Cost effective ways to keep warm this winter

Wearing lots of loose layers of clothing works better at trapping the heat than thicker clothes. If it is particularly cold, try wearing thermal base layers to give more insulation. According to tests carried out by Which?, thermal layers were better at keeping people warmer than putting on an extra T-shirt but there was no difference between cheaper thermals and more expensive brands.

If your hands get cold, try wearing fingerless gloves or wrist-warmers, as for some people keeping their wrists warm can make a real difference.

Your feet play an important role in regulating your body temperature. Keeping your feet warm can make a big difference to feeling warm whether you are inside or outside.

You can try knitted or thermal socks and slippers to help insulate your feet. You can also try pre-warming socks, slippers or shoes with reusable hand-warmers.

As it gets colder, using an electric blanket or heated throw can be a cheaper alternative to putting the heating on. Prices for these blankets start from around £20 and the running cost are between 2p and 6p an hour. So even though the cost of electricity and gas has gone up, these types of blankets could keep you warm for less than turning on the heating.

Even though boiling your kettle uses electricity, drinking a warm drink can increase your body temperature. The hot mug will also give extra warmth to your hands.

Whilst you have the kettle on why not make a hot water bottle. Read our next tip.

A hot water bottle can be used to keep you warm day or night. You can put them in your bed before you go to sleep or have them by your side or under your feet during the day for warmth and comfort.

As well as providing warmth, hot water bottles are helpful for soothing aches and pains.

This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan's Digital Content Editor team and checked by Macmillan's Cancer Information team.

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