Ways to warm the flat up cheaper:(

dane-katie

Hi, to keep heating costs down with our house, which is electric only, we put thick curtains and blinds up at the windows (like velvet ones) keep all doors shut in house, turn off radiators in rooms we dont use, tuck all curtains behind radiators and where we sit in an evening we have blankets to sit on and if it gets cold one to put over us, they was about £4 each from Dunelm for fleecy blankets and they are massive too

A_fiend_for_life

For Scotland you need to phone 0800 512 012. Afaik most if not all schemes are available through that number.

What you get depends on circumstances and where you live but well worth phoning them. You'll receive a free energy efficiency survey first of all then they will tell you what is available to you.

SuzieSue

dannymccann wrote: »

Make sure youve got lots of nice thick socks and fluffy slippers, you said money is tight but plenty of choices in Primark or even the pound shops / Boyes anywhere like that. Keep your feet toasty and the rest of your body will be good. Lots of really thin layers works better (for me) than a few thick ones - you dont feel overburdened by clothing. Also dont sit in front of the telly all day all over the sofa, you need to be up and moving about as much as possible to generate your own body heat. If you are at home for dinner have some soup and a breadroll / baguette with warm butter from the microwave and a cup of tea, that will soon get you warm and it isnt unhealthy. Theres plenty of keep warm tips around this site from people in much worse conditions that yourself

Danny makes some really good points about insulating yourself as well as the house. Wearing lots of thin layers makes such a difference.

I've found these M&S thermals to be excellent:

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Long-Sleeve-Ribbed-Thermal-Vest/dp/B002LOHVO6?ie=UTF8&qid=1267381427&categoryNodeID=43371030&ref=sr_1_10&page=&node=53905031&sr=1-10&mnSBrand=core&rh=

Product Code: T147304N

for men and women and they do corresponding long pants (make sure they have the 3 star warmth rating)

You can wear a t-shirt next to your skin and then 2 layers of these thermals and then a sweatshirt and then an indoor jacket. The longpants are thin enough that I wear 3 layers under my jeans.

You also need to wear 2 or 3 pairs of socks with furlined boots (like Ugg boots).

You really get used to it and you will wonder how you ever did without them.

I know a lot of people would much rather heat the house than insulate themselves, but it doesn't make any sense to me.

I have lost count the number of times I have seen a news report about how people can't afford to heat their houses and when you see them they are wearing a thin jumper at the most.

Until you try it, you don't realise what a difference it makes. My OH is losing his hair and he has even started to wear a hat indoors. A couple of years ago, he wouldn't be seen dead in thermals, now he wouldn't dream of not wearing them.

SuzieSue

dane-katie wrote: »

Hi, to keep heating costs down with our house, which is electric only, we put thick curtains and blinds up at the windows (like velvet ones) keep all doors shut in house, turn off radiators in rooms we dont use, tuck all curtains behind radiators and where we sit in an evening we have blankets to sit on and if it gets cold one to put over us, they was about £4 each from Dunelm for fleecy blankets and they are massive too

I also used to use a blanet, but I find a duvet is much warmer.

A_fiend_for_life

dazzamac wrote: »

#

the flat we live in is a top floor attic flat in scotland but has no gas at all, n it costs so much to run the electric heaters that are on the walls, and they dont really heat the flat up at all. its costing around £30-40 a week on electricity.

Are you on economy 7?

dazzamac

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

Are you on economy 7?

nah with E-on on a prepayment meter with the key.

looked at gettin that changed but was told it would cost me around £150 to get the meter changed to a flow meter (pay monthly/weekly).
in my old flat, i used to pay weelky on acard with scottish gas, that suited me but tryin to get thats proving to be more expensive

thanks again

Joyful

If you live in a private rent in Scotland you can contact the energy assistance package. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/FP/eap