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Original poster

Keeping warm WFH

113 replies

Coldwinterahead1 · 27/08/2020 08:20

I’m just doing a bit of forward planning as I’m pretty sure that I’ll be wfh indefinitely now. It’s just dawned on me that my heating bills are going to go up massively if I’m home all day. I’m thinking of getting an Oodie and heating one room with a small oil rad on low. Does anyone have any tips?

OP posts:
TawnyPippit · 27/08/2020 08:42

Another fan of a heated throw. Mine came from Lakeland. It’s fabbo.

grannycake · 27/08/2020 08:43

Thanks to this thread I just bought an Oodie - WFH and determined not to use more heating than normal

Hardbackwriter · 27/08/2020 08:44

A heated throw is nice because you just tuck it over your lower half and get on with it. Wearing a hat, three jumpers, gloves etc indoors is so depressing and also not really an option if you've got to video call.

minnieok · 27/08/2020 08:44

I wear a fleece and order the dog to sit on my feet, blankets are good too. I have thermal lined curtains so if they are kept closed and the door, the heat from early morning is retained until lunchtime, a fan heater is useful on coldest days

Hopingtobeamum · 27/08/2020 08:44

HMRC rules allow employers to pay £6 per week tax free to support things like WFH.

It's unlikely most employers will pay this though, it just costs too much to do it for all employees. You could ask though.

DeathMetalMum · 27/08/2020 08:45

Will any commuting costs you would have had offset any extra heating costs?

Otherwise I would probably go with a decent oil filled radiator for the room you are working in. Along with an extra fleecy blanket.

WellThankyouAJPTaylor · 27/08/2020 08:47

I've worked from home for two winters now, up north, old houses. I've rarely needed the heat on.

Proper layers (eg merino, lambswool, sheepskin boot slippers) are the business.

Hot water bottle on lap is cheap and effective.

There is a homeworking allowance we get, but it's not much, about £20 month I think.

minnieok · 27/08/2020 08:47

Remember to take into account the petrol or fares you are saving too (applies to most people), lunches/coffees and after school care for older kids too (I wouldn't have wanted my kids home alone but are fine elsewhere in the house while I work). Ultimately even with bills most people are better off wfh.

Original poster
Coldwinterahead1 · 27/08/2020 08:50

I know I can make savings, no hair colours (don’t need it now I’ve grown my highlights out) no new clothes for office, no make up, no petrol I’ll only be using car once a weeks for kids activities rest is in village, no commuting so can walk kids to school and back around my job (thank you boss). Sounds good but I don’t want to be cold and lonely. I miss my team.

OP posts:
Palavah · 27/08/2020 08:50

Layer up.
Socks and slippers (especially if they have a sole)
Blanket over your knees.

But yes ultimately you're going to need the heating on in the dead of winter

Reedwarbler · 27/08/2020 08:56

It's no wonder so many employers have been quick to accept WFH as the standard. Look at the savings they make on rent, heating, maintenance etc, and put the whole cost on to employees. I am retired, so don't know as much about these things anymore, but, will employees be given any allowance to cover things like heating, work environment (proper chair that won't ruin your back, desk), or increases in home insurance as your home is now partially a place of work? If they are not, surely they should be asking for them now.
As for keeping warm - heat just the room you are working in is the best I can offer (and wear a vest!). Working at a computer with a cold nose and fingers is not very comfortable, even if the rest of you is draped in a heated throw.

Reedwarbler · 27/08/2020 08:58

Oh sorry, cross posted with a few. See there is an allowance, but it doesn't look like much.

Twigaletta · 27/08/2020 08:59

I have a pair of fluffy bean boot slippers that go in the microwave. Called Cozy-Boots.

Bluewavescrashing · 27/08/2020 08:59

Oodies are very overpriced. I bought one from amazon, very similar and extremely warm for £17.99. I also have a heated throw which plugs into a mains socket.

Keeping warm WFH
Bluewavescrashing · 27/08/2020 09:00

Fingerless gloves are great for cold hands. The cashmere ones from Turtle Doves are lovely and affordable.

UnfinishedSymphon · 27/08/2020 09:00

@fartyface

Unfinished - you do know you pay for what you use don't you? It just gets smoothed over the year. I can't tell if you are joking here.
Yes I do and that's what I said about it being smoothed over the year, no heating in summer balances out what we use in winter. Our monthly direct debit doesn't change and hasn't changed in 2 years. Not sure what the joke is?
UnfinishedSymphon · 27/08/2020 09:01

Probably should have mentioned I work from home

Original poster
Coldwinterahead1 · 27/08/2020 09:01

That amazon one looks good. I might get one for my mums swell 😊

OP posts:
Xuli · 27/08/2020 09:02

Good big slipper boots and a hot water bottle. It does seem so much colder just sitting at a desk! And if you can, try and get up for a minute or two every hour or so and jump around to get the blood pumping again.

Brandaris · 27/08/2020 09:02

Plug in heaters like oil filled radiators use a lot of electricity so really not economical. Better off turning off the radiators in the rest of the house and leaving the one in your room on. Get a smart thermostat if you can afford one so you can move it into that room with you so you can keep that room a good constant temp. Ideally two thermostats so you create a house and working room separate pods then switch to the working room one during the working hours. That would be expensive to set up but might be worth it if you’re going to be wfh for several years.

Like camping, you want the underneath of you to be as warm as the layers above you, so put a thick blanket on your chair that covers the underneath of your legs and all up your back.

Put a kettle in the room with you so you can refill hot water bottles and have hot drinks without leaving the warm room.

I had to wfh in an uninsulated conservatory during the beast from the east where the snow piled up against the glass and I thought I might lose the use of my fingers Shock so you have my sympathy!

Iverunoutofnames · 27/08/2020 09:02

If you put a hot water bottle on the floor, cover it with a blanket and tuck it around you, it heats the air. I do this on the sofa sometimes rather than putting heating on.

poshme · 27/08/2020 09:03

@UnfinishedSymphon but if she has to keep the heating on all winter due to wfh, can't you see she'll use more gas, so it'll cost more than last year??

OP get some really warm socks- makes a big difference.

middleager · 27/08/2020 09:04

used to wfh 1-2 days before Covid.
Under an electric blanket costing pennies to heat on the coldest days.

If not, electric throws are a must!

Hardbackwriter · 27/08/2020 09:04

@UnfinishedSymphon your direct debit hasn't changed because your usage hasn't. If OP's usage goes up significantly then her bills will too! Not having the heating on in summer isn't going to magically balance out the winter if she's now using twice as much in the winter as she was last year.

If you've always worked from home and always had the heating on in the day in winter then you've just got used to higher bills than most people pay.

UsernameN0Tavailable · 27/08/2020 09:06

Last year we had a problem with our boiler which meant it would switch itself off if it didn't fire up regularly, our plumber told us to leave it on all the time while we were out at work (house was empty 8-6). We thought our heating bill would go through the roof but it didn't really change at all. Apparently the amount of energy used to get a house back up to the right temp after you've let it get cold is about the same as keeping it at a constant temperature.