Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

redofromstart wrote: »

I've got my plug in oil heater on, my hot water bottle and many, many clothes but my fingers are freezing even with the fingerless gloves on. I don't want to boost the heating, the trouble with a smart meter is you can see exactly what it cost!

It's really hard to stay warm. I wish I had thermals but don't usually need them in Devon.

carbootcrazy wrote: »

No mains gas in this village so we rely on oil for central heating and hot water backed up by a couple of halogen heaters when absolutely necessary. OH never feels the cold so refuses to have the main heating on a lot of the time:(. Even today (with snow outside so deep it's over the tops of my wellies) after a couple of hours with it on when I got up at 6 and put it on, it's now off and I'm freezing even with a small halogen heater in the small room I'm in and trying to keep habitable. He, meanwhile is wearing a short-sleeved shirt and no jumper while I'm muffled up in as many layers as I can manage:eek:.


I used to think meanness played a major part in his refusal to have the central heating on (he pays for the oil and I pay the electricity bills:eek:) but I now know he genuinely has a problem regulating his body temperature. Sadly, he isn't prepared to put up with a bit of discomfort to enable me and visitors to be even reasonably warm. It's been the source of zillions of arguments over the years:o. My mother would never visit us at all in winter months although admittedly her own house was unbelievably warm!


Our oil supply is running very very low indeed and with roads impassable I dread to think when we might get a delivery even if I can nag OH into placing an order today.

Poor you you must be frozen! It's very unpleasant for you to be so cold. Maybe you should buy another portable heater when you can get deliveries? Have you tried a hot water bottle like Redo?

HairyHandofDartmoor

Cumbria_lass wrote: »

i think you need to check the airport at Manchester , lots of flights have been cancelled.


Glad to hear about Mr Hairy, keep warm and safe.

Oh crumbs I'd better check. His flight is due to arrive at Manchester at 7.00 am tomorrow morning.

beanielou wrote: »

carbootcrazy~~ that must be dire.
I could not cope with that.
i cannot cope with being cold.
My muscles seize up & i get crabbit.

It's not nice being cold

HairyHandofDartmoor

Munchin wrote: »

Glad your OH got good news.

Thankfully we've managed to miss most of the snow this time but you don't know what tomorrow is going to bring.

I hope you're spared the snow Munchin.

It's -3 centigrade here. I know that's warm compared to some places, but we're not used to it in Devon. We've usually got daffodils flowering at the beginningvof February here, but not tnis winter .

It doesn't help that we have draughty sash windows. I can see the curtains moving in the draught :eek:.

Seasidegal58

Hi Hairy - just caught up with your diary - so pleased you are getting back to normal and great news on Mr Hairy. Fingers crossed as well for no cancellation on DS’s flight.

Snow quite thick here in Seasideville - some more flurries earlier today and temperature freezing outside. I’m quite lucky in that my flat tends to be warm but I’ve still put a fleece over my top! Hate the cold!

elizabethhull

Great hospital news, HHOD

Hope everyone is managing to keep warm enough. My friend's heating has broken, and she has been unable to get any joy from British Gas, Southern Gas Network, AgeUk, Council Winter Watch, and various others. She is 79 and a cold morsel - thank goodness she has an electric blanket which she is wearing.

I am so grateful for working central heating !

HairyHandofDartmoor

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Hi Hairy - just caught up with your diary - so pleased you are getting back to normal and great news on Mr Hairy. Fingers crossed as well for no cancellation on DS’s flight.

Snow quite thick here in Seasideville - some more flurries earlier today and temperature freezing outside. I’m quite lucky in that my flat tends to be warm but I’ve still put a fleece over my top! Hate the cold!

Nice to hear from you SSG. You're lucky you have a warm flat. We live in a draughty Edwardian house, brrr. DH has just put some draught excluder tape around the windows and it's warmer already.

elizabethhull wrote: »

Great hospital news, HHOD

Hope everyone is managing to keep warm enough. My friend's heating has broken, and she has been unable to get any joy from British Gas, Southern Gas Network, AgeUk, Council Winter Watch, and various others. She is 79 and a cold morsel - thank goodness she has an electric blanket which she is wearing.

I am so grateful for working central heating !

Oh no how awful, cold weather is dangerous for the elderly . I heard on the news that gas engineers are having a lot of call outs.

We have our heating on the lowest setting to save money but have lots of blankets to keep us warm. I'm seriously thinking of buying some thermal tops though and some warm slippers. It's not normally cold enough for slippers in Devon, but I'm thinking of warm bootee ones at the moment .

HairyHandofDartmoor

DS2 is at New Orleans airport. His flight should leave at 5.30 if it's on time. I can't wait to have him home . He went on a swamp trip on Wednesday and saw alligators, boar and vultures.

redofromstart

I have sheepskin bootees - elderly in terms of both actual age and old lady style but oh so warm.

Sun_Addict

Fab news about DH's heart

So glad you're feeling better

Boo to snow though, I think most of us have been hit this time.

System

Fingers crossed for DS2 to get home on time. It's very windy here now , the snow has finally stopped.