Mum takes heating console to work so kids can't turn it up

20 October 2022, 15:37 | Updated: 20 October 2022, 15:41

Mum Emma Ford posted her method to keeping her energy bills low while she is at work.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to affect homeowners across the country this winter, bills are set to rise this winter.

So much so, that many families are coming up with their own ways to save money and keep costs down.

But while some might look at changing their utilities company or investing in an electric blanket, one mum has gone viral after she shared her hack for keeping her energy costs down.

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Emma Ford, from Yorkshire, took to a Facebook group earlier this month to explain that she actually takes her heating console with her to work, so the kids can’t turn it up.

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She said: “To save money this winter I’ve taken the boiler control panel off the wall and I’m taking it out with me to stop the teenager and preteen having the house like a sauna.

"Don’t worry, though, they have oodies, onesies and fluffy dressing gowns to keep them warm.”

The post has now been shared more than 8000 times, with plenty of people commenting.

One person said: “Back in the 90s my mum used to take the house phone with her to work to stop me running up the bill.”

While another wrote: “I love your solution to the issue – overcoming a challenge.”

This comes after Martin Lewis shared some more of his money saving hacks this week, telling his followers the three reasons their energy bill could be incorrect.

During his show on ITV, The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, Martin explained to one woman who had emailed in the reasons why her bill could be wrong.

The woman explained via email that her energy bill had jumped from £49 a month to £123, she wrote: "I have just received my new monthly direct debit from my energy provider and it has gone from £49 to £123 from September and then £181 per month from October 28. I am in credit of £200, is this correct, as this will be one week’s pension money?"

Firstly, Martin explained regular meter readings need to be given as the estimate could be wrong.

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He continued: "The other thing is, have you come off a cheap fix, in which case your bill would have risen by far more than double over the last year.

"If you’ve passed all those tests, then that would seem far too high for me."

The Money Saving Expert also suggested people use an online energy calculator to give them an idea of what they should be paying.

From there, you can then contact your energy supplier, he said: "Get in touch with the energy firm, call it up, politely - as the call centre operators haven’t done anything wrong - and say, please can you tell me why you’re putting my direct debit up.

"If they can’t justify it to you, then you have the right under energy firm licence conditions to have your direct debits lowered."