleep in 6-12 Week Old Infants.
And it’s amazing how fresh air can blow away the cobwebs and make a world of difference to how you feel as well – especially on days when you haven’t had much sleep or your child is feeling a bit grumpy or grizzly at home.
This is a simple DIY job and helps to reduce draughts and condensation, especially if you don’t have double glazing.
This can be relatively cheap and easy, and can make rooms more comfortable very quickly. Solid fuel and gas fires do need some ventilation, however.
If you have central heating, these are relatively low cost and allow you to heat only the room(s) you are using.
This is one of the most effective ways to cut energy bills. You can sometimes get free or low cost insulation or help with costs.
You might qualify for heating benefits. For instance, if you or your partner get Income Support or Universal Credit, you could get a Cold Weather Payment.
Find out if you’re entitled to any of the grants available.
If you’re renting, ask your landlord/landlady about this.
There are lots of ways to be more energy efficient in your home by changing the way you do small everyday things. These can make a difference – especially if you find yourself at home more while on maternity leave.
For example, you can save around £30 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. And, by spending one minute less in the shower each day, you could save around £10 off your energy bills each year, per person.
You might find attending one of NCT’s Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.
Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.
The Energy Saving Trust has lots of useful information on how to save money on your energy bills.
Read more about heating and housing benefits on the directgov website.
