I'm cold...

THIRZAH

wik wrote: »

Hi,
A tip for if you have a concrete kitchen floor with lino... Get 2 cardboard boxes, flatten and put one in front of the sink, and one in front of the cooker, it really makes a difference on a cold day to not be standing on a very cold floor.
My grandparents had a thick cork mat in their bathroom, and it had a bath mat under it, so you got out of the bath and didnt get cold feet!
wik x

My Grandmother always had a little mat on the floor in front of the sink to protect her feet from the cold of a brick floor.

wik

Gigervamp wrote: »

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

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y483/whysowik/Facebook/Mobile%20Uploads/408096_10151569287415803_703902964_n.jpg

Here is a candle powered space heater my dad made for me today...
I watched the original you tube link and then looked at the one the man had the idea from - as the above like was using glazed pots..
here is the link my dad used... He is a total hoarder and had all the bits we needed in the shed!!
I have to say that it did work but i only had a small candle so need to get a bigger one, but the bolt got hot and the ceramic pots got hot too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_665572&feature=iv&src_vid=3oa7ifmHm4U&v=bus9EUMUmJM

Spendless

I wouldn't worry too much about the cat. Cats are better than central heating engineers at locating the warmest spot in the house.:D Get a cardboard box, put a blanket or old towel in it (and I bet someone has one to give away if you don't have one- don't buy one!) The cat will soon snuggle up in it.

I notice you said you've been jumping in the shower to warm up. We got a free electricity monitor from our supplier and I became 'obsessed' with how much electrical items cost to run. Our electric shower was the most expensive thing I ever came across, over £1 a minute during the time it was on, which was more expensive per minute than the kettle, the washing machine, the tumble dryer or the hoover. Though you still have to compare how long you are in the shower compared to how long you have the other items on. What about ringing your supplier to see if they offer a monitor too. If you had one it would at least address where your most comsumption is.

Could you do some voluntary work? Gives you work expereince, something additional on your CV, means you don't need to sit in your cold house whilst your there and you'd also get expenses re-imbursed. When I did voluntary work they used to give me a lunch allowance as well as travel expenses.

emmbee123

You've mentioned you are on JSA. If it is income based and if you or anyone in your household has a disability or you have a child aged under 5, get in touch with your utility company. There are schemes to help in some situations.

I got a £130 credit on my bill which has helped a lot!

celyn90

I feel for you OP, our house is also single brick so it does get chilly too There is some awesome advice on this thread.

I also leave the oven door open after I have been cooking, so the heat dissipates into the house.

Somebody posted a thread about Canadian window quilts a while ago, which I really want to have a go at making with some cheap IKEA fleeces but haven't had time yet. I am currently making a door curtain though to cover the front door.

I also have extra blankets under the sheets on the bed and under the mattress too.

One thing I found really helped us was to replace all the window gaskets and to fit a letter box cover.

I have also lined the understairs cupboard with carpet offcuts too, as you could feel the draught coming up from the floor there.

Best of luck, cel x

retepetsir

We live in a late 1960's ground floor flat with signal skin walls wherever the (large) windows are so I feel your pain! The place just doesn't seem to hold in the heat, particularly hampered by having no cavity. Dread to think what our bill will be this winter but the OH doesn't like the cold at all and I always find the heating has been turned right up when I get home!

Spendless

Keep the curtains closed too to keep the warmth in especially if you have large windows.

ejb1983

Hi this is my first post hope ive done this right just to say my daughters room is the warmest in the house I bought her some blackout curtains you wouldnt believe how much they keep out drafts etc I got them on ebay too 15 quid they really make a difference and in summer they keep the room cool too cause no heat gets in

Lexxi

I'm on a pre-pay meter I had my heating between 16-18 in December and it cost £100! I've kept my heating set at 7 degrees, 12 for when I get up and when I sit down to eat or 14 if I'm really cold, just about getting over the superstitious side which wouldn't let me set it to 13. I've got black out curtains and a door curtain at the bottom of my stairs as there is no door. I have a throw on the settee to snuggle into and I've slept in PJs and a jumper, along with my slippers and a dressing gown. I have 3 layers of covers on my bed. My heating has still cost me £50+ a month
The damp here was bad and I have just managed to get the damp proofing done and it does feel warmer but there are still lots of draughts.
Rather than buy a plug in dehumidifier you can get cheapy ones that aren't plug in but I don't know what they are called.
The sp hot chocolate is pretty drinkable also hot water on it's own, I sometimes have it if I'm fed up with coffee
And lemon juice kills mould, depending on cost comparisons with bleach you might want to consider that.
Do some excercise before bed too, sit ups, push ups etc, get the blood flowing for when you get under the covers

[Deleted User]

Hi, i turned my storage heater off last monday evening. Ive braved the cold. Its taken a bit of getting used to but im minus £115 on my DD. So im sucking it up and braving it. Im on E7 and with the switch over to later on in the morning around 7.57am to be exact. I now jump out of bed at 7.15am and use the pull cord heater in the bathroom to heat it before i get in the shower. I boil the kettle to make a cuppa, dry my hair, striaghten it if necessary, charge my mobile and laptop and hang out the washing if i have any which has been washed over night all in the space of about 45 mins, before my electric clicks over to day rate. If i start work at 9am i microwave my porridge as well haha and if not i use the water in the kettle to make a hot water bottle and go back to bed or wrap myself in my throw in the lounge. I cant do this in the winter as the switchover is 6.57am far too early lol. The things we do hey :rotfl::rotfl: