Whether you live in a particularly cold climate or you just feel the chill when winter kicks in, there are plenty of ways to stay toasty when the temperatures drop.

Most of us up the thermostat but that can certainly see the energy bills rocket. And sometimes it’s nice to use natural ways to stay warm because they feel cosier, toastier and much more healthy.

So, to help keep those bills down and your temperature up, here's some top tips on how to beat the cold this year…

Outdoor And Indoor Heating

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to heat your home and you have a large outdoor space, you may find coal boilers or wood boilers a beneficial way to warm up your property; these are ideal for rugged colder climates.

And if you don’t want to whack the thermostat up inside, how about investing in a wood burning stove instead? Not only will this make your house super toasty, but it also adds a plush Alpine-style feel to your home too. If you need to do a bit of gardening or even just fancy getting outside in the evening (if it's not too chilly), then a fire-pit might come in handy – and would be cheaper than an outdoor electric heater.

Cozy Cashmere And Wool

There’s an old Scandinavian saying that goes ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.' So go Nordic with your style and up the ante when it comes to layering.

Invest in cashmere blankets, woolen socks and fluffy hats to keep you warm as the cold weather hits. Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats in Inner Mongolia, Himalaya, and Kashmir, and as it can be up to eight times warmer than sheep wool, it’s certainly worth the investment.

Common Sense Methods

There are also plenty of tried and tested common sense methods of warming up that have been used over the years. Often we just think we’ll whack the heating up, but there are plenty of other ways to stay warm too.

Try Matcha green tea, a delicious bowl of homemade soup or even lemon and honey in hot water to warm the soul. Other hot drinks to warm you up include spiced cider and yummy hot chocolate.

Also, think about where draughts in your house are coming from. These are usually found under door frames, so use funky draught excluders to block these up. And common sense says to always draw your curtains once it gets dark.

One of my personal favourite ways to warm up is with a hot water bottle. Not only are they comforting, but they can make you feel toasty in no time at all. There are some great designs out there and what's more, you can stick it under your duvet before lights out to warm the bed!

Insulation

Making sure you have the correct insulation in your home can also save you money on energy bills, so is well worth investigating.

You can add insulation to your walls and ceilings and also your water tank. Insulating your water tank can reduce your bills by reducing heat loss by up to 45%.

Exercise

Is it crazy to do a few star jumps if you’re feeling cold? No! Not only will it help with your cardiovascular health but moving around also creates more body heat.

A healthier body is more tolerant of cold weather as a fit body has better blood circulation. So if you want to warm up quickly, get all the family on board and do 20 minutes of at-home vigorous exercise. Your body (and your finances) will thank you for it!