13-11-2013 1:55 PM
Due to the fact that the energy prices are rising and I have no spare money....what wonderful tips can you give to keep warm.
I have the heating on for two hours at night just before running my bath - that's about as much as I can afford. I have a shower in the morning but that has to be done in the cold.
In the daytime if I am at home I keep my slippers on and sit underneath a chenille blanket.
I have a little "hippo" that you put into the microwave - that helps to keep the hands warm.
Any useful tips would be appreciated by me - and I am sure others would appreciate tips as well.
Thanks 🙂
13-11-2013 2:12 PM
I feel the cold and it works to wear several thin layers of clothes rather than just one chunky jumper.
Also hats are the absolute best thing for keeping warm - find a nice soft one and wear it in the house too, dont keep just for outside!
The Japanese wear something called a Haramaki. Basically a tube of stretchy fabric that you wear to keep your trunk/abdomen warm. Chills happen when there is a gap between top and trousers! You can buy these or they would be easy to make/customise from something you already own or a skinny style top that most charity shops stock.
Make homemade soup. I see that A*da now sell a frozen bag of stew/casserole vegetables for £1. Effortless soup! Just add stock cube and water and boil up!! Saves chopping up carrots, swede etc!
Also I love my hot water bottle - traditional but still the best!
13-11-2013 3:11 PM
If you are able, keep moving. Sit still for any length of time & you will get cold. My heating is on for 1 hour in the evening at the moment. Seldom during the day. I have a microwave wheat bag too. I wear a cami so no gap around the middle. Walking Damson keeps me warm too even on a cold day. Dress according to the temperateure. Alisons hat idea is good too. I know someone that makes fleece Haramakis.
13-11-2013 3:22 PM
I had to spend two winters 2007/2008 - 2008/2009 with no heating at all. I used to sit inside a sleeping bag with gloves and woolly hat on in the evening. I also had an electric blanket on the bed so at least my bed was warm. They are cheaper to run than the central heating!
13-11-2013 3:51 PM
I will probably have to do this again as like you money is tight and i have to try to save a bit. I get a duvet and sit on my sofa with it wrapped around me, it keeps you snug as a bug!!. Make sure you have those snug socks on indoors , always keep your feet warm!!.
Please make sure you do keep warm though and take care this winter.
13-11-2013 4:00 PM
Unfortunately, we have to have the heat on more than most as my mum has a serious heart condition and she has to keep warm. At least, we are fortunate that she gets the winter fuel allowance. Also, we have get our gas and electricity from a firm that gives special rates to the charity Age UK.
We also have several hot drinks during the day and a good substantial meal at some point during the day.
13-11-2013 4:24 PM
Does she wear a hat indoors Chris? It would make a big difference. Also a fleece blanket around her as well as over her legs. Even with the discounts the heating bills are going to be a killer this winter.
13-11-2013 4:27 PM
Well call me whiffy but if I didn't have much heating I wouldn't be having a bath and a shower every day. I don't think there's any need for that unless you have some sort of medical condition. A bath costs a lot more than a shower so I'd just have a shower in the morning and a quick wash at night.
13-11-2013 4:32 PM
Mum doesn't wear a hat indoors but I've just finished knitting her one. We have plenty of crocheted blankets that we can wrap up in so that helps. We also put a least one on each bed so that at least we are nice and snug and warm in bed.
Hope that everyone keeps warm and safe this winter. I always think that winter should be banned.
13-11-2013 4:46 PM
The stew packs are brilliant, most of the supermarkets sell them, I put one bag in with an oxo cube and a couple of chopped potatoes and a small amount of stewing steak in the casserole, really cheap and it last 3 of us 2 days. When you tink the stew pack costs 89p and one swede can cost 70p there is no contest.
Plenty of layers, thin socks with fluffy ones on top, always a cami to keep your back warm. Keep moving if you can.
13-11-2013 4:52 PM
fingerless gloves are good. And when taking a shower put the stopper in the tub so the water helps to warm up the room.
13-11-2013 4:56 PM
We couldn't put the stopper in our shower because we have a shower cubicle. If we did have a stopper, we would end up flooding the shower room. A good idea though Pat.
13-11-2013 5:00 PM
13-11-2013 5:00 PM
Our shower is in the tub. We don't have a cubicle.
We have to keep the house warm this year because of the African pygmy hog. He would try to hibernate and they don't do hibernating like our wild ones do. I have him on a heat pad too. They would die if they hibernate. 😞 So gotta keep the little guy warm. The others are enjoying the warmth too. But some will soon be going out in the cold once they are healthy again. 🙂
13-11-2013 5:33 PM
I only ever shower as I have trouble getting out of the bath. I put my foot over the drain hole so my feet get a nice soak! I feel warmer having a hot shower as in the bath a lot of you is out of the water.
13-11-2013 5:43 PM
13-11-2013 5:45 PM
I agree with you over having a shower Maggie. We had our bath taken out about 18 months ago and a shower put in and it's far better.
13-11-2013 5:47 PM
We've got one of those deep baths where you can have the water up to your chest (water 2" deep comes up to my chests) but I daren't get in it because I wouldn't be able to get out. I could bung up the overflow, fill it to overflowing and float out!!!
13-11-2013 5:49 PM
I have a corner bath so it's not possible to put a hand on each side to push yourself up. I have bad knees so can't kneel to get up so a shower is a must. I never put the heating on in the morning when I shower unless it's really freezing.
13-11-2013 5:58 PM
I tuck me T-shirt in me undercrackers - then 2 jumpers, a scarf & a hat.
It's poor Stumpy that suffers most though