COMMENT
Save Money On Your Energy Bills

If there's one thing I won't stint on in my house, it's heating. I refuse to be cold in my own home and would rather cut back on other things than turn the heating down or off whenever we need to tighten our belts for a while.

I think it stems from when I bought my first house more than 20 years ago. There was no central heating and it was about a year before I could afford to have it installed. So I made do with an expensive plug-in fan heater for the sitting room and extra jumpers, and learned how to bathe and dress in double-quick time on cold winter mornings. It was miserable and I hated it.

I know that by turning my thermostat down by 1°C I could cut my heating bills by up to 10% a year but I don't. I prefer to be warm. However, we do try to make up for my profligate energy use in other ways around the house. For example:

• We shower rather than have baths because baths use five times as much hot water as showers;
• We always turn televisions, videos and stereos off -- leaving them on standby wastes money and it's also a fire hazard. (I have to admit I'm not so good with turning off the computer overnight. I should make it one of my New Year resolutions);
• We close the curtains early in the evening because it stops the heat from escaping through the windows and helps prevent draughts;
• We use energy efficient light bulbs;
• Our exterior doors and letterbox are fitted with draught excluders;
• We defrost the freezer regularly to keep it running efficiently, use the economy wash for most washing machine loads and never run the dishwasher unless it's full;
• When it's really cold, I hug a hot water bottle.

We also have pretty good loft insulation but if you don't, you can take advantage of various grants and special offers available around the country. Go to the Energy Saving Trust website to find out if you're eligible. Energy suppliers or your local authority offer schemes ranging from getting financial help towards the costs of loft and cavity wall insulation to 20% discounts off energy-efficient appliances. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.

And finally, every couple of years or so, I compare the prices of my energy suppliers with alternatives to see if I can buy it more cheaply elsewhere.