A CONSUMER champion has revealed the ways Brits can enjoy their Christmas lights without having to worry about the cost.
Households up and down the country are looking for ways to save their money but still enjoy the festive period as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
As Christmas approaches people will be wanting to decorate their trees and homes with lights but they may be wary of raking up considerable energy bills to run them.
Experts have come up with seven cunning ways to enjoy the gleaming decorations without breaking the bank.
Making simple changes such as the colour of the Christmas lights and tracking the time of when they’re switched on and off can help cut the costs of a high electric bill.
John Stirzaker, online consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “The moment you turn on the Christmas lights officially marks the start of the holiday season and will help to get you in the festive spirit.
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“While it’s a joyous occasion, the rising costs of energy bills impacting households across the UK means having the lights on can result in a big cost at the end of the season.
“We wanted to find helpful ways to help people cut the costs of leaving the lights on so everybody can decorate to their heart's content – from switching to battery operated lights and timing when they turn on and off by aligning them with sunset.
“Whether you like to put the Christmas tree up on December 1 or follow the traditional rule of waiting until the first Sunday in December, using these helpful tips can significantly cut the costs of high electric bills throughout the whole festive season.”
The seven money saving tips are:
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SHOP AROUND FOR THE LIGHTS
Shop around by heading down to multiple supermarkets to compare the prices, or if you have a blue light card – check where it’s eligible and make sure to make the most of the discount.
Garden centres are also a hidden gem for decorations and you could find yourself grabbing a bargain.
USE CYBER MONDAY DEALS
The sales weekend before December is the perfect opportunity to grab all the Christmas bits and bobs – including decorative lights to celebrate the seasonal fun.
Sign up early to special offers to grab 20-30 per cent off packages on Christmas lights to get ahead early to help cut down on the costs.
DON”T USE COLOURED LIGHTS
Surprisingly, the colour lights you select to decorate with can have a slight impact on your monthly costs.
Blue LED lights are used with more expensive materials in production to achieve the standout colour, so it’s probably best to stick to warm whites to save on the pennies.
TIME THE LIGHTS WITH SUNSET
Once you’ve bought the lights, it’s important to keep track of how often they’re turned on, otherwise it can lead to quite an expensive month.
If you check your weather app to look at the time for sunset, use this period to automatically turn on the lights and keep them on throughout the evening.
Make sure to switch them off before bed otherwise the Christmas cheer will be wasted – and so will the amount of energy you’ll use.
SWITCH TO BATTERIES
Buying a £2 pack of batteries to last the month can work out nearly five times cheaper, compared to plug-in lights.
If you’re switching on the lights for long periods of time, it will gradually build up the costs and can save an extra tenner in your monthly electric bills.
MAKE THE MOST OF EXISTING LIGHTING
If you’ve already got some fairy lights in your home, you could wrap them around the tree to still achieve a winter wonderland look without having to fork out on buying the lights and the running costs that come with them, as you’re simply moving the lights from one room to another.
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USE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
If you’re particularly worried about splurging on Christmas lights and the energy they use, have a look at different ways to light up the space.
Battery controlled light-up baubles or even sprinkling glitter over decorations to make them shine can have an equally stunning effect.
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