Tips to help you make the most of your money this Winter

Check you’re getting all the support you’re entitled to

• Claim any benefits you may be entitled to, using a benefits calculator or a trusted service to help you check that you’re claiming everything you can. Find benefits calculators.
• Check out grants & extra help from your energy supplier, a charity or benevolent fund. Read more about the help available from energy suppliers.
• Visit Portsmouth City Council’s cost of living hub

Check for additional ways to increase your income or save money on your essential spending

• Contact Citizen’s Advice Portsmouth where an advisor can guide you through their ‘making the most of your money checklist’ to identify ways you may be eligible for additional income, support and discounts such as social tariffs and help with other daily costs
• Visit trusted websites such as Money Helper or Money Saving Expert for information to help you budget, spend less or save, to make your money go further

Explore ways to save money on energy bills

• Carry out a check of your property to identify areas where you may be losing heat, letting the cold in or wasting energy
• Get extra help and energy advice from your supplier or chat to Switched On Portsmouth
• Keep an eye on your household energy consumption, a smart meter could help you do this, so speak to your supplier

Day to day tips for saving energy

• Reduce shower time or swap a bath for a shower
• Avoid overfilling the kettle – boil what you need
• Use a slow cooker or air fryer, and if you’re using the oven, batch cook to maximise use of energy
• Make sure your curtains are closed when the sun goes down
• Turn appliances off at the wall or plug when not being used
• Wear an extra layer of clothing or keep a throw or  blanket to hand
• Only wash necessary clothing / items
• Run washing machines at 30c or less
• Run washing machines and dishwashers with a full load
• Buy energy efficient rated goods and appliances if possible
• Dry clothes outside or on indoor driers in warm spots
• Use a tumble dryer ball to reduce drying time
• Mend leaks and dripping taps
• Program your heating and hot water to run only when needed
• Make sure boilers / heaters are efficient & professionally serviced
• If you rent, your landlord must provide an annual gas check
• Put reflective foil behind radiators on outside walls
• Fit a draught brush or seal to doors and windows (leave ventilation if you have an open or gas fire or a boiler with a flue)
• Draughtproof letterboxes and keyholes with cover plates
• Fit a heavy curtain over external doors
• Make sure curtains don’t cover radiators (shorten or tuck behind)
• Fill gaps in skirting boards with beading or sealant, or even newspaper
• Put rugs over bare floors
• Use a draught excluder at the bottom of doors to keep warmth in
• Fit a chimney balloon into unused fireplaces
• Turn off lights you’re not using
• Use low energy light bulbs
• Consider using solar, wind-up or battery-operated lights
• Avoid leaving items on standby
• Turn off power chargers when not in use

Plan and prepare for Christmas (to avoid debt and make the best of the festive season)

• Put away any spare money you have over the months and weeks leading up to Christmas (the average Christmas spend is thought to be around £800 per household). Spreading the added cost over 2 pay days helps
• Remember; it’s just a few days of celebration and it doesn’t need to break the bank to be lovely.
• Gather accurate information about your income and spending, from bank statements, bills, payslips and receipts, and create an accurate budget sheet.
• Work out how much money you are likely to have left to spend, after your essential / priority / household spending has been deducted.
• Make festive plans to fit your budget and do your best to stick to it.
• Only spend what you can afford – this means no nasty shocks in the new year.
• If you find there will be very little or no money left after you work out your budget, you could explore ways to maximise your income and make more money i.e. take stock of what you have, clear out, sell unwanted items or even re-gift them instead of spending more.
• Think about staying local for Christmas to avoid hefty travel price hikes or book your travel tickets as early as possible for the best rates. Find information about low cost travel on the cost of living hub.
• Avoid using credit or other borrowing for Christmas but if you do, try to find the best deals with 0% interest. Remember you always need to repay what you borrow, and interest rates can rise sharply.
• Avoid Buy Now Pay Later deals if possible but if you do, make sure you can really afford it and plan around those future payments and include them in your revised budget in the new year.
• Start a conversation with friends, extended family, neighbours, teachers, classmates etc. to manage and reduce or stop the buying expectations and obligations at Christmas time.
• Consider capping gift values to an amount you can afford, starting a new tradition such as homemade gifts only, agreeing not to buy unnecessary or novelty gifts – it will be cheaper for you and better for the planet.
• Swap preloved quality items, make good use of offers and discounts, and club together to make the most of BOGOFs (buy one get one free) or 3 for 2 offers to save on gifts.
• Shop for presents using cash back debit cards and get back a percentage every time you shop – it all adds up
• Explore your cash-back shopping options and Christmas shopping deals; Money Saving Expert is a trusted website to compare different deals

We hope this helps you stay on track.

Sarah Atkinson, Citizen’s Advice Portsmouth.