COLDER weather means balancing keeping warm with budgeting for higher energy bills.
Whilst no one should go without heating, there are ways to reduce your usage and keep costs down.
There are plenty of gadgets promising to keep you toasty – but do they really work?
The Sun’s consumer reporter Rosie Taylor put seven of them to the test to see how effective they are – and which left her out in the cold:
This heated pad did a brilliant job of keeping me warm while I was sat at my desk.
It heated up very quickly and was very warm even on a low setting (I started on three out of six and turned down to two).
It uses less than a tenth of the power of an electric heater, so it will save you money on your heating bills.
But it does need to be plugged into the mains via a cable, so you can’t move around with it on.
The machine-washable fabric was soft and smooth and it was easy to put on, but it was seriously unstylish.
If you’re working from home this could be great for keeping warm, but if you need to move around it would be no good.
Score: 7/10
These socks come printed with a rubber pattern which is designed to stimulate your body to heat itself when you walk around.
You turn them inside out, so the rubber is against the skin of the sole of your foot.
I tried these around the house and didn’t warm up at all – if anything, my feet got cooler.
The rubber pattern felt cold and sticky against my skin and the thin fabric of the socks meant I could feel the cold floor even more than through regular socks.
Don’t waste your money on these.
Score: 0/10
At first, I thought this rechargeable water bottle was great.
The instructions say you should charge it for 10 to 15 minutes for two hours or more of warmth – but it was warm within just a few minutes of charging.
Once charged, you disconnect it from any wires so you can take it anywhere with you. It also has a handy plush-lined hand-warming sleeve.
But I am worried it could get too hot.
As with guidance for traditional hot water bottles, I didn’t use this directly against my skin.
But the second time I used it, although I only heated it for around five minutes and then had it on my lap for just 15 minutes over jeans and a jumper, my skin under my clothing went very hot and bright red.
This is really handy if you need portable heat in a hurry but I would personally be very careful about using it against your body even with clothes on.
I’ll only be using it for heating up the bed before bedtime.
Score: 5/10
This heated blanket was soft and warm, even when not on.
It took longer to warm up than the other gadgets I tested – the instructions recommend it is preheated for 30 minutes before use, which was a bit of a faff.
It needs to be plugged in to work, which means it’s fine for an evening on the sofa or to put on top of your bed to keep it cosy.
But it’s not ideal if you need to stay warm as you walk around. It comes in grey, white and pink versions.
Score: 6/10
The foot warmer was easy to plug in and heated up quickly.
But it was very large and roomy inside, which meant it was difficult to ensure my feet touched enough of it to stay warm.
As a result, it felt draughty and I needed to turn it up high to get any warmth.
The lining was also not properly attached to the outer fabric, which was annoying, but it was fleecy and soft.
I’m not sure the effort of trying to get your feet warm in this is worth it.
Score: 5/10
There were so many things wrong with this.
It was a soft cushion with a really small pocket to put your feet in, which many people would struggle to use.
There was a hard plastic module inside which vibrated noisily and tickled the soles of my feet instead of massaging – like putting your feet on an electric toothbrush.
If you wanted the warming effect, there was no option for turning off the annoying buzzing.
The foot-warmer had to be plugged in to work but only came with a USB cable, which meant you’d need to use a mains adaptor for regular sockets.
You’d be better off just wearing fleecy slippers.
Score: 4/10
This was a great quality product that really worked.
Essentially it is just a pouch you use to carry a hot water bottle around – but it was well-designed, comfortable and fairly stylish.
The material was really thick and it seemed well-made.
I was surprised to find the heat from the water bottle transferred well to my body, even through a thick jumper.
It would be perfect for outdoor winter activities, like watching football, dog walking or seeing Christmas lights, or for wearing around the house.
The only downside was that filling up the water bottle took a few minutes – and the product came with lots of complex instructions which hid the fact it was actually very easy to use.
It was also the most expensive product I tested, at £59.95. It will be going on my Christmas list.
Score: 8/10
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
