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LIVING SIMPLER AND CHEAPER

AFTER a Winter of Discontent when energy prices have rocketed and food prices have soared alongside them if there’s one thing we want to do this year it’s to live cheaper and simpler.

We learned much about what style of living we wanted during lockdown. And for many people what they had was not what they wanted long-term.

As a result, some house prices – especially those with space and a garden – have gone much higher as people vote to change their lifestyle by packing their bags and bringing in the estate agents.

Certainly, what has happened is that we have all assessed whether we’re happy with our current accommodation and the lifestyle we have with many looking for ways to change them in 2022.

While you may have a wish-list of things you want in your new home, what you might simply want is to downsize – thus giving you not only the place but the cheaper lifestyle you want.

The children might have left home. Your health might mean you need easier or supported accommodation. You might just want to slash domestic bills by living in a smaller home like an apartment.

It may be that the maintenance on your current home is too difficult or that you need to raise funds for your retirement or care.

There are many alternative options including a smaller house or flat, a bungalow or other single storey accommodation, a retirement home or village or a park home. While your planned new property may well be easier to manage and much cheaper, it’s worth researching your new area for facilities and transport.

Charity Age UK has plenty of advice to help here. Go to https:// www.ageuk.org.uk

Downsizing also means less space for possessions so you will probably have to do some radical de-cluttering. The best way to do this is to go room by room and be realistic about what you can take with you.

List what you want to keep, throw out or give away to charity and try and keep to your plan because there will be plenty of temptations to keep items for sentimental reasons.

Charities like Emmaus contact@emmaus.org.uk and the British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/ informationsupport/heart-helpline will take unwanted furniture.

Local hospices and the Salvation Army may also take furniture. They will certainly take household items at local charity shops along with unwanted, good-condition clothes, shoes etc.

If you really don’t want to move house but need to cut your bills, consumer experts Which? provide a good place to start. Go to https://www.which.co.uk

Which? Switch may be useful if you need to switch ENERGY SUPPLIERS. They also advise choosing paperless bills and managing your account online as some companies charge extra for paper bills.

Paying by direct debit is also usually cheaper and sending regular meter readings can keep your bill accurate.

Question any direct debit increases that seem too high as your energy company should be able to explain the changes. Your usage and payments should balance out over a year. When replacing an appliance, Which? points out that you can cut your electricity bills by choosing the most energy-efficient model. The most visual indication of a product’s energy efficiency is its EU energy-efficiency rating. Which? also tests items like washing machines so it could be worth a look.

LOFT and CAVITY WALL INSULATION can save you a large amount each year. If you have it already, it might be worth topping it up as this can also help reduce heat loss.

You can also reduce heat loss by replacing WINDOWS with single and double glazing.

Heating is responsible for more than half of your energy bill each year so replacing an old, inefficient gas BOILER with a modern energy-efficient one could make a big difference.

Energy-saving LIGHTBULBS can also help cut your energy bills and if you don’t already have a room thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves, installing them and using them well could provide another useful saving.

If you only need to heat one room in your home, it can be cheaper to use a portable electric heater and keep the thermostat turned down.

For anyone living alone or working from home, investing in an electric heater could save on heating bills over time as you’re not

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heating the whole home unnecessarily. However, be careful with your electric heater as electricity is much pricier than gas per hour.

Stop heat from escaping through unwanted gaps around DOORS and windows with effective draught-proofing. Use draughtproofing strips around the windows; brush strips work better for sash windows.

On doors, use draught-proofing strips around the edges and brush or hinged-flap draught excluders at the bottom. If you don’t use a CHIMNEY or fireplace, put an inflatable pillow inside to block the chimney or fit a cap over the chimney pot. For loft hatches, use draught-proofing foam strips to keep the heat in,

Keep rooms you don’t use closed and well-insulated and keep heating down to a minimum. Many of us spend a lot more time in the kitchen or central living areas over the colder months so these are areas to concentrate on.

Lined CURTAINS help with insulation and making your home heating work better – they’re also cosy, even on chilly Summer evenings. BLINDS on bare windows not only feel cosier but also brighten up rooms and so make us feel better all year round.

If you need more living space rather than less, CONSERVATORIES and ORANGERIES not only add more areas in which to live daily but also add to your insulation – along with the value of your home.

Take a real look at the way your life is at home and work out whether you could use space better and more efficiently. You might need an office space, a workout area, somewhere for the children to study or just better utilisation of the rooms and areas there already.

Sometimes, by re-configuring the rooms you have – whether by internal building work or just by usage – you can streamline the way you live.

Wetroom & Walk-in Shower Specialists

Victoria Mill, Albert Street, Open: Lockwood, Huddersfield Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Tel: 01484 547110 Saturday, 9am to 4pm Email: hudd@atlasbathrooms.co.uk www.atlasbathrooms.co.uk

Great choices for the smallest room

Thinking of updating your bathroom?Then take a look at the extensive showroom at Huddersfield’ s Atlas Bathrooms of Lockwood. With now even more choice in store,Atlas has invested heavily in the extensive showroom and now has even more displays of bath suites, showers and wet rooms to choose from.

It now has one of the biggest displays of bathrooms and accessories in the Huddersfield area. Spread over two floors it has ranges from top manufacturers including Jacuzzi, Heritage, Roca and Ideal Standard.

There is also plenty to suit all budgets with bathrooms and showers ranging in price from affordable to the luxurious end of the market.

For more information, look at the website www.atlasbathrooms.co.uk or ring 01484 547110.