‘This £8.50 Martin Lewis-inspired product means I hardly have to put my heating on’

A shopper has urged others to invest in a bargain £8.50 item that has meant she has “hardly” needed to put on the heating this autumn. Inspired by the advice of money expert Martin Lewis, reporter Emma Gill, looked for ways to stay warm for less.

Writing for the Manchester Evening News she explained how Martin recommended people “heat the human, not the home” as one simple way to keep energy costs low.

Therefore, Emma invested in a wearable hot water bottle, currently reduced at one online outlet from £13 to just £8.50.

More specifically, she purchased the Faux Fur Adjustable Hot Water Bottle Belt from the Greater Manchester-based Online Home Shop (OHS).

As the name suggests, this product is basically a wearable water bottle, which fits around your waist.

It features a fur cover and comes with a hot water bottle that slots inside it, and its adjustable design means you can tailor the fit and heat distribution to your specific needs.

“I’ve been wearing it in the evening when the temperature drops and have hardly needed the central heating on at all yet,” Emma wrote in an article.

“It’s also great for helping with back pain and period pain as the heat soothes those too.”

The belt comes in three colours – grey, blush pink or black – and when not in use, it folds up small, so it’s not taking up loads of space.

The hot water bottle belts are available elsewhere, including Amazon, where you can get animal-themed ones for £14.99, or Dunelm for £15.

The Amazon version currently has a customer rating of 4.5 stars out of five, from 4,321 reviews.

One customer said: “I purchased this for my partner and she absolutely loves it! She loves that she can tie it round her waist and go about the house whether relaxing or not with the warmth still coming through strong.”

Another commented: “When our boiler broke I got so cold, this was a real life saver, I got hypothermia and this warmed my core.”

The belt is not the only product the Manchester Evening News has tried from OHS to help cut down the heating bill.

Emma said: “Its electric blankets like this one work a treat and the heated hoodies are brilliant for keeping warm and cost just pennies to run from a small powerbank that fits in the pocket. Its teddy bedding and brushed cotton sets are also great for keeping warm throughout the night.”