How are you coping with this cold snap?

Good plan barmcake. More small, well insulated houses should be built for single persons and very small families. Thoughtfully planned inside and out.

It would be an encouragement to older people in often too large houses to downsize.

Yet 4 or 5 bedroom houses seem to be the norm on the new housing estates.

I live in a single brick Victorian terrace. It's freezing and have had ice on the inside of windows. These houses are just not suitable when it's below zero.

I make myself into a human sandwich. An electric blanket underneath and a furry heated throw on top.

Will hopefully sell soon and move into a small, easily heated new build before next winter.

The moon's very bright at the moment. If there's a crack in the curtains it shines in!

I sleep better in winter. Cold room, dark, cosy duvet.

Me too. I sleep better when the nights are dark. I really struggle when the mornings are light despite blackout blinds.

Norah

Cosy fires, warm soup, lovely layers of clothing. I love winter.

So do I.

I invested some of my Winter Heating payment in a heated overblanket - one of my best decisions! Keeps me lovely and warm of an evening when I'm reading/knitting - don't often need to plug it in, it's very efficient on its own. I put the central heating on for a few hours when I need it - this last cold snap has been the 1st time this winter I've had it running all day, but not at night because it's so noisy. I keep the CH thermostat at around 19degC but I have plenty of layers to add/subtract as necessary (and currently using up some of my yarn stash to make daft hats and handwarmers). I'm fortunate in having quite a high body temperature (yup, all those layers of fat do come in handy) and so far I haven't put the electric blanket on the bed, just pyjamas and bed socks is fine.

We had snow this morning in NSurrey but its now sunny and feels a tad milder.
This cold snap has made me feel very very tired and irritable.
The gas CH is on 24/7 upstairs as DH is bed bound. But downstairs I put it on every now and again as I am not using the sitting room just the kitchen. I wear more clothes downstairs. Warmer tomorrow is the forecast thank goodness. Fingers crossed it's the last cold snap.

RosiesMawagain

On the basis that this is precisely that, a cold snap I have no compunction about having the heating on . If it goes on for many weeks, I might reconsider, but temperatures will be on the rise in the next week, or at least normal for January.
Why suffer, or risk colds or flu, discomfort even hypothermia?

I totally agree, I refuse to struggle with being cold after living for 30 years in an ancient farmhouse with no central heating and the doors/windows didn’t fill the holes. I shudder at how miserable it was despite my very best efforts.
The heating is set at 18° during the day, 12° at night and the log burner keeps the downstairs cosy.
I dress in multiple layers for dog walks, thermal gloves, hat and a warm scarf and wear my hand-knitted socks.
If necessary I have a number of throws/blankets, hot water bottles etc to use as well.
I’m in credit with the utilities company and should be fine, if necessary I’ll dip into my savings.

We have had lying snow for a few days which shows no sign of melting so it's very cold here. The heating is on all day and kept on low overnight.
Wearing thermals and thick jumpers too.

Our heating is set to 24° as I refuse to be cold. It goes off at night though. I have a heated throw on my bed, which I sometimes use it in the lounge while watching my iPad.

We have an inefficient fake gas fire in the lounge. You can only just feel its heat by standing right over it, but it does make the room look cheerful.

Same as RosiesMaw.Heating on all day at the moment which isn’t usual but if it continues may have to reconsider.

Cosy fires, warm soup, lovely layers of clothing. I love winter.

On the basis that this is precisely that, a cold snap I have no compunction about having the heating on . If it goes on for many weeks, I might reconsider, but temperatures will be on the rise in the next week, or at least normal for January.
Why suffer, or risk colds or flu, discomfort even hypothermia?

I have just put my heating up by a half degree. The thermometer at one end of the room says 22 degrees and the other 21 degrees (it's a big room). I don't see the point of having central heating if you don't use it when the weather is cold.
I am wearing fur lined slippers, pyjamas and a thick dressing gown and it is nice and comfortable for me.
My bills are not as high as last year, still well in credit on my bills.

How awful nanna8. I would choose our current cold weather over that extreme Australian heat any day.
I hope it’s short lived for you.

The kitchen can be quite cold, bi-fold doors with a lot of glass, but very bright, the sun almost dazzles, it's my afternoon room. Our front room has a wood burning stove, which is redundant. We used it briefly when we first moved in but it brought on my husband's asthma. We're probably alone in not liking them anyway, most people seem to love them. There's a radiator under the bay window which throws out quite a bit of heat. I have an array of long winter cardigans which I generally wear in the house when it's cold and I bought some lovely warm thermal socks from M&S which I really appreciate. The heating is set on 19 usually. There are several throws draped over the arms of sofas so if the weather goes the full Siberian massively sub zero they'll be used, but generally they're superfluous.

We're having a spell of bright sunny, but cold days here in the south east, lovely to look at but can be hazardous. I don't like driving when there's a low winter sun or icy roads, so I don't, I get my other half to drop me off, which is bad I know too reliant on another. If I were on my own though, in such conditions, I'd rely on public transport, or get a taxi. I'm far more cautious than I used to be.

