Martin Lewis: Seven ways to keep your costs down and the heating up this winter

So dust off your long johns, grab a cup of Bovril and snuggle up with my checklist to keep your costs down and the heat up.

1. Save £250+ on energy bills

Winter is of course the highest-use energy period. So the key is to ensure you’re on the cheapest possible deal – that may be changing tariff with your existing provider, it may be switching. The move across takes 17 days, so do it now to ensure you’re on the right deal before the cold snaps.

Those who worry about this, don’t – it’s the same pipes, gas, meter and safety, and you don’t lose supply. The only difference is price and customer service. But savings can be huge.

About 70% are on their provider’s standard tariff – across the big six this is an average of £1,095/year based on typical usage. Yet the cheapest open market’s deal is around £830 a year – that’s £260 a year saved, much of that in the winter months.

However, as your exact cheapest depends on what you use and where you live – to find out, always do a comparison. Just make sure you select ‘all tariffs’ on a comparison site. You can use my www.CheapEnergyClub.com which also gives switchers up to £30 cashback and then monitors you tariff after to check no one beats it, or any Ofgem.gov.uk approved comparison site.

2. Switch energy now and you could get £100s back

If you pay by direct debit, it’s likely you’re in credit after the low-use summer. Most providers give it back automatically, but if they don’t, call and ask. If you’ve switched in the past five years, your old supplier may still owe you too.

Asking for it back is simple and here’s a success to encourage you: “The balance owed to me from 17 months ago (which they never got back to me about) was £1,364.22. A brilliant result but I do feel an idiot for not knowing how much I'd overpaid, so I urge everyone to do the same as me and check.” – Col.escargot.

3. Free winter car check

Halfords.com is offering a free £15 winter car check, which includes checks to your battery, bulbs, wiper blades, oil and screenwash levels. You don’t need to book in advance, though you can online if you want, and the check should take about 15 minutes. There is no obligation to buy anything, but be prepared that staff might try to upsell you. The winter car check is on until spring next year.

4. Are you entitled to any extra winter help?

Winter is a tough time for many as the cold sets in. But there are funds which may help…

A. Winter fuel payments

If you were born on or before 5 January 1953 (and met other qualifying criteria throughout the week commencing 21 September 2015), you’re eligible for the up to £300 winter fuel payment. If you get certain benefits, eg, state pension, pension credit or jobseeker’s allowance, you’ll usually get it automatically – otherwise you may have to claim it. You do that by calling 03459 15 15 15.

B. Cold weather payments

Anyone on certain benefits, eg, specific income support, jobseeker’s allowance, pension credit, gets £25 for every seven days where there are sub-zero temperatures. It’s paid automatically from 1 November this year.

C. Choosing between heating and eating?

If you’re seriously behind, or in general financial hardship, you may be eligible for special tariffs/help. Try the HomeHeatHelpline.org.uk on 0800 33 66 99.

5. Do you know where your cock is – for water that is?

Everyone should know where their main water off-switch is, otherwise known as a stopcock. Frozen pipe bursts create an average of £4k of damage, worse if you can’t find the off switch as your home floods. So if you don’t know, spend five minutes now finding out – typically it’s under the kitchen sink, in the boiler cupboard, or outside.

6. Full service car breakdown cover £41, basic for £16 – and if you’re renewing, haggle

Problems are more likely in winter and the consequences are more severe. For breakdown, home start and onward travel cover, AutoAidBreakdown.co.uk charges £41/year, though if it sends a truck and driver you pay, then reclaim.

Or if you’ve got cover and are at renewal, haggle. In a recent poll I conducted, 84% of AA and 78% of RAC customers who tried got lower rates, like Graham did: “Thanks for the haggling advice. Just spent five minutes on the phone to the RAC and got my renewal slashed from £252 to £151. Just over £100 for about five minutes’ work – that’ll do nicely!”

Full help to do this in www.mse.me/breakdown For basic policies, buy through a cashback site like Topcashback.co.uk or Quidco.com and you can reduce the cost, eg, RAC basic is £27.99 a year and you get around £12 cashback, AA is a little more.

7. Free loft/cavity wall insulation, open to all

Energy firms face sanctions if they don’t meet Eco quotas, so some, eg, BritishGas.co.uk, EDFEnergy.com and Npower.com give free insulation to anyone in England, Scotland or Wales with a suitable home (you don’t have to be their customer or on a low income). If you paid for this commercially, it could cost around £700.

The savings can be huge. The Energy Saving Trust estimates you’ll see a reduction in bills of £300 a year compared with a typical uninsulated home. On average it takes 3-4 weeks to book a survey and a further two weeks for the insulation to be fitted (though it can take longer).