Preparing for Winter

Winged_one

I was just thinking about this thread on Saturday - as I started gathering pine cones on my way home from allotment!! They are great as firelighters, and a few on every trip makes a big difference to the winter stores.

My parents are getting the house insulated next week also - finally after 25 years living there!! The type that gets blown into 20 million holes around the outside.

I am trying to remember to make a phonecall to the chimney sweep, or to PIL to borrow their brushes when we are down next. Cos I always think of these "useful" jobs at stupid o'clock early hours and never at a reasonable hour to talk to the right people.

We don't need the boiler checked this year (got it done last Oct) but that's also a good job to do at this time of year, and often cheaper and easier to get the techies.

pumpkinlife

Now the nights are drawing in and all

Thankyou for reminding me about the curtains, I do need to get them sorted ready for winter as it takes me months for me to get stuff like that done. It would actually benefit me now through the summer, keeping the heat out.

Also going charity shop/ebay shopping to find winter coats and the like. My boots are knackered after 2 years of faithful service, they will be expensive to replace. My local yarn shop is closing down (boohiss) but has a clearance sale on, so shall be buying sock wool and hat wool and warm jumper wool too. Gosh you do have to think about these things early don't you?!

the_cat

Might be useful to think ahead this year to include buying anything that you will be needing which includes VAT before January 4th if you can afford to do so

maryb

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Mardatha
First take the Electric heater away from DS he will skint her using that much electric :eek:
Get a dimplex space saver one it keeps the chill off and only costs 1p an hour to run
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0522856/Trail/searchtext%3EHEATERS.htm

I really struggle with working out why we are using so much electricity - I joke that we must have a leak!! I've been trying to work out the cost of various things and note them down using an energy monitor.

BB how do you work out this only costs 1p per hour? I saw that it's 800 watt output so running it for 1 hour would on the face of it use 0.8 of a unit which is more than 1p. Is it because it cycles on and off? If so how do you work out the cost other than using a plug in monitor?

Told you I struggled

esmf73

My Asda had burgandy, brown and cream fleeces - so I got 2 of each. Not bad for £9. Not particularly well advertised though so hunt for them!! Thanks Smileyt!!

Kitchenbunny

People do laugh at me when I mention preparing for winter in the middle of summer, but I've found it very useful. I've bought myself a thermal base layer when the camping shops where they were selling off old stock, likewise with a sturdy fleece jumper to keep me warm. I've started a box in the top cupboard with useful bits and bobs such as candles and matches.

KB xx

ginnyknit

Its never too early to start stocking up Kitchenbunny is it after all we plan xmas in advance on here That reminds me we need new hot water bottles! oh and salt (after last year think we all need a personal gritter )

psso

As well as collecting cones from the nearby wood, I take an empty cardboard loo roll tube and shove 3-4 other tubes inside it. Have a basket almost full in the bottom of the bathroom cupboard ready to put out in the shed. They make good firelighters too, and cost nothing at all.

mardatha

Maryb, we read the meter every morning first thing. If it's higher than usual I can remember what I switched on, so that way I know what uses most. Then you phone your electricity people & ask how much it costs you per unit, inc standing charge, and work it out weekly from there.

hart44

When I lived in my last house I had a coal fire so I used to chop all my kindling up in the summer. I would rather do it then and get out in the sunshine than to freeze my butt off doing it in the winter :rotfl:
Im making patchwork quilts at the mo ready to put on the sofa and beds