With the weather now feeling icier than a scene out of Frozen 2, you're probably tempted to turn up your heating to full-blast.
However, while nothing beats being all warm and toasty in the run-up to Christmas, you might be left worried about the large heating bills you'll face for the pleasure.
Luckily, money-saving expert Martin Lewis is on hand to help, and he's dished out his top tips for keeping heating bills as low as possible during the chilly winter months.
Speaking to Holly Willoughby and Phil Schofield on an episode of This Morning, Martin advised viewers: "They say it’s better to only put the heating on when you need it.
"You pay to pump energy in as and when is needed, and to keep pumping it in constantly isn’t efficient."
Martin then revealed what he considers to be the 'best' tip for heating your home, and its something you may actually do already.
"Using a timer's best," Martin explained.
He added: "Because your thermostat is designed to turn your heating on and off to keep your home at the temperature you set it. so in general I’d stick with that."
Makes a lot of sense!
Steve Nowottny, of MoneySavingExpert.com, previously told Manchester Evening News: "As winter approaches, we’re often asked whether it’s cheaper to leave the heating on low all day even when you’re out, or turn it up only when you need it.
"While the answer’s hotly debated, the consensus among most – though not all – energy experts seems to be that having the heating on only when you need it is the best way to save energy, and therefore money.
"The key point here is that it’s all about the total energy required to heat your home. Given that a certain amount of energy is constantly leaking out of your home, no matter how good your insulation, it’s best to only heat your home when you need it."
He added: "It’s worth noting though that this isn’t clear-cut, and not everyone agrees. Some specialists argue you should avoid turning the heating on and off as it can cause condensation to collect within the walls, which in turn can mean you home leaks heat more quickly."
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