How to live without heating - save £000s

RavingMad

It's the cold loo seats that I couldn't deal with lol

poppellerant

How do people without heating deal with visitors? I try to be economical with the heating where reasonably possible and without putting the property at risk, but it's inevitable that I get some visitors complaining about the cold because they are used to wasting their money on heating.

FreeBear

RavingMad said:

It's the cold loo seats that I couldn't deal with lol

You can get heated toilet seats. Some work off a USB power source, others from the mains.

 So just sit back, get comfortable, and we'll plug you in

elsien

RavingMad said:

It's the cold loo seats that I couldn't deal with lol

Hover?             .

wrf12345

General consensus amongst people I talk to, age around 70-ish, is that they are not going to turn the gas on at all this winter - English Riveria area so warmer part of the UK - none of them interested in talking to the council about getting benefits and I suspect that most have enough savings to dip into if they wanted to but have no interest in handing over money to cartel-like energy companies. Buy shares in arctic clothes manufacturers? May all change if we get really bad winter, of course.

FreeBear

elsien said:

RavingMad said:

It's the cold loo seats that I couldn't deal with lol

Hover?             .

Turkish ?

(also known as a squat pan).

RavingMad

How about signing up to Octopus? Would you class them as cartel?  My in-laws (80s) scrimp on heating too even though they have more than enough money. 

wrf12345

I am on Octopus Agile and Gas Tracker, they have reasonably good customer service but pricing is not particularly great unless you play the time-of-use game (which I do and save twenty percent). Interestingly, I think Octopus sell the software that runs many of their rival systems, so they are all in each other's pockets. Ofgem seems to be part of the problem, as well. So layering up is the only way to fight back.

HertsLad

wrf12345 said:

Ever since that inflation blip I have been in super-frugal mode even though I am nearly seventy and can't take the dosh with me. Been clearing out my house of stuff I don't really need/use and ended up with nearly two grand in loose change (via Marketplace on FB) - inflation actually helps with getting decent dosh compared to what I paid for the items. Still, not going to give any of that money to the energy companies but will probably turn the gas back on early December. Energy remains such a rip-off that layering up and giving two fingers to the cartel is an energising option. New camera already bought (excellent upgrade), new phone and TV under consideration, just waiting for decent price drops in the sales. Already have too many clothes bought via Aliexpress so work my way through them. Very little inflation, apart from energy, if you bargain hunt and use the various incentives/discounts on offer.

It sounds like you are one or two years older than me, with a similar attitude towards the energy companies. You also buy clothes on ali express, like I do. Only yesterday, I ordered a further down jacket for just under £30 to see what it's like.

Have you bought or considered ordering down filled trousers and jackets on ali express? I strongly recommend them. If your metabolism is similar to mine, you may find you don't need to turn the heating on at all, if you wear these together with two layers of polyester base garments. Mind you, to remain warm at only 1C or 2C I add ski trousers and two or three more insulated jackets to all that, as in my earlier photos.

Also, if quite a few people of our generation pledge to use zero or minimal heating, do they wear clothes like I do, or how do they manage? I consider my approach vastly superior and far more convenient to using anything which relies on electricity, whether from the mains, batteries or power banks.

Scot_39

poppellerant said:

How do people without heating deal with visitors? I try to be economical with the heating where reasonably possible and without putting the property at risk, but it's inevitable that I get some visitors complaining about the cold because they are used to wasting their money on heating.

I am not a hardcore no heat used person vs some here -  but suspect most  would think my house cold (16, 14) - but I will push heating up 2-3 degreees when others visit.  It's not that expensive for a few hours or even days.

Especially if very young or very old - less well /  fit than yourself etc. 

Just consider it part of the costs of being hospitable - like offering tea and biscuits or a wee dram (drink) / meal.