THE “in crowd” have been saying that staying in is the new going out for a while now.

But in our house it’s taken the clocks going back to really get us into the routine of double-bolting the door and changing into our pyjama bottoms at 6pm.

And it’s a revelation.

Why did we ever go out when there's so much good stuff to do at home?

My favourite night-time activities at the moment include experimenting with home-made soups; lying on the rug surrounded by all the Sunday supplements and devouring them one by one; and snuggling up on the sofa with a hot water bottle watching Stephen Fry travel across America, or some cheesy, but oddly addictive, film on Sky.

Of course the credit crunch (I'm sorry to mention it again — have you noticed that barely a day goes by without feeling like you have to utter those annoying words?) also plays a part in staying in being the new rock ’n’ roll.

Having a drink (or two . . . or three) after work was a very pleasant way to while away an evening in the summer.

But now paying £5 for a glass of wine in a bar seems foolish when you know you could be at home drinking that lovely bottle of Pinot Grigio blush you picked up in Morrisons for £5.99. Especially at a time when the nation is being forced to abandon quilted toilet paper and start taking packed lunches.

Besides, if you want to go anywhere nice you only have to hunt out something decent to wear, which is virtually impossible these days when every outfit you've ever worn seems to be on Facebook.

Not going to the pub has a major plus point too in virtually eliminating the dreaded hangover the day after, which nowadays seems to take me a good couple of days to recover from.

Another bonus of locking and barring the doors from dusk is that you no longer feel obliged to go to the gym after work.

Who cares if your stomach has the consistency of Angel Delight if you're covered in a woolly jumper for the next five months?

Some may argue staying in is boring and that those who do it are missing out.

And sometimes it feels that way when you read the gossip mags and see celebs attending the latest showbiz parties and premieres.

But so what if I'm not living it up with the wags in Chinawhites?

I'd rather be at home curled up on the sofa with my boyfriend watching Strictly Come Dancing anyway.