WINTER is fast approaching and that means households might be thinking about ways to dry clothes while keeping costs down.
The cost of living is still ongoing and while the price cap fell on October 1 to £1,923, energy bills are still alarmingly high.
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During the summer months, wet clothes can be hung outside to dry.
But with the cold weather looming, it’ll take much longer – but many of us will be wanting to hold off putting the heating on to keep costs as low as we can.
During the winter, households might turn to the radiators to dry clothes.
Even a tumble dryer can be expensive to run – one cycle can cost £1.44 according to Ideal Home.
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That’s £10.80 if you use it every day.
One alternative is getting a heated airer – they dry clothes much quicker than a normal airer and costs just pennies to run.
Using one of these instead of putting the heating on or using a tumble dryer could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
If you have a heated airer on for 12 hours, then you may only pay less than £1.
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In comparison, if you have your central heating on for that same amount of time, you could end up paying much more.
Of course this depends on your home, the type of airer you use and what sort of heating you have.
It’s always worth working out yourself how much using each source could cost you, that way you can be as prepared as possible.
If you’re tempted by a heated airer, we’ve rounded up the cheapest place to buy one this week.
Aldi – £39.99
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Bargain supermarket Aldi brought back its sell-out heated airer this week.
Aldi’s heated airer is one of the cheapest we’ve seen, at just £39.99.
The large 230W heater, which can be plugged in, has 20 heating tubes – handy for drying clothes and making the house cosy.
It sold out super fast last year and when we checked the website, it wasn’t available to buy online.
But shoppers should be able to find it in store still – it might be worth ringing up your local store before making the trip.
If you are after the product then you’ll need to be quick.
As it is a Specialbuy, once it’s gone, it’s gone – so you may want to act fast to get one for yourself.
The Range – £39.99
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If you can’t get your hands on the Aldi heated airer, then The Range has one for £39.99 as well.
It is 230W and comes with 20 bars for people to hang clothes on.
The £39.99 price is a sale price – it’s currently on offer from £49.99.
It is currently in stock online though bear in mind that you might have to pay extra for delivery.
Postage costs £3.95 for standard delivery or £4.95 for express.
Or you can find your nearest store by using the locator tool on The Range’s website.
Dunelm – £40
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Dunelm’s heated airer is only 1p more than Aldi’s and The Range’s.
So if you haven’t managed to track down one of those then this is another great option.
The 220 watts airer can hold up to 10kg of washing.
Dunelm claims it costs just 7p an hour to run, that’s 84p for 12 hours of drying.
It’s currently in stock online and delivery costs £3.95 for standard or £5.95 for express.
You can also click & collect it for free in store.
B&Q – £39.99
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The third cheapest airer is B&Q’s which also costs £39.99 like The Range’s and Aldi’s.
To the 230 W product can hold 10kg of wet clothes.
It also comes with 20 bars to hang items on.
When we checked it was in stock online – standard delivery is free.
Click & collect isn’t available for the heated airer but it’s worth checking in store if it’s in stock.
You can find your nearest B&Q online.
Asda – £40
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Supermarket giant Asda is also selling a heated airer for £40.
While it’s not the most expensive it only holds 5kg of washing, so less than the other airers.
It’s currently in stock online and delivery will set yu back £3.50.
It’s also worth checking in store – you can find your local online.
Lidl – £44.99
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Lidl’s heated airer will set you back £44.99. It holds one wash load which amounts to 16kg of laundry.
However, this one isn’t yet available – it will be landing in Lidl stores on October 19.
If it’ll be anything like Aldi’s sell-out airer then shoppers will need to be quick if they want to get their hands on one.
You can find your nearest Lidl by using its store locator tool on its website.
Robert Dyas – £49.99
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Robert Dyas is selling a 220W heated airer for £49.99.
It’s more expensive than the others but it’s still a decent price.
It’s currently on sale for £20 off down from £69.99.
Delivery is free for orders over £40 so you won’t need to pay anything extra.
You can see if one is in stock at your local Robert Dyas – just use the store locators store on its website
How else can I keep costs low?
Sticking draught-proofing tape in the gaps around windows and doors could save around £45 on your energy bills, according to Energy Saving Trust.
You can buy a roll on Amazon for around £5.
Using things like an electric blanket instead of putting the heating on to keep warm can help reduce costs as well.
Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can be another easy way to save £100 a year.
For lots more ways to save, read ‘Full list of energy tips which could slash your bills.
What help is available if I’m struggling this winter?
Households receiving the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit can get the Warm Home Discount, which reduces energy bills by £150.
You might also be eligible if you are on Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or certain other low-income benefits and have high energy costs.
Anyone born before September 25, 1957, can get a Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £600, including a Pensioner Cost Of Living Payment of up to £300.
Households claiming certain benefits such as Pension Credit can also claim a cold weather payment of up to £75 if temperatures are below zero degrees for seven days running.
Most energy suppliers have a discretionary grant scheme to help support their most vulnerable customers.
Grants vary by supplier and, of course, the exact amount you’ll get will depend on your own financial circumstances.
The British Gas Energy Support Fund provides grants to customers who are struggling to pay their bills.
Octopus Energy has continued dishing out free electric blankets to help customers keep warm while bills stay high.
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You could get a brand new boiler installed free of charge from your energy company if you are on a low income, or considered a vulnerable customer.
Some suppliers are offering the freebie, and the eligibility criteria may vary.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
