How are MSE old stylers coping with the cold of winter?

HOWMUCH

Layers is the answer that trap in your own body heat and wear a hat. A friend who works at the local resource centre(library) has noticed an increase in people using their facilities.

thriftwizard

Heating on morning & evening here, plus a multi-fuel stove currently only burning wood, much of which is home grown and/or free. Those of us who work from home just wear lots of layers, including a fair proportion of wool.

Austin_Allegro

Here's another tip I've read for those of us who work from home: put a very heavy velvet cloth (such as an old curtain) on your desk as a tablecloth; make sure it reaches down to the floor on all sides. Then put your feet under the desk and drape the cloth over your knees to trap body heat and keep your feet warm. Apparently it's an old idea from Japan. Not sure if it will work but might be worth a try!

Horace

My heating comes on at 8am and goes off at 10am and then comes on again in the afternoon, I have a thermostat too and the temperature is usually on about 18 degrees. I pay £50 a month for dual fuel on a fixed term with my energy provider.

I haven't used the gas fire at all this year (I hate the thing because I haven't got the knack for switching it on so that it stays on). My old blanket goes over my knees downstairs.

It may sound daft but I don't open the curtains except for the living room and then I open them a crack (the sun comes right through them in the morning and it is too bright). I find that keeping the curtains drawn keeps some of the heat in too.

Currently wearing a pair of thin socks, my furry moccasins, a pair of leggings, a pair of jogging bottoms, a long t-shirt that reaches beyond my bum and a fleece jacket zipped to the neck.

If I go out then the scarf, hat, gloves and anorak go on as well as a pair of boots.

iris

Our central heating comes on at 6.30 am and is turned off when we go to bed, so this can vary. We have the thermostat set at 19/20C. Even when we go out we leave our heating on, so that our home is warm to come back to.

I wear sensible clothes, but don't like to wear lots of thick clothes, or be wrapped in blankets.

We are at home 24/7 as we are retired and there's no way I'm going to be cold and miserable in my own home.

tooties

Morning All,

I have a woodburner which is usually lit around 7am and stays on until after bedtime around midnight. However, its not been lit until 3pmish so far this year, we dont think its been that cold so far.

Don't mind the woodburner being on as its free wood for heating and endless supply of hot water.

In all honesty i can't afford to use our central heating (its oil) and costs a small fortune.

I am disabled and my joints ache and pain level goes through the roof when i am cold so its essential to have at least one warm room.

Regards

S-Iam

Like tooties, I also have health issues which mean we have the heating on a lot. My asthma is triggered by cold air / air temperature differences within the house. We have a downstairs bathroom which is the coldest room in the house. Going to the toilet last thing at night I was finding the colder air would trigger my asthma, so we now have the heating on until 11pm. Once this cold spell finishes I'll cut that back.
For me heating is an essential and I will cut back in other areas to make sure my house is warm, not hot, but a warm and comfortable place to be.

fiftyeighter_2

I'm the same as you S-Iam, I suffer with Asthma and the starting of COPD.
I feel the cold dreadfully. Also I'm 65 so at home most of the day. I do wrap up warm, 2prs of socks slippers etc. I will also scrimp on other things to keep warm my heating goes on at 7 goes off at 9.30 then I usually put it back on at 12 ish. There it stops till 11 p.m. And yes it costs a fortune. I have a gas meter and put a certain amount in it every week throughout the summer even though I'm not using it. Hopefully it then keeps me in gas throughout the cold months.
I do take the dogs out twice a day and have to admit I keep warm then but oh my face is frozen. Now my face is all sore and dry even using lots of cream.
On a good note I have braved the cold and started cleaning the sheds, I have 3. Only done 1 so far. But a start has been made.
Keep warm everyone.

rufydoofyM

Like others here we are at home 24/7 and have our gas ch on all day. Never sussed out the timer thingy and getting up and going to bed times vary so much it would be pointless setting it anyway.
We turn the heating on when we get up and off 3 hrs before going to bed.
The thermostat is set at 22 or 23 during the day and 20 at night (with a bedroom window open a bit). I'd prefer to turn it down lower at night as I hate sleeping in a warm house or bedroom above 17 but it takes forever to heat up in the morning and OH hates feeling cold when we get up as it affects his chest. If I get cold round my head or neck it get headaches that can last for days so often wear hooded fleece tops. We also have his and hers fleece blankies for when the heating is turned down and I live in my furry slipper boots. This year I got some purple ones from m and s with secret support. Best and most comfortable ever and although not cheap at £18 they are better and will likely last longer that the ones I've had from other stores.

We try to eat well and I refuse to feel cold in my own home so economies are made in other areas to achieve this.

catkins

At the moment the timer is just on constantly but the thermostat is set to 22 so it goes on and off during the day and night.


It is costing quite a bit but I am home all day and am not prepared to be cold and uncomfortable. I do wear layers and move around quite a bit doing bits of housework etc. Health problems though mean I can't move very quickly.


I find that it is very difficult to keep my feet warm despite trying several pairs of socks or those slipper boot things. My feet get so cold they hurt like mad