Preparing for Winter

housebug

kormachameleon wrote: »

I resist turning on the heating and make myself a hot water bottle, put it behind my back, cover my knees with a blanket, thus creating my own micro-climate. Particularly good in conjunction with a good film on the telly and a bowl of popcorn.

Once you've done everything else to save ££, that's about all there is left!

We rent, but I did get our good landlord to replace the weather stripping round the windows. Wasn't a problem. It needed doing and the drafts from the windows that we could feel this Spring were something I wasn't prepared to put up with in the Winter. Its going to be cold enough indoors what with having to ration the heating.

Our utility co, EDF, was offering free energy efficient lightbulbs in the Summer. I've asked for them twice, but had nothing come so I'm going to assume that was a load of tosh on their part. We'll make do with what we have. I want to get myself a pair of those Ugg style boots to wear indoors to keep my feet warm. Otherwise, we're simply not going to use the central heating this year. The gas fire in the front room will have to do. I refuse to pay the outrageous prices being charged now, so its go without. (I don't care how well Martin explains how the pricing is worked out. With no decent wage increases in whats amouting to years with us, any rise in the cost of living is a burden!)

We have all the bedding etc.. we need. My slow cooker went boots up a couple of weeks ago, so I need to replace that. I make a lot of soups, stews and casseroles through the Winter and will continue to do so. Helps keep the grocery bill down somewhat. My husband will be out of a job come year end (we're taking the plunge and starting our own small software development co.! Scary but exhilarating too.) , so I think Christmas is going to be seriously low key for us. I don't mind. Christmas has never been about spending with me and perhaps the recession will remind others of the same.

Candles! Do need to stock up again!

FairyElephant_2

housebug wrote: »

Our utility co, EDF, was offering free energy efficient lightbulbs in the Summer. I've asked for them twice, but had nothing come so I'm going to assume that was a load of tosh on their part.

Us too! I've registered online for them AND sent back the postcard, but still got nothing.... a mate told me yesterday that they got 5 for 50p in Wilkinsons(I think - or maybe it was Morrisons?) yesterday so I'm gonna have a look at the weekend.


I suspected that when we got back from hols on Sat we'd start to feel the cold a bit more and be tempted to put on the heating, but not too bad so far - just dug out some thick socks and my warmer leggings and wrapped a fleecy throw (Mr A's at £1.77 - bargain!) around me on the sofa, as DH doesn't feel the cold as much as I do.
Was chilly in bed last night though, so going to have to put the quilt back on tonight - at the moment we have layered a sheet and quilt cover only, and I have my furry/fleecy throw (from Lidl last year - SOOO cosy!) on my side.

I've got an extra Mr A's fleece to turn into draught excluders for the 2 doors into the living room, when I get time (got a college assignment due in Monday so got to focus on that at the mo') and I AM going to win the longstanding argument with DH about curtaining off the 'living room' (we have a long narrow room which is living area one end and dining area the other) area, which has the gas fire in it, so we can keep the heat in that area this Winter.
He has always been against the idea as he likes the feel of one larger room, but I threw a wobbler this time and told him that I was fed up with doing all I could to save money and have him be difficult about it - and he'll have to get a second job to pay the heating bills!!!!!!! I'll let it lie a few days now, and then when I've got my assignment out the way I'll get some material and start making the curtains after I've done the draught excluders.........Haha!

Keep warm everyone!

FE

SuzySF

some one posted earlier about slippers - i bought my O/H a pair of Nordika's - (mens) quite expensive as an inital outlay but they've lasted 3 yrs this coming christmas ( as opposed to 6mths for a bog standard pair). so well worth the outlay. He said his feet are warm n toasty, they have solid soles so can pop outside in them (when they were new he even wore them as shoes lol) and the best bit according to him is the back of the heel - the sole section is flat and not rounded, so when you rest on your heels- as in loungin in chair - your feet dont roll outward so making a V and twisting your ankles..your feed stay upright..hope that makes sense lol. These slippers are worn daily, some days - all day - so they really have had some wear !!

LoopyLinz

Been reading this thread with great interest, given me lots of great ideas!

Going to ask what is probably a really stupid question but.........how do I know what temperature our heating is at? (we have oil heating) What temperature should it be at and if its not correct how do I adjust it?

Thanks
Linz xoxox

housebug

LoopyLinz wrote: »

Been reading this thread with great interest, given me lots of great ideas!

Going to ask what is probably a really stupid question but.........how do I know what temperature our heating is at? (we have oil heating) What temperature should it be at and if its not correct how do I adjust it?

Thanks
Linz xoxox

Do you not have a thermostat somewhere in the house that you set the temp with? I'm not familiar with oil heating here in England, but in Canada, thats how you regulate the temperature.

npsmama

Can someone offer advice pls?

We have BIG condensation problems.

Last year I followed a tip given on another site and put up bubblewrap as a cheap 'double glazing'....it significantly kept the heat in but within days we had mould growing everywhere.
WEill I have the same problem if i put up heavy curtains?
Is there an OS alternative to commercial curtains - would woollen blankets on the windows be a good alternative (although I have no idea how to put them up!!)?

Many thanks

GlasweJen

Another question, where do you all get your blankets?

robellett

Many summer bedding plants can be over-wintered, meaning that next year you have larger plants, and save on buying from new. Many of them will also root, giving you a larger number of plants, for next to nothging - the price of pots and compost and, if you wish, some hormone rooting powder/solution. After a geranium broke just over a week ago I stuck some 3 inch long tips into a spare pot - they've rooted already.

Plants that are good for overwintering include Geraniums, Pelargoniums, Busy Lizzies - Impatiens and many more. Water when getting dry, and repot in spring. Impatiens will root in water very easily too.

Last year I had some Geraniums, Nicotiana (flowering tobacco plants), Pelargoniums and Petunias overwinter in the garden, without being brought inside - this was possibly a fluke, due to the mild winter. If tubs etc are placed in warm spots, usually adjacent to sheltered south facing walls, and covered on frosty nights then they could over-winter. You may get some die-back, but if the pots would otherwise be bare, it's worth giving it a try, especially if we get a mild winter again. You can buy fairly low cost garden fleece, that allows sun and rain to pass through - draped over plants this raises the temperature underneath it by a few degrees. It can be washed and reused many times.

If you have some larger plants that you don't have the space for inside, consider creating a mini 'greenhouse', using some wooden stakes sunk into the ground, or fixed to each other. You can fix plastic to them, which will block a lot of wind and garden fleece too - you can fill the inner part with dry leaves/straw if you wish, as this insulates really well. I've palm trees that I've done this with, as well as other semi-tropical plants. Otherwise, some deciduous plants are fine if lifted and dried, and stored somewhere that's frost free, even if dark.

Outdoors Christmas tree lights also raise the temperature by a few degrees, though are not free to run - it's worth balancing the cost of new plants against the cost to preserve them.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

housebug

GlasweJen wrote: »

Another question, where do you all get your blankets?

Unfortunately, my favourite bedding store, Roseby's, has gone into receivership. But that's where I used to buy all my duvets and pillows. I got another medium weight, king sized duvet on sale two weeks before the announcement.

Do Woolworth's, BHS etc.. do reasonably priced bedding? A good quality wool blanket isn't going to come cheap, but with care, it will last many years so is well worth the investment.

kerik4

Re condensation problems, we had double glazing installed and that first winter had terrible condensation problems. We had floor to ceiling thermal velvet curtains which developed mould - they trapped the moisture in the window recess. We switched to shorter curtains - not as warm but they allowed the air to circulate and that helped clear the condensation.
Good luck!