AS the autumn chill begins to set in, millions of cash-strapped Britons are faced with the same dilemma – whether to save money or switch the heating on.
Luckily, one cash-savvy mum has shared how you can get your hands on a £50 heated throw totally for free.
A winter essential, heated throws keep your body warm and can be big enough to share.
Not only do many feature programmable settings for temperature and operation time, they also cost just pence to run – a win-win, following the 10% energy hike earlier this month.
Unlike heated blankets, they are designed to go over you and you shouldn’t use them under sheets on your bed.
Some of them are suitable for use during the night, but it’s worth noting that many switch off after several hours.
As the majority of heated throws come in muted shades, they also look totally at home draped over the sofa or armchair.
However, with prices usually going for around £40, some cash-strapped households may want to find cheaper alternatives – and luckily one woman, Emily Gonyora, has revealed how to snap up this cold season must-have for free.
Sharing the game-changer of a tip on the popular Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, she wrote: ”If you’re with Ovo energy, you can request a free heated throw (in shops for £40-£50) for the winter.
”Plus the colour is perfect for my living room.
”I just received mine with energy saving light bulbs and some extra things.”
Showing off her goodies, Emily was seen holding the brand-new Bauer Electric Heated Throw Blanket with Luxury Fleece Lining, which sells for £42.99 on Amazon.
According to the description online, this winter essential ”has a running cost of only 4p per hour, calculated using the UK: Price Cap rate of 27.00 pence per kWh”.
What’s more, the ”120cm x 160cm soft touch heated throw features 10 separate heating levels, allowing you to set the perfect temperature to customise your experience to your specific needs”.
Perfect to fit a double bed, the free bargain ”comes with a timer functionality that allows you to set the heat on for between 1-9 hours”.
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
Another added bonus is the ”energy efficient auto-off timer that will turn off if the temperature gets too high”.
If you’re on the lookout to slash the costs this season as an Ovo Energy customer, all you need to do is apply for Extra Support on their website.
This application takes around 2 minutes to complete and customers will need to reveal their monthly disposable income – the money you have left after paying tax, rent or mortgage payments, and other essentials, such as utility bills.
However, the energy supplier only accepts your first application, so it’s important to ensure all the information you give is accurate.
With temperatures dropping, the post clearly has come in handy for many, as over 150 people gave it a like and others rushed to comments.
One wrote: ”Got mine on Wednesday too. So pleased.”
Someone else chimed in: ”Yes I got might [mine] yesterday morning better box that’s last year.”
”I’ve just applied,thank you so much,” a third wrote.