Money expert Martin Lewis has shared a method of keeping warm that costs just a penny an hour, describing it as a "desperation stakes" tip for those who cannot afford to run their central heating this winter.
Lewis returned with an energy bills special on ITV on Tuesday, offering tips to cut costs ahead of a forecast 24% rise in the Ofgem price cap in January. In one segment, he took viewers through methods that can keep a person warm for as little as 1p an hour, rather than spending money heating an entire house.
Heat the Person, Not the Home
Introducing the segment, Lewis told ITV viewers: "If you HAVE to heat the human. Not the home. I'm not saying you should do this, I'm saying desperation stakes."
He suggested several low-cost options, including sleeping in a sleeping bag with a hot water bottle, using plug-in USB gloves, a heated gilet, or heated insoles. Another tip was to raise your feet off the floor, because the floor is the coldest part of the house.
Low-Cost Heating Alternatives
Lewis explained: "Plug in USB, less than a penny an hour, keeps you warm. Very localised heating, you're not even heating the room. Normally you want to heat the house, no, heat the room, no, just heat the person."
He added: "A microwave heat bag costs less than a penny to put it in the microwave and keep you warm, a hot water bottle boiled in the kettle is about 5p for a one-off, stays warm if it's well insulated, make sure you're putting a bit of cold water in so it's not boiling."
He also mentioned electric blankets: "An electric blanket, plug into the mains, less than 3p an hour to run, make sure you're not sleeping in it unless it is one that can be slept in at night."
Desperation Stakes Warning
Lewis became emotional as he added: "Look, it's not the right thing to tell you. It's not good for your house to have no central heating on during the winter. Protecting your house is important. But ultimately at desperation stakes, it's not as important as protecting yourself."
He continued: "I don't wanna be saying this, but I'm saying this… listen, you might find yourself saying, hey I'm in by myself during the day, I don't want the central heating on, I like my heated gloves and that works fine and it can help me cut the costs. All of that is wonderful but when we get to the extreme point it is a problem. But I thought it was important... to mention it."
