How are keeping warm?

theworriedwell

I couldn't have the heating on all night, I'd wake up with a migraine.

We don’t have heating in our loft bedroom just an electric blanket

We have the heating on. 6.00-9.30 and 16.00-10.00. Very occasionally we turn it on during the day, but very rarely. The thermostat is set at 18.5 centigrade.

I wear two layers plus thermal socks over thick tights. No throws, 'oodies' etc that so many people mention. All the curtains have thermal linings and they are drawn as soon as it starts to get dark. I am on the go all day, so very little sitting down feeling cold.

We do have an electric blanket on our bed, but that is a recent

Our bedroom is quite cool, but the bed warm (hot water bottle for the feet!).

@Tizliz, thanks.

MissInterpreted

Sorry, but that comes across as a bit smug when some of us are having to cope with temperatures below zero and not having the option to have the heating on all day!

I know MissI …am now back in bed … stayed downstairs for as long as I could …I checked my smart meter for reading and although I’m being frugal..couldn’t believe how much it is already… might put it in cupboard… I am a worry wart re finances so yes, am slightly overwhelmed when people say they have heating on all day😢

theworriedwell

I couldn't have the heating on all night, I'd wake up with a migraine.

Have also had migraines with heating on at night in the past..

Also feeling very cold can trigger a headache 🤕

Blankets & hot water bottles

LovesBach

The heating is on and to hell with it - I'll deal with the consequences later, but at my age I refuse to be shivering in my own home. I'm also quite happy eating porridge for every meal if I have to. Of course I may have to if Octopus send a terrifying bill...

Exactly how I feel, I refuse to be cold in my own home. As to the consequences I find Octopus really helpful, if you want to up your direct debit for a few months you can do it yourself online, or contact them and tell them you are concerned with how much electricity you are using and ask what they would suggest.

MissAdventure

I keep going to bed!
Not a good idea, because I think I'll just put my legs under the quilt, and then

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I actually do stay in bed a lot of the day…but mainly because I can’t sleep at night! Last night I got to some form of sleep at around 8 am! I am now sitting lowdown in bed on my ipad! Will try for a little more sleep later, but currently awaiting the postie to collect a parcel! My CH timer is broken and I have to get up to put the heating on when really cold . When I finally make it downstairs ( at various times of the day depending on the previous night ) I am in 3 or 4 layers on top … thick trousers and knee high thermal socks! On really cold nights I have taken to wrapping a blanket around myself whilst watching tv …but I usually am working at something whilst watching so it doesn’t stay put too long! Like others when really cold I put the heating on and will have to try to pay for the bills when they arrive! I was £300+ in credit at the start of the cold weather, Now I suspect that’s all being eaten up fast! I have chronic kidney disease which makes me fatigued ( and I need my sleep ) but for some reason it doesn’t happen at night! Tried EVERYTHING! So just go with the flow now. Decided to ask the Doc for some sleeping pills at last sometime soon, but do not like to do that. Tried herbal remedies, nytol, etc etc but my mind resists all! I sit up and start drooping and am sleepy…lay my head down and the mind starts working overtime and I’m awake again! Luckily at 79 I don’t have a lot of social activity! So am working on ‘flexi- time’ here now.
So staying warm in bed is quite cosy unless my nose freezes …then I put the heating on!

Buy some thermals, vests and leggings or double up with tights underneath leggings or trousers/jeans etc..
Hot water bottles.
A blanket or throw, all of these not just for bedtime either, when sitting watching tv. Nice & snug, with a hot drink

I refuse to go without heat and food. I have the heating on for 2 hours in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, then around 6 o'clock it's on for an hour or so again. I find this is ample to keep me warm. I wear an M & S thermal vest under my jumper, socks and slippers. My go to meals are soup, stews and casseroles.

I feel the cold, so wear lots of layers. Today I'm wearing vest, cashmere jumper and wool cardigan, thick tights and lined wool trousers. However I've been tidying up so heating not on at the moment, I'll put it on later. Never have it on overnight, gives me headaches, we open the bedroom window a tiny bit to let fresh air in. We also overpay heating bill in the warmer months so that we have a cushion come winter.

suelld

MissAdventure

I keep going to bed!
Not a good idea, because I think I'll just put my legs under the quilt, and then

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I actually do stay in bed a lot of the day…but mainly because I can’t sleep at night! Last night I got to some form of sleep at around 8 am! I am now sitting lowdown in bed on my ipad! Will try for a little more sleep later, but currently awaiting the postie to collect a parcel! My CH timer is broken and I have to get up to put the heating on when really cold . When I finally make it downstairs ( at various times of the day depending on the previous night ) I am in 3 or 4 layers on top … thick trousers and knee high thermal socks! On really cold nights I have taken to wrapping a blanket around myself whilst watching tv …but I usually am working at something whilst watching so it doesn’t stay put too long! Like others when really cold I put the heating on and will have to try to pay for the bills when they arrive! I was £300+ in credit at the start of the cold weather, Now I suspect that’s all being eaten up fast! I have chronic kidney disease which makes me fatigued ( and I need my sleep ) but for some reason it doesn’t happen at night! Tried EVERYTHING! So just go with the flow now. Decided to ask the Doc for some sleeping pills at last sometime soon, but do not like to do that. Tried herbal remedies, nytol, etc etc but my mind resists all! I sit up and start drooping and am sleepy…lay my head down and the mind starts working overtime and I’m awake again! Luckily at 79 I don’t have a lot of social activity! So am working on ‘flexi- time’ here now.
So staying warm in bed is quite cosy unless my nose freezes …then I put the heating on!

