I'm cold...

Yellow_JoJo

Fairyprincess, they are some fun suggestions, thanks.

We don't have a microwave so no can do with that unfortunately. I tried to offer her my slightly cooled down hot water bottle yesterday but she wasn't overly impressed lol. I will try and construct her some kind of bed though and I'm just hoping that if it's enclosed and has plenty of blankets in it then she'll take to it in time.

I can turn off the radiators in all the rooms barr the lounge and my daughters room but I didn't know if that would actually save money? (Probably a very stupid question). Those two rooms heat up the best so we could spend more time in there.

Part of the problem is that I have been hammering the shower to get and keep warm so I really need to stop that, I appreciate what you're saying about it being easier to stay warm once you're already warm though.

I've not worn my dressing gown in forever as I live in onesies when at home but I'll find mine and my daughters so we can wear them when pottering around - it's actually a really simple yet good idea as we both have very thick dressing gowns.

I did think of setting the Wii or PS2 up again and getting us both doing some bouncy games, healthy and will keep us warm

Our previous house was beautiful and we adored it but couldn't stay there as the landlord wanted to move back into it. Super kick in the teeth now we've ended up in this dump but such is life I guess!

LittleMissAspie

I tried taping bubble wrap over the windows once, it made no difference except to leave sticky marks around the frames. Do not bother.

The cat will be fine unless she's very elderly. Put a soft blanket on the sofa and she'll make herself perfectly cosy. Or if you can, keep your cat on your lap as an alternative to a hot water bottle

Hat and scarf make a big difference as does hot drinks. Thick thermal curtains will also help.

If you are really cold, do some washing up and the water will warm you up a bit.

FairyPrincessk

Turning off radiators will definitely help lower your bill. The boiler will have to heat less water to pump through two, as opposed to say 7 radiators which means it will use less fuel. Putting the kettle on to fill hot water bottles will also use comparatively less energy than heating a radiator--just think about how much hot water it would take to fill a radiator and keep it full of hot water vs. how much to fill a hot water bottle.

Bouncy games sound like a great idea--part of the trouble with a cold house is that it is all too tempting to stop moving around and to get stuck under your blanket. In turn you'll start to feel stiff from sitting still/hunching over so long--it isn't fun! I try to make myself head out at least once a day. Usually feel better for it.

My grandmother calls dressing gowns "housecoats" in her part of the world. I think she might be on to something;)

Gigervamp

I saw this on youtube recently Candle Powered Heater. It uses tealights, plant pots and a bit of hardware to make a small heater.

quintwins

When i had a cat i had no heat for 3 years and she was completely fine, she was always real toasty, i regularly found her sleeping in the bathroom sink in the middle of the night because she was too hot (she lived in it in summer and would just jump out when someone went into the bathroom then next time you went in she'd be back in there) cats are very good at keeping themselves warm.

I'm surprised no-one has suggested draft excluders you can make them with any old clothes and fabric, stuff them with rags or old newspapers, if you don't have any of that roll up towels and place them under doors.

If you don't drink tea what about soup? you could make up a batch and store it in a flask for the day.

Also you can get a great mould spray from b&q it's a very strong bleach but it does keep it at bay for abit , i also have only ever had one mould free house, houses need alot of ventiation which is hard in winter and if effects my ashma, this spray and then painting over it kept it at bay in my old house for around 6 months so worth a try. (you can get dulux paintpod paint in homebargains for £9 if that helps aswell theres none in our store but you can order online to collect instore for free, it's much better than cheap paint we used to buy from b&q)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HG-Hg-Mould-Spray-0-5Ltr/dp/B000TAUAS8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364481376&sr=8-2


Also i was surprised someone said they found and electric blanket expensive to run i've barely noticed a difference in my electric bill.

maman

I'm mainly posting to give you some moral support as you've been given lots of good ideas.

Two things I would suggest: go to bed as early as possible. Not to sleep necessarily but read or browse or watch something on iplayer. It's much easier to stay warm in bed with hot water bottles (or when you can afford it an electric blanket) than heating your sitting room.

With the school holidays coming up try to get out of the house as much as you can. Just having a change of scene will do you good. Wrap up warm and have a good brisk walk then go to warm places like libraries or museums and galleries. Go and visit friends and family.

And like another poster said, as soon as the weather turns get plenty of air into the house. What many people are describing as damp is usually a condensation problem where warm air is hitting cold walls.

good_advice

A great lot of posts. It is cold here too!

My sneaky tips = I do the washing up after I hang the days washing on the line, to warm my hands.

I air the house every day, even in winter. Some times have windows open for an hour and all day in summer. No damp here due to moving the air around. Yes, I dry washing indoors when it is bad weather.

Get dressed to socks and shoes soon after you get up and have a coffee:) I use to stay in my dressing gown and slippers till lunch time .

Ware a vest, thermal, long sleeved t.shirt then a body warmer.

When I am really cold I boost the CH @ lunchtime for an hour or 2. Then turn it off again.

Have you checked on the comparison sites that you're on the cheapest fuel tariff?

Keep moving around. Do some cleaning or a craft.

Fingerless gloves. I have a pair with silver in. It was recommended on MSE a year or so ago.

the_cake

Just popping in to add to all the wise advice so far:
1. Wear bedsocks in bed - they make a surprisingly huge difference to how toasty you feel!
2. If you can find a little bit of money, buy a dehumidifier. I got one on Ebay for £30, and it has made a great improvement to our previously damp and unheated-except-for-the-sitting-room house. It costs very little to run, and because it takes the water out of the air, the room immediately feels a few degrees warmer. Helps the washing dry quicker, too...
Good luck with everything - can Spring be far behind now? I am so looking forward to warmer weather!

whiteguineapig

i would second a de humidifier when you can afford to buy and run one, it makes a big difference
i also dry my washing at the launderette (£1.80 for 2 loads) this makes it like a pay as you go , without adding to the electric bill
can you drink hot chocolate or cup a soups or hot blackcurrant, they would warm you up a bit

to raise some extra cash if you have spare time , do every survey you can, also try the swagbucks thread, sell everything you don't use at car boot or ebay

RAS

Hi - a few ideas

1. Bed socks will keep you warmer.
2. Shoes/boots with thick soles are vital
3. Use a hot water bottle and then use the warm water in the morning to wash or to hand wash.
4. Even if you do not like tea and coffee, a hot drink makes a major difference to how warm you feel. Do you like cuppa soups? Or perhaps lemon? Boil a kettle and then keep the rest of the water in a thermos.
5. porridge is cheap and good fuel in a cold house.
6. When you wake up, drag your clean undies into bed with you and let them warm up before you get up. Dress one half first and retain the heat from the nightclothes until you have warmed up. Consider putting a thick fleece on over your nightclothes and when that is warm, changing into your day clothes. Then put the warm fleece back on top.
7. If you have a hot water tank, check at what tempurature it is set. 60 degrees is more than enough and you can save a lot by turning it down if it is set higher.
8. Do you have any energy saving lamps that are not installed? They only save about £9 a year each but that could be useful.
9. Even if you cannot afford the tumble dryer at the laundrette, see if they have a spinner. Some are only 50p and reduce the amount of water in the clothes massively.
10. Check for draughts round doors and windows. You may be able to get draught strip in the £1 shops. It costs about £20 to make a difference to a house.
11. Sausage dogs to keep door draughts down.
12. Turn everything off, check the meter. Is it stationary? If not find out what makes it run still? Then turn on the fridge and check how much that uses. One chap found his was costing £30 per month.