Energy bills are rising across the UK, putting more strain on struggling households just as temperatures start to drop.
But there are some simple things you can do around the home to reduce your energy consumption.
Simply put, a well insulated home will keep the heat in - meaning you won’t need to turn on the heating as often.
If you use less energy, then this will reflect in your bills and you’ll subsequently pay less.
To help you prepare your home for winter, we share a cheap trick from money experts from Norton Finance who’ve highlighted draught excluders that cost less than £3.
Draught excluders effectively act as a seal to stop cold air coming in through gaps around windows, doors and chimneys.
Their tip comes as the UK is in the middle of an energy crisis with gas and electricity bills rising - and warnings they will increase even further next April.
The energy price cap - which sets a limit on the rates you pay for gas and electricity - has just shot up, meaning a rise in energy bills for 15million households.
Ofgem has raised the price cap for standard and default tariffs from £1,138 for a typical user to £1,277 - an increase of £139.
Meanwhile, the price cap for prepayment customers rose by £153 from £1,156 to £1,309.
Cheap ways to cut your energy costs
If you’re an Amazon shopper, you can currently buy five metres of self-adhesive draught excluder foam for £2.86.
Excluders are essentially like a sticky, foam tape and can be easily attached around areas where you feel the cold air coming into your home.
Or if you're looking for a draught excluder just for your door, you can buy a one metre brushed strip for £1.79 from Screwfix.
Norton Finance estimates that draught-proofing your home could save you around £215 over five years.
Are you worried about paying your energy bills this winter? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
There are plenty of other cheap things you can do to help keep your home warm this winter - and they don't involve spending money on a handyman.
We've previously written about specialist radiator foil that reflects heat around your home.
It is simple to install as you just cut it into place and stick it behind an external wall radiator.
We found a roll that measures 500mm by 1.2 metres on sale being sold online at Toolstation for £1.49.
Some people say you can also use regular tin foil behind your radiator but energy experts say there isn't enough evidence out there to say how effective this is.
You can also ensure you're getting the most from your central heating by bleeding your radiators.
Bleeding your radiator essentially involves getting rid of trapped air inside that causes warm water to stop circulating around your radiator.
To do this, you need a radiator key - which can be found at your nearest DIY store - and a cloth or rag.
Other simple changes you can do include turning your thermostat down by just one degree - doing this could save you around 10% on your bill, depending on how much energy use.
You should also turn appliances off - not just leave them on standby - when you're not using them.
We've got twelve tips to lower your energy bill here.
