The Money Saving Expert founder’s hack helps people stay warm and cut costs
10:51, 16 Oct 2025Updated 10:58, 16 Oct 2025
His energy-saving advice still stands amid Ofgem’s latest price cap hike(Image: ITV)
Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis is offering cost-effective advice for homeowners as millions across the country continue to struggle with high living expenses and soaring energy bills. The financial expert is looked up to by many in the UK for his helpful tips and tricks, which he regularly shares on his social media accounts, BBC podcast, and ITV show, The Martin Lewis Money Show Live.
One particular tip can help UK households keep their homes warmer for longer and potentially cut costs. He shared the tip on his ITV show a few years ago; however, given the recent Ofgem October price cap hike, the advice still stands. On the official Money Saving Expert website, his team of experts says the segment of the show was filmed in November 2022 and adds that “the tips still work.”
The hack involves following a ‘rule’ “rigorously” at a certain time every day as the weather turns colder. Speaking to viewers, he first explains: “Use tactical curtains.” He is referring to energy-saving curtains used to manage heat; they are typically thermal, lined curtains.
He continued: “When the sun is shining, it is letting light and heat into the house, so you want the curtains open. When it gets dark, it’s not, so you want to keep the heat in by closing the curtains. I know we all know that, but doing it rigorously can help insulate, especially if you line it with a fleece. There are lots of tips online on how to do that, and really cheaply—do it yourself.”
Today, October 16, the sun is due to set at 6.09pm in the UK, so best to close curtains at 6pm to trap as much warmth inside your home as possible, allowing you extra time before needing to switch the heating on. From today onwards, the time the sun will set will get earlier as the days go by. By October 30, it’ll go down around 4.38pm, so you’ll need to follow this daily ‘rule’ accordingly.
For people who are able to afford it, investing in a new set of thicker curtains can be a worthwhile consideration. For those on a budget, Martin Lewis recommends lining existing curtains yourself with cheap fleece blankets, but warns to check that the fleece is fire-resistant.
This guidance is included in a broader collection of energy-saving suggestions that Lewis has provided, with many of them elaborated on his MoneySavingExpert website. Besides curtain tips, he has also addressed other topics, like employing reflective panels behind radiators and addressing drafts.
Martin Lewis often uses the phrase: “Heat the human, not the home”, which highlights a money-saving approach that encourages using personal heating solutions rather than depending on costly central heating to warm up the whole house. These suggestions are especially useful during times of elevated energy costs and are intended for situations when you are inactive and only require warmth in one or two rooms.
Thick curtains, especially those lined with fleece, help retain heat inside(Image: Getty)Why do fleece-lined curtains work, and where can you buy them?
Fleece-lined curtains work by capturing layers of insulating air, which helps to minimise heat transfer and prevent drafts. This mechanism relies on three scientific principles of heat transfer: convection, conduction, and radiation. The efficiency is boosted by fleece’s capacity to form air pockets, similar to how a winter coat retains heat.
Many retailers with a homeware section often sell curtains, including thick or fleece-lined ones. For instance, Dunelm, Amazon, Argos, The Range, B&Q, Tesco and more