Have you tried an electric blanket Sue? I have an adjustable one so I can set the lower half higher than the top. It has transformed my sleep and of course I can read/laptop in bed during the day if I wish and feel really warm..

Use the electric blanket when it’s cold, couldn’t be without it now.The oodie is brilliant in the daytime.I wear layers - lightweight vest and long John’s under day clothes.We have the heating on timer but lower the thermostat by a couple of degrees-don’t really know if it makes much difference.My sister has a plug in furry footmuff which she loves.

suelld with chronic kidney disease understand why you need Quality sleep…- I like your idea of flexi time😊 …stating in bed all warm and toasty…must admit I’m doing this more and more ATM and only put heating on when I go for shower - cannot shower in cold bathroom as stiff leg joints won’t get me over the bath …Really need a wet room…

I decided years ago and have stuck to it, that I will not live in a cold house.

I save on other things, since the war in Ukraine brought inflation, I have reverted to the norms of my childhood to a great extent.

I have one electric light on at a time - in the room where I am working if it is not light enough to see without it. Nothing electric is left on stand-by, washing is done once a week or ten days, depending on when I have enough dirty clothes to fill the machine, and everything is washed on the shortest cycle. I shower every second day, and on the other days, wash in cold water, with only enough water in the basin to cover my hand, when I lay it flat in the basin.

These ploys save enough on the electricity bill to cover the cost of my heating. I have district heating and a wood-burner- branches pruned of f trees and bushes in the garden are dried then sawn up for the stove to eek out the bought logs, and the garden supplies all my kindling

Bottles of body shampoo, shampoo, laundry soap and washing-up liquid are upended when apparently empty- this gives a week's worth of body shampoo and a month's worth of the other commodities. After that I fill the containers with water and use tthat for one or two days.

I vacuum carpets, but sweep all other floors and if they are dusty rather than dirty wash them in cold water.

When the wood burner is lit I keep a pan of water on the top of it - this provides enough hot water for the washing up after dinner, plus the luxury of a warm wash at bed time for me.

wear warm clothing too, but not layers of it indoors. I add them before going out.

Pascal30 I’ve not heard of this type of e-blanket ..would love to know where I can purchase 🙏

My heating is on fortunately I have very good insulation in my ten year old "new build" so it only costs me about £100 a month for all my gas and electric I have slippers on leggings a blouse and a gilet If I feel a bit chilly I put I Sherpa fleece over my legs Getting cold is dangerous to health

Whitewavemark2

HousePlantQueen

This is not meant to be goady:

We pay a direct debit to Octopus, and end up with quite a hefty credit when the winter hits, thus we can afford to have the heating on when we need. When this subject was discussed previously, a few posters railed at those of us who did this, calling us foolish for leaving a few hundred pounds in the energy companies' accounts, they said they paid bills for energy used.
I keep an eye on ours, and when it gets over £450 ish, I reduce our monthly dd, then put it up again in the spring to build up for the next winter.

Same here. I reckon by April, our credit will be reduced right down, but then I will have 7 months to build it up again. Works well, and I can relax.

Octopus as well

And here, also with Octopus. Plus we have the benefit of Octopus Go so washing machine and dishwasher go on at night when it’s 7p per kWh which saves a bit.

I divide the expected cost for the year by 12, add on a bit for the unexpected and then set the direct debit accordingly.

No heating at night unless temp drops below freezing and @19 degrees during the day.
As you say WWM2 I also expect the credit to have disappeared by April but paying it like this gives me peace of mind as I learnt early on in adult life that I’m a spender not a saver.

Layers, hot drinks and soups……hiding the “not so smart meter” so DH can’t see it! We are fortunate enough to be £500 in credit on Octopus, so I refuse to die cold.

We have had no heating or hot water for over two months now and our landlord is showing no signs of getting it fixed any time soon. Yesterday I got on the bed under two thick fleece throws with two hot water bottles. I had several layers of clothing on, gloves and socks and still couldn't get warm

Two wonderful fireplaces and an abundant supply of wood.

Heavy tights under jeans, added socks, thermal under jumper.

Thermals and log burner going all day in the kitchen. Log burner in sitting room lit at 2pm. Between the two they keep most of the house warm. Electric fire on for 30mins yoga upstairs which is chilly. Nordic socks and Skechers slip on boots and I am cosy! Refuse to be cold anymore.

Well I have no central heating so welcome to my world 🤣