Upstairs is warmer given the heat rises. At night my husband feels the cold more than me so I bought a weighted blanket, which he really appreciates, I don't always, it can make me too hot, so we arrange it so my half is not over me. They are supposed to make people sleep better, I wish! nothing much does these days.

I love the freezing, the more freezinger the better!

I've got a selection of Tube hats from Brand It Ltd, Essex, which help to keep my forehead warm, various wooley hats, 2 blanket scarves, and various other scarves, 2 pairs of hand warmers that go just about up to my elbows and a pair of ''magic'' fingerless gloves that look child-size but stretch to adult size!

At the moment, I'm wearing a fluorescent yellow Tube hat, a Minion yellow blanket scarf, a white jacket, and black leggings!

I'm currently having a Full English brekkie at my favourite Crown & Cushion, in the little 2-table restaurant at the back, but when I get home, I'll leave off the heaters and just continue to wear what I am now!

We have been warned not to leave our houses tomorrow because it will be too hot. First time in many years. Expected to be 42C + after a long and cold Winter ( for us ) It is pretty nasty when it is that hot and it brings back bad memories for me because of bushfires and my daughter and her family losing everything except the clothes they were wearing. It was so awful and so sad, I never understood the long term ramifications for mental health really until then.

My flat is quite cosy and warm. Up to the last few days the lowest that it fell to was around 17 degrees. Note it is now 14 degrees. This is during the night, heating goes off at 9.45 pm. Have two radiators in Living Room. Last winter I never turned on my bedroom rad at all, but it is on now.

I have heavy, lined drapes for all my large windows, and I close these as it starts to get dark.

I hate a heated bedroom for sleeping in. No electric blanket for me - that would definitely prevent me sleeping. Have a flat sheet, 4.5 tog duvet on bed most of winter. In these very cold weather also have a thin throw on top of that. Must say that even in my long-sleeved winter nightie it felt chilly when I did my 3 am loo visit, but back in bed I was cosy.

I have a rather big money excess with my utility company account, so am not worried about having heating on properly for a few days - or even weeks now. They even cut my DD amount a few weeks ago, I thought too low and raised it. Happier having that excess there - for times like this.

My daughter who lives close by always insists that it is not a matter of me feeling warm with a throw over me when sitting around - but that the air I am breathing in should not be much lower than 18 degrees. (I am in my mid-80's with several health issues).

Usually heating is on from 7.30 am (I get up before 8.00 am), until 9.30 am then not back on until 4.30 pm. But, thanks to the wonderful 'hive' system, I can easily 'boost' it on from my 'phone.

I have thermal tops and leggings and socks that I wear under my winter trousers and jumper, and a wonderful winter coat which keeps me cosy when I am out. As I use a mobility scooter, I really need to wrap up warm as - with that - I am just sitting down so do feel the cold.

I do prefer this bright cold weather to the milder wet weather we have been having. Hopefully, it will also help to kill off some of the bugs around.

Living in a project house, with the downstairs still with 4 radiators not yet connected plus a huge yawning open chimney. The central heating contractor is due next week to fix theradiators and the chimney contractor is booked to install the wood burning stove and block the chimney - but cannot come until the end of the month.

We have the heating on 24/7 plus a fan heater on all day downstairs. We will charge December and January's energy bill to the house renovation budget, as a one off expense, rather than try to pay it for income.

We have to keep the house warm as DH has heart problems and needs to keep warm. I would like to knock it off the CH contractor's bill. The system should have been fully installed several months ago, but he takes on too much work and overuns on time on every project because he is trying to do too much at once. However, he is a good installer and what is working is doing very well in this cold weather and our bedroom stays warm. and the water is hot.

I'm being more generous with the CH lately as it's so cold and my body hates it.

House it well insulated but the heating is on till 9pm set at 19 of fat night till 7am. I don’t to spend my days feeling cold anymore so it’s on during the day while it’s needed. I refuse to worry about the bill. I have heated windscreens in the car which works fast and heated seats and steering wheel. I am careful on the side roads as they aren’t gritted.
I had to melt the birdbath this morning so the birds could get a drink with their food. I wear long sleeve thermal socks and thick socks but I still go out for a walk every day so I think I’m doing ok.
Stay safe everyone.

Ours is a 1930s house, so no cavity wall insulation. The heating is on from when I get up (6.30 today) to bedtime (11ish), at 19-20 degrees. We're in credit with the gas and electricity, at the moment.

Thick heavy curtains pulled asap in the evening - act as an extra layer of insulation. The house is well insulated. We keep the thermostat at 21c. The thermostat is in the hall The sitting room also has a flame effect electric fire which is also
at 21c, so if for some reason the temperature drops it automatically comes on. (Rarely). I have a heated blanket at night in bed, which I share with our little cat.

The house is warm, draft free and very cosy.