Preparing for Winter

rosieben

pnq06 wrote: »

Thanks... I feel really silly asking that but I've never really used candles so I thought that this year I can use a few on the fire place if they generate heat- every little helps

there's no such thing as a silly question, asking is how we are all learning.

I remember my dad used to put a single candle in the downstairs toilet in very cold winters, enough heat to stop the pipes from freezing; I'm not sure that they will make a significant difference to the heat in a larger room but they will look lovely and make it seem cosier and that will definitely help

Boomdocker wrote: »

...There's just something so cosy about candles burning, no lights on and just snuggling on the sofa all toastie like. Somebody please support me with this, anybody, lol.

when I was young I used to love power cuts, we used candles and oil lamps and it was so cosy. Really didnt like it when the big light came back on

Candles and oil lamps are lovely, but please use them safely peeps!

economiser

Winter 2007! I'll cross that bridge when we get there. It might never happen! Where did all the global warming go this summer? Perhaps we will make up for it in the winter.

rosieben

moanymoany wrote: »

We have a neat little camping stove that has a slim gas cannister to drive it. It is great for power cuts. Any ideas about a light that isn't a candle - I'm not struck on them, though I have an emergency one in a jam jar which makes a kind of lamp?

I have a torch which can be used as a lantern - it needs batteries of course

my wind up radio (Tesco £4.99 I think) also has a torch, though these dont give off as much light.

how about an oil lamp? expensive to buy new but you might find one at a car boot that needs some attention?

I prefer candles to oil lamps though, less smell. Your idea of putting a candle in a jam jar is a good one.

I always worried about candles when the kids were little and they were taught not to touch them. I always placed them high up if possible and out of the way so they didnt get knocked over. Also kept them away from curtains and anything flammable.

I have several old fashioned candle holders - the metal wee willie winkie ones! - and they are very stable so I use them mostly.

sammy_kaye18

Yeah i find candles really cuddly too - its weird i think it must be something to do with the flame - liek psychologically you know a flame is hot so seeigna cnadle flame makes you think heat. i am defiantely going to buy some mroe candle holders, jam jars, tins this winter though

rosieben

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Yeah i find candles really cuddly too - its weird i think it must be something to do with the flame - liek psychologically you know a flame is hot so seeigna cnadle flame makes you think heat. i am defiantely going to buy some mroe candle holders, jam jars, tins this winter though

I got my best ones from jumble sales and charity shops - I have a few modern sleek ones too, the obligatory tree of life etc, but I think the older ones with a wide base are for much safer

I just found the link for the candle stove btw so I'm putting in here now, about 20 posts later......... :rotfl:

http://patverettosfrugalliving.blogspot.com/

Justamum

Right, I'm going to have to make some draught excluders as we have some awful draughts coming from the front door. A couple of years ago I found a whole roll of curtaining fabric at the local tip, so I'll use some of that. It's not a pattern I would necessarily have chosen for curtains, but it's not awful (I've got it just in case we move into a house which doesn't have curtains). I'm not sure what to stuff it with though - I'll probably have to buy some of those pellets used in bean bags.

lovelyjubbly

How about stuffing the draught excluder with sand? then it would fit the bottom of the door exactly, and wouldn't roll away, rather like the sand bags they use for floods, of course the sand would have to be very very dry:D

Justamum

lovelyjubbly wrote: »

How about stuffing the draught excluder with sand? then it would fit the bottom of the door exactly, and wouldn't roll away, rather like the sand bags they use for floods, of course the sand would have to be very very dry:D

I had thought of that. It would probably mean making a separate inner lining to put the sand in just to be on the safe side. The best sand would be the stuff they sell in toy shops for sand pits so I'll have to price up which one would be cheapest - sand or polystyrene pellets.

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Hi all, not read all this thread yet but I have been thinking about winter. I am always skint in January despite saving for xmas so this year I am going to buy 3 asda cards (£144 per card but they boost it up to £150) and use it to do my shopping through January. Also I am going to try and stock up on things like toilet roll and easy to store goods so i only have to buy fresh stuff

Hapless_2

Checked my nectar points today, £70 worth.... that'll be handy come yule and new year.