Shoppers rush to buy ‘excellent’ winter must-have to avoid turning on the heating – and it costs just 3p an hour to run

WITH winter energy bills soon to slip through our letter boxes, many of us are finding ways to stay warm without turning on the heating.

In fact, shoppers are rushing to buy one winter gadget that could knock up to £100 off your energy bills.

However, it’s important they’re used the right way.

Prices for electric blankets start from just £20 and depending on the size they could cost you as little as 72p a day to run.

Robert Dyas is selling a double-size electric blanket for £27.99 and shoppers say it’s “excellent”.

One shopper said: “I bought this as a gift for Christmas, it came in time, unfortunately, the recipient was so ill with flu. Anyway, she has it now and is very pleased with it.”

Another said: “Keeps me as warm as toast during the cold evenings and cheap to run.”

“I use it to preheat the bed. So relaxing in no time I’m Zzzzzz….” said a third. 

You can find even cheaper electric blankets in stores like Dunelm, £22 or £24.99 in The Range.

Some stores charge much more like Argos, who charge £50 for a King size electric blanket or Amazon where prices go up to £99.99.

Using an electric blanket can be a really effective way of keeping your energy bills low. 

Blankets cost just 3p per hour to run, on average and usually cost from around £30 all the way up to £100, depending on the model you choose.

But Brits are being warned electric blankets can be dangerous if they are not used correctly. 

If you do use them wrong you could put yourself at risk of electrocution and your home at risk of fire.

Experts at Electrical Safety First have shared some tips to make sure you’re using an electrical blanket correctly:

• Make sure to roll them, not fold, so the wiring doesn’t weaken 
• Avoid using your electric blanket with an extension lead
• Make sure you turn your blanket off when sleeping
• Keep your blanket away from hot water bottles or any drinks and liquids

Fans have also learned that electric blankets work best if you sandwich them between a mattress topper and the bottom sheet you sleep on.

This would mean you would be sleeping on top of your heated blanket.

This is why many heated blankets come with fastening straps so that you can secure them to your mattress.

How else you can reduce your bill

Turning down your thermostat a few notches can help reduce your energy bills by up to £80 a year.

But keeping it at a steady temperature will help you save even more. 

Be sure to turn off any appliance you are not using and don’t leave them on standby and that could hike up your bills by £35. 

If you struggling with energy bills check to see if you may be eligible for grants and schemes like the Warm Home Discount, for example.

Those on Universal Credit and older legacy benefits could get over £3,000 in bill support.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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