Consumer journalist and TV presenter Alice Beer says people still need to be careful amid the ongoing fuel crisis by maintaining their good spending habits over the summer and being cautious again next winter.
The cost of living crisis has forced households across Northern Ireland to rethink how they spend their money and look at ways to save a few pounds on their bills as prices continue to rise.
Alice, best known for having appeared on BBC's Watchdog and more recently as the consumer editor on ITV's This Morning, was speaking as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced his “Budget for growth” today.
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"I hope to see the energy price cap stay in place for another three months and I think that's very important. That's good but obviously there's confusion around that too as it's only a cap," she told Belfast Live.
"You'll only see the benefits if you limit the amount of fuel that you use - it's a cap on prices and not how much they (energy providers) can charge you ultimately. We still have to be very careful about domestic fuel usage."
The consumer expert also offered some energy-saving tips to help people here reduce their heating bills.
"People still have radiators coming on and off in rooms that they're not using. That's absolutely just throwing away money that we don't have at the moment so all heating off in rooms you're not using," she explained.
"Setting a thermostat down by just 1°C is going to save you something ridiculous like £80 a year. We all have rows in our household about wanting it too hot or someone else looking it colder but it's very evident that if you dress right and move around more, you can actually tolerate a lower temperature in your house.
"It's really about looking at how you are managing your heating within your home and doing the very best you can. Hopefully this is the last of the cold spells and then we've got good weather ahead."
The well-known savings seeker says there are also savings to be had in the kitchen.
"It's very personal to how you and your family cooks. The ultimate way to do things would be to batch cook at the beginning of the week. When you're turning that big box that is the oven on, put as much in as you can and don't cook one thing at a time," she added.
"Batch cooking saves a huge amount of money - batch cooking, freezing and reheating is definitely a more effective way to cook. You've got to do the right thing for your family."
As more people rush to buy air fryers amid the cost of living crisis, which are quicker to use in comparison to conventional ovens and cost less in terms of energy consumption, Alice says: "When you get the hang of it, I think they are quite brilliant and you can have a lot of fun.
"You've obviously got to weigh up spending around £60 on an air fryer and then when you're going to make those savings."
With prices at the supermarkets also on the rise over recent months, Alice has this advice for savvy shoppers when it comes to keeping their spending in check.
"By now everyone has worked out their own way of doing the savings and the biggest thing you can do is to plan ahead," she said.
"We all know that feeling of going into the supermarket when you're hungry and you haven't checked what you've already got on your shelves.
"The biggest mistake we make is to waste food and throw things away because you've let them go off, which in itself is really not acceptable in this day and age.
"Making a list and planning ahead is an efficient and cost-cutting way to run a family. It's boring sitting down on a Sunday to make a list but it does make you feel like you're winning at life if you meal plan for the week ahead."
And as people desperately try to manage their energy bills and keep costs down, Alice warned that fraudsters are taking advantage of the cost-of-living crisis and has urged people to be alert to scam-artists using this to target vulnerable families and con them into revealing personal information.
"Treat everything as a scam when it comes in - if it's an unusual number, has a link you don't know or someone is contacting you from a different place."
Alice says one place that has always been known to have lower prices is Duty Free shopping. New research found that UK adults are often willing to spend up to three days searching for a special deal, although 21% admit to exaggerating just how much money they’ve saved.
The survey, carried out on behalf of ferry company Stena Line, reveals that 83% of respondents get a thrill from securing a great bargain, so much so that they love to brag (29%) and boast (31%) about it.
The poll also found that over a quarter of UK adults have told a white lie to their partner about their shopping habits, while 37% know someone who is a ‘serial bargain hunter’.
Alice said even ‘serial bargain hunters’ could be surprised at the Duty Free allowance and the savings they can make.
"At a time when every penny counts for families, it feels like Duty Free shopping is a well kept secret. I was surprised to learn that only 21% of people realise you can get Duty Free on a ferry from Britain to Ireland – especially as this is where you get some of the best savings.
"Savvy shoppers can really stock up when using a Duty Free fare, with stand-out savings compared to the High Street, particularly on the likes of alcohol and fragrances, plus you get to enjoy a trip across the water as part of the bargain!"
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