Visiting friends’ freezing cold houses

Next time, wear lots of layers. I recommend a strappy vest, then a t-shirt, then a thin cardigan, then a fleecy jumper and a fleece jacket or a big thick jumper on top, with a coat on top of that. If necessary, keep the whole lot on while you're there.

I worry about this because I like my house cold and belt on gas fire etc for hours before I expect visitors to compensate. But if they just turned up they wouldn't be comfortable.

That won't warm your face and hands. Being freezing is horrible.

Our house is pretty chilly but we have a big open log fire in the sitting room. IMHO modern houses lack a focal point of warmth to gather around for congeniality.

I grew up poor and cold, so heating is the one luxury I don’t want to go without. It doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, only £60 per month (averaged per year) if I keep my thermostat 18 degrees downstairs, 19/20 upstairs. I can easily afford to turn it up higher, but I’m trying to find the right balance between being comfortable and not being wasteful.

All my friends have more money than me and, with one exception, they don’t really put the heating on much. I have concluded that they don’t feel the cold. Or perhaps there’s a psychological thing about not spending money on things you can’t see/ experience (as they have no trouble spending money on expensive dinners or nice clothes). I can’t get my head around why a couple whose combined earnings is several hundreds of thousands per year don’t spend £100 extra per month (on top of their regular bills) to warm their home. So I have to assume they don’t mind the cold

Maybe they can’t afford to heat their house to the same temperature you can .

why don’t you just wear more clothes ?

When it was really cold I was working from home more due to ice and my office being closed. I kept pouring the heating up (dh wfh normally) and dh did comment our bill will be higher. I made it clear I couldn’t care less and we’ll make savings elsewhere but I will not be cold in my own home. He didn’t argue thankfully.

We once stayed with a friend and she popped an oil heater on for 15 minutes. She was skint but it was -4 outside and not far off inside. We slept the night and I wore a hat and dh’s ski gloves. It was bad. I was trying to work out how I could give her money without her feeling like charity (we weren’t rich but I would have given her £50 just to give us heat).

in short - op in with you.

I hate being cold, as my arthritic fingers and toes really hurt. #LifeAndSoul

I’d probably do something mad if I went again like take my own hot water bottle and sit clutching it wearing a stoic look on my face.

I suppose it depends what temperature you're used to versus them. We turn our heating up for hosting. We usually have it set at 18 for us, but appreciate some like it warmer and I'd hate to think our guests are cold. My dad has his thermostat at 22 but the house is very different to our house, where 19 has the same effect.

Perhaps your friends when they visit your house find it too warm?
Perhaps if you are the only one of all your friends that find their houses cold it's a " you" problem.and not a " them " problem?

Totally with you - hate it and wouldn't dream of it - would be devastated if my guests were cold. Makes you less keen to visit doesn't it??