2022 Frugal Living Challenge

Elisheba

@cw18 I would melt  . I don't mind some flannel bedding and an extra blanket in winter, maybe ever a hot water bottle in darkest winter, but that's as far as I would go - and thats with the window open. 

Jellytotts

Isn’t it strange how humans can differ so much with their heat requirements.  I can’t wear anything in bed, makes me far too hot and I feel almost suffocated by it. I love getting into a cold bed, even in the depths of winter and always have the window open and sleep nearest to it.  We graduate from an empty duvet cover in the summer (just for show, we don’t pull it over us) to a 4.5 tog in spring/autumn and a 10 tog in winter.  No heating on in the bedroom during the day and no heating on after 7pm at night anywhere in the house (last log goes on the burner around 8pm if it’s lit).  

When we used to stay with my in laws they heated their house to 25 degrees day and night and asked us not to open the window at night as it was a safety risk.  I always felt like I was being tortured and couldn’t breathe.  Love my fresh air.

Elisheba

@Jellytotts its is funny isn't it! I can't sleep without night clothes at all as I have very strange dreams I'm out and about with no clothes on which leads to some rather unsettled dreams. I never have the heating on in the bedroom either. 

florianatwobob

I grew up with an unheated single glazed bedroom. When we finally installed central heating and insulated the loft it went from freezing to feeling like a sauna. I do need to wear PJs at night but during the summer there is no point in a duvet or cover as I’ll only kick it off the bed and in winter it’s a 4.5tog duvet at most. Before house upgrades it was a 13.5 tog duvet! I still have that duvet ‘just in case’

cw18

Elisheba said:

@cw18 I would melt  . I don't mind some flannel bedding and an extra blanket in winter, maybe ever a hot water bottle in darkest winter, but that's as far as I would go - and thats with the window open. 

I feel the cold very quickly/easily.     There have been many days I've been sitting here with OH, and he's plenty warm whilst I have extra layers and a fleece throw.    I'm normally fine whilst moving around outside, but as soon as I sit down (and my heart rates drops) I start to get cold.   My ankles and feet are the worst - even with normal socks on under a throw my toes can feel like blocks of ice.

Even now I'm using either my heavy quilt or (more frequently the last few weeks) a 6kg weighted blanket.   When OH is here the weighted blanket is a problem (not designed to be shared, he doesn't like anyway, and falls off the bed if only over me), so I use a 10tog single quilt.    But I have literally just taken delivery of a 3kg single weighted blanket, so that should solve the problem (and can be taken away, as I sleep much better in other places with one).   In the winter I have my quilt over the weighted blanket.

I struggle to sleep with an open window - even at the moment

In recent years I've discovered I can leave the window of the ensuite in the open-locked postion (only a crack), then the door to my bedroom ajar, as well as the door to the landing and the door to a bedroom at the opposite side of the house, then the window in that room the same open position - but I still wake up 2 or 3 times unless OH is here.     The last couple of nights I've had the window in my actual bedroom open the same (and the window in a second room at the opposite side of the house), and I've been awake every 1-1.5hrs.

I think it's a throwback to around 1990.   My car was on the drive pulled right up the front corner of the house.   I was asleep in the living room alongside it with an open window.   When I woke up I discovered my car had been broken into (stereo had been taken) and I hadn't heard a thing !!!

leftatthetrafficlights

I always have the window open in my bedroom regardless of the outside temperature- also can't wear anything in bed. The strange thing is that prior to a couple of years ago (when I became of a certain 'age') I was constantly cold (but still needed open windows etc - I cannot cope without fresh air) so had 13.5 tog duvets all seasons other than the heights of summer and dh used to melt!! Now he spends his time complaining that we sleep in a fridge during the winter and ends up with most of the duvet as I chuck my half on him! 😂 getting older has definitely reversed our internal heating systems and in all honesty, most of my friends and relatives have found themselves having similar experiences! 

cw18

I'm past that point (without even noticing it due to a medication - not HRT - that I was on).   Hasn't made any difference to my internal thermostat whatsoever....

soosiejq

My thermostat definitely broke when I got to a certain age and I'm always hot.  Hubby has a single electric blanket and I sleep in nothing with the window open next to me and half the time with my legs sticking out the bed.

I have had a productive day so far.  I picked a kilo of blackberries although it was cold, blowy and spitting over the field so not as much fun as a couple of weeks ago. They're currently open freezing on trays so I can bag them up loosely.  I've also made a courgette and lemon drizzle cake, currently in the oven. I've made it before and can't remember how it turned out but I think we liked it.  Hubby is deeply suspicious as he's not a fan of courgettes but we've been given a few so they're cropping up in all sorts of dishes.

I also cashed in some of my Prolific earnings for this month - £40 so far to add to the £62 from last month.  There's quite a few studies to do at the moment although you have to be ninja like to grab some of them as they go so fast.  I think it must be that time in the academic year.

boxer234

I have breakdown cover as I do travel a lot and it was costing a fortune.  I’ve just phoned and they have nearly halved it and given me 3 months free so impressed with that service.  I also had a long chat about if I break down with the dogs and feel a little more reassured. 

Sweetlittledaydreams

Been a bit under the weather since the end of last week, bonus is I've hardly eaten so hadn't had to do a food shop until tonight when i bought a yellow sticker ready meal, but then didnt feel like eating so it will keep for lunch and dinner tomorrow. Got a refund of £27 for some plants I ordered months ago which never arrived, glad I pestered for the refund as the company ignored me when I contacted them directly so I had to go through the payment company who were really helpful. Previously I wouldn't have followed it up and would have written it off as lost money, I'm glad I've changed! Still working extra hours most weeks to make extra cash so it would be crazy to let it slip through my fingers like that. Got my eye on a few second hand jumpers online because I haven't had a chance to get to the charity shops yet, I should say it's the wrong time of year to be looking but I think it's exactly the right time actually because they're much cheaper now. Don't think you can beat a good dressing gown though for keeping warm around the house. But I am armed with an electric blanket (present), lots of normal blankets (presents and collected over the years) and an electric throw (cheap last year from the supermarket), but am a bit interested in how it would work to have a log burner fitted because I live close to a few woodland areas and like the idea of free firewood!