Christmas Lights - Keep the sparkle alive without breaking the bank

Christmas Day is just around the corner, so we hope you've got your decorations up! Those sparkly lights really can add a bit of magic to the dark, chilly nights but how can you make your set up as energy and cost efficient as possible?

Check out our tips to make sure you stay on Santa's nice list (yes he cares about the environment and your bank balance too).

Set a timer

Electronic timers are pretty cheap, you can use them all year round and they can last for years. At Christmas use your timer to switch your lights on when you're at home and awake only. You can set a timer to switch everything on for when you're getting home or as it's getting dark and then switch them off when you're heading up to bed. The neighbour's cat doesn't need to enjoy your sparkly lights at 2am.

Think about your power usage

If you don’t have timers, remember to go round and turn the lights off at bedtime, or before you head out for a festive meal. If you want to keep your outside lights on but are heading away for a few days then ask a neighbour to switch them on and off for you.

Use off-peak electricity

Many homes have an economy 7 meter, which offers cheaper night time power or have smart meters fitted that can provide access to electric car tariffs etc. Christmas lights can easily be piggy backed to run at the same time as the cheaper electricity. Just check your smart meter so you know when the best times are.

Use solar

Even though the sun doesn’t shine much this time of year, there’s still enough sunlight to power LED lights for outdoor displays. An added benefit is once these lights are installed, they run without any further input from you and can make a great addition to your summer garden for those lazy evenings out on the patio. Just don't pick something super festive or you'll be looking at Christmas trees and reindeer in August.

There are a lot of other things you can do at work and at home, so you can have a cosy festive season that doesn’t cost the earth:

• Fit draught excluders to doors and check your windows for draughts. A lot of windows allow for adjustments to openings, which can need tweaking over time to make sure you've got a good seal.

  
  

• Turn your thermostat down if you have a party or are cooking for lots of guests. There's no point in having the heating on full blast only to have to open a window because your Auntie is overheating in the corner.

  
  

• While you're cooking only use just enough water to boil or steam vegetables and always keep your pan lids on.

  
  

• Make sure your ovens and oven doors are clean and only opened for the shortest amount of time to avoid letting the heat escape.

  
  

• And finally, don't put your leftovers in the fridge until they're cooled. It'll make your fridge work harder to get back to the right temperature.

Follow a few of these and you'll be able to enjoy a cosy festive break without worrying about the dreaded January bills.