Winter is coming... our 12-point checklist to save £100s before the big chill really hits

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is getting grey, and the recent chill certainly makes it feel like a winter's day. As cold weather is costly - sort yourself NOW before it gets really grim. So here's our annual winter checklist to help you protect your home and your wallet...

1. Is it REALLY cheaper to leave the heating on low all day? Find out the truth behind this and 16 other common energy conundrums (eg, should you paint radiators black?) in Energy Mythbusters.
   
   
2. Ends Sun. Two-winter full service breakdown cover £48. Cars are more likely to break down when it's cold, and consequences are worse, as you (and the kids) don't want to be stuck on a motorway when it's freezing. So check if you're covered now...
   
   - Our top pick: £48.31 for 15mths' full cover - till 11.59pm Sun. If you're a newbie, AutoAid* covers any car you and your spouse (or civil/common law partner) drives. Crucially, unlike basic policies, it includes home breakdowns (a big winter problem) and onward travel if stuck elsewhere. Equiv AA cover is £100+ for couples. Feedback on its service & call-out times has been positive for years.
   
   Full info on this and all cheap deals, including European cover, price beater offers, and how to get extra cashback on new AA & RAC policies in our Cheap Breakdown Cover guide.
   
   - Don't want to switch? HAGGLE. Breakdown firms are among the easiest to haggle with. Some 90% of RAC and 88% of AA customers who tried got lower rates in our most recent poll. Fergus emailed: "RAC wanted to charge me £162, but I told it Green Flag quoted £90 for the same cover, so RAC dropped to £85." See Breakdown Cover Haggling.
   
   
3. Warm your cockles with free cuppas from six stores incl Waitrose, Greggs & Caffe Nero. How to play the stores' games to bag free tea & coffee.
   
   
4. If we've told you once, we've told you a million times... CHECK NOW IF YOU'RE ON THE CHEAPEST ENERGY DEAL. We couldn't not say it, could we? Prices are ramping up, most people (60%) are on, frankly, crap deals and burning money. So check before high-use winter starts. Switching's no biggie, it's the same gas, elec and pipes - only price and service change. Fiona tweeted: "I thought it was a hassle. Yet I finally did it & saved £504/yr - thanks."
   
   Finding the best deal is easy with our Cheap Energy Club -  it shows the whole market, and you get £25 cashback (£12.50 per fuel) if we can switch you. And we've special comparison links based on what you prefer:
    
   - The 'Just show me the cheapest deal comparison'
   - The 'Good service firms comparison'
   - The 'No price hikes comparison' (only lists fixed-rate tariffs)
   - The 'I only want names I know comparison'
   - The 'I like my current provider, find me its cheapest comparison'
   
   For more info on switching, and the impact of the forthcoming Ofgem price cap, see our Cheap Gas and Electricity guide.
   
   
5. FREE winter-car check - oil, battery, wipers etc. Before any long journey on icy roads, it's a wheely good idea to check your motor is winter-ready. Halfords' free winter car check examines oil levels, battery, bulbs and wipers, and includes a free screenwash top-up.
   
   
6. Slash the cost of boiler cover by up to £100. Don't feel you need to have boiler cover from your energy provider, they're not linked. In fact in some cases you may not want it at all, most new boilers are reliable, and self-insuring (just putting cash aside each month in case of a problem) can work well.
   
   Yet if boiler cover is right for you, check you're on the best deal by doing a quick comparison, or better use a couple for more range - uSwitch*, Energyhelpline* & MoneySupermarket*. 
   
   Though if you're unsure the type of cover you want - there's a raft of options, read our full Cheap Boiler Cover guide first for help.
     
7. £4.99 cold & flu medicine for £2.59. Drug firms are geniuses - not just in making medicines, but also in persuading us there's hidden magic in expensive brands. Yet cheaper, generic cures can contain EXACTLY the same ingredients.
   
   On Tue at a Boots store, we found a 16-pack of £2.59 generic Max Strength Cold & Flu (Day & Night) tablets which were exactly the same medicine as Sudafed Mucus Relief (Day & Night) which cost £4.99 - they had the same PL number, which is the licence number given to each drug. Full info and lots more tips, including who can get a free flu jab, in our Cheap Medicines guide.
   
   
8. Free loft and cavity wall insulation... for some. The days of free insulation for all have gone, but if you're on certain benefits (eg, pension credit or jobseeker's allowance) and your home is deemed suitable, some big energy firms offer insulation for free. Whether you pay for insulation or not, it can cut bills by £100s/yr and keep you warmer, yet it's not right for everyone. See full insulation help + pros & cons.  
   
   
9. Stay toasty with a DIY sausage dog. Sometimes the low-tech warmers are best. Thrifty tips include making a sausage dog draft excluder, lining your curtains with fleece or blocking draughts with a chimney sweep - see more thrifty heat-saving tips. Plus on our forum there's the Winter Prep thread where MoneySavers share ideas.
   
   
10. Do you fumble for your stopcock? Every household should know where theirs is (it's your mains water off-switch, in case you don't know). Winter is a crucial time as if your pipes freeze and burst, you need to turn the water off to prevent huge damage, costing thousands to repair. See how to find your stopcock.
    
    
11. Over 64 or on benefits? Are you eligible for winter cash from the Govt? Winter can be tough but there's help available...
     
    a) Winter Fuel Payments. If you were born on or before 5 Nov 1953, regardless of income, you're eligible for the up-to-£300 one-off payment. If you get certain benefits, eg, state pension, pension credit or jobseeker's allowance, you'll usually get it automatically, otherwise you may have to claim. See Winter Fuel Payments.
     
    b) Warm Home Discount. If you were on pension credit on 8 Jul 2018, most get an automatic one-off £140 rebate on their electricity bill between Oct and Mar, unless you're with some smaller suppliers. If you've a prepay or pay-as-you-go meter you won't get it automatically, but you can apply for it. Other low-income families may also be eligible - check if your provider pays the discount.
     
    c) Cold Weather Payments. Anyone on certain benefits, eg, income support, jobseeker's allowance or pension credit, gets £25 for every seven consecutive days it's zero degrees or below from Nov to Mar, paid automatically. Full details in Cold Weather Payments.
    
    
12. Are you forced to choose between heating and eating this winter? It's a disgraceful choice, but sadly it's a dilemma too many face. It is worth checking if you're eligible for special help, via special free advice services.
    
    - Eng, Wales, NI. See Simple Energy Advice or call 0800 444 202.
    - In Scotland, contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282.
    - Also see our Housing & Energy Grants & Debt Help guides.