PARENTS to a four-month-old are resorting to desperate measures to spend less on their energy including turning off their freezer on a daily basis.

Chloe McIntyre, 28, and her fiancé Jack Gordon, a personal trainer, 30, say they are "terrified" about rising bills.

The couple live in a rented flat in Melton Mowbray, Leicester, with their four-month old Clementine, where they pay £750 a month.

But the family has been left using hand cranking mobile charges and storing daily-use fridge products in a cool box to save money.

“We turn our freezer off for a few hours each day to cut back on electricity costs," Chloe said.

“We bought hand cranking manual mobile phone charges, which cost £8, to cut back on bills.

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“We also bought solar powered charging blocks for £15 each to run electrical items.

“As new parents, this is terrifying. I’m scared we will have to choose between heating and eating this winter."

The families bills are currently £1,070 a year but are due to rise to £1,810 a year.

It comes after the energy price cap, set by the regulator Ofgem and coming into effect from October 1, will see the average household's energy bills rocket to £3,549 a year.

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Martin Lewis was close to tears following the announcement, and warned annual average bills could even reach up to £7,200 by next April.

It means Chloe and Jack can no longer save for a house, and are having to use to find extreme ways to cut back on their bills.

Chloe said: "I have started ensuring every power cord is pulled out and off before we go to bed.

“I have changed all the light bulbs in the flat to the lowest possible wattage rate.

“I am ordering solar powered light strings for each room.

“Normally you’d use them in the garden, but we figured we can use them as lighting in a crisis.

“In winter we will both be wearing up to four jumpers and two pairs of socks and beanies and turning on the heating for only one hour in the morning and night."

Energy prices have rocketed in recent months for two main reasons – economies coming out of coronavirus and the war in Ukraine.

Demand for gas started to increase again after countries across the globe emerged out of lockdowns.

And the war in Ukraine has made prices go up even further.

Russia is one of the worlds biggest gas exporters, but its government has slashed supplies to Europe in recent months in retaliation at its support for Ukraine.

That, in turn, has driven up energy wholesale prices which are being passed on to the consumer.

Russia is also a large exporter of crude oil, used to make petrol and diesel, which is why fuel prices have been so high relative to normal.

For Chloe, the soaring prices have meant she has been left creating a rota with her mum friends who have babies to spend time together at each others homes to save on their individual bills.

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She said: "We know our income is limited and we don't know how much groceries or electricity and gas will rise.

“It’s like the Great Depression and I'm telling my mates to introduce these changes now and start learning to limit your usage."

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