B&M has slashed the price of an energy-saving item by a huge 50% and it costs pennies to run.
The discount store is famous for selling home essentials at a bargain price.
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And with temperatures continuing to go up and down, we’re still looking for ways to keep warm during a cost of living crisis.
B&M is currently selling a teddy long hot water bottle for just 50% of the price.
Shoppers can grab the bargain and pay just £4.50, down from £9.
The hot water bottle is long allowing you to wrap it around yourself to keep warm.
It holds 1.7 litres of water and is currently in stock online.
Of course, do check if it’s in your local B&M but prices may vary so bear in mind it might not be going for £4.50 in store.
Do also shop around for the best deal as we may have missed something.
For example, Asda is selling a 1.7 litre hot water bottle for just £3 – although it’s not as long and doesn’t come with a cover.
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How much does it cost to boil a kettle?
To use the hot water bottle, all you need to do is boil a kettle and it could help you cut bill costs.
All kettles are different and the cost will depend on your energy tariff and usage.
Under the Energy Price Guarantee, which was introduced in October 2022, households currently pay an average of £2,500 a year,
Since April, no one pays rates based on the energy price cap – this is different to the EPG.
A standard kettle uses about 3kW of power and making a single cup of tea costs less than a penny to boil according to Uswitch.
So to work out how much it will cost to make a hot water bottle you need to do a bit of maths.
The equation is: cost = power (kilowatt) x cost of one kWh (pence) x the length of time (months or over a year.)
To calculate what it costs to boil a single cup you’ll need to multiply the amount of energy used by the unit rate of electricity.
For example, in January typically cost 17p to run your kettle for ten minutes, according to Uswitch.
That’s based on one with a power rating of 3,000W, so the exact amount depends on your particular one.
How else can I cut energy costs?
Adjust your thermostat – save £380 a year
It is proven by the Energy Saving Trust that reducing the thermostat temperature by one degree can reduce your fuel bill by 10%.
Uswitch has previously explained that households could make potential savings of up to £127.70, by turning down the temperature of the thermostat by just one degree.
If you were to turn your thermostat down by three degrees from 23°c to 20°c this winter you could save over £380 on your energy bills.
Add loft insulation – save £300 a year
Loft insulation can save you up to £300 a year.
As heat rises in your home, it’s got to go somewhere, so if the top of your house isn’t properly insulated, you’ll lose all that precious heat right out of the roof.
If it’s a bigger project and you’ve more area to cover, you don’t necessarily have to splash out on the costs alone, as low-income households can make their homes more energy efficient with grants of up to £10,000 from councils.
The money can be put toward measures like cavity wall and loft insulation, underfloor heating, energy-efficient doors or the replacement of single-glazed windows, so all the heat-escaping methods are covered.
Seal any draughts – save £200 a year
Setting up draught excluders around your home to block out any unwanted cool air is a cheap solution to slash your energy bills.
It means you could spend as little as £3, which could save you £200 on bills in the long run.
But remember, exactly how much you could save will depend on how draughty your house already is.
Keep your fridge freezer clean and frost-free – save £195 a year
The average fridge freezer uses 166 kWh of energy per year, working out at a cost of £77 a year, according to Uswitch.
While it isn’t realistic to turn off your fridge and freezer, there are things you can do to get them working more efficiently.
Keep your fridge freezer clean to save £45 a year – dust on the condenser coils can reduce the efficiency by as much as 25% says Which?.
Failing to defrost it for instance could be adding on an extra £150 a year.
The frost buildup increases the amount of work your freezer’s motor has to do.
Turn down your dishwasher temperature – save £146 a year
Your normal dishwasher setting is usually set at a temperature of between 55ºC and 65ºC.
An eco wash or energy-saving setting generally uses around 20% to 40% less energy, according to Which?.
They generally run at 45ºC to 50ºC, which means it’s cheaper to run but still gets your dishes clean.
These settings usually use less water, but run longer than a standard wash.
Using eco-mode compared to the auto programme will save you around 523 kWh of energy over a year, according to Bosch.
One kWh of electricity currently costs 28p – so that’s a saving of £146.44 over a year.
We’ve got more ways to cut energy costs here.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
