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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:
Clutterbugsmum · 27/08/2020 09:50

Leave your heating on at a lower temp so you are not continuing having to heat up cold rooms.

If you are saving money by not commuting then it's common sense to use that money to heat your house so your are not cold if working from home.

Squiffany · 27/08/2020 09:57

Thanks to this thread I just ordered 9 tops from the Uniqlo sale for £30.05 inc delivery.

I shall also be doing a few weeks of wfh this autumn/winter.

Lockdownseperation · 27/08/2020 10:00

Maybe get some proper outdoor base layers

Squiffany · 27/08/2020 10:03

@Squiffany

Thanks to this thread I just ordered 9 tops from the Uniqlo sale for £30.05 inc delivery.

I shall also be doing a few weeks of wfh this autumn/winter.

Their thermal ones I meant to say.
Wexone · 27/08/2020 10:04

@Malin52 is the cool really useless? I have just bought one as suffer so badly with hay fever doctor recommended it at night in my room, but it doesn't cool the room at all. Bought it aswell as will be WFH for the winter so will use it for heating too as know it will get cold during the day. Hope I haven't wasted my money @UsernameN0Tavailableyour right this is the same with the immersion, in my old house I was constantly turning it on and off and the plumber told me to leave it on as it costs more to heat up each time where if you leave it on its only keep it at the temperature. everyone else I would recommend an electric hot water bottle, our office is cold in the winter (row over air condition is constant) use that on my lap and throw over me a old cardigan. I looking forward not to have to drive in the horrendous winter weather and dark mornings

LupinsNotLilys · 27/08/2020 10:08

I was thinking this yesterday. I'm starting to study ft in a few weeks from home while the dc are at school and I was wondering how I could keep warm all day sat at my table without having the heating on all day

I think I'm going to go with hot water bottle for my feet, I get cold feet and I hate it.
I'm going to use a big fleece blanket I have to wrap around the chair, sit on it and wrap around me
Warm drinks through the day (will use a cafetière to warm hands on if need be and soup for lunch

My house is a stone house so it's cold on the summer and freezing in the winter. I do have a wood burner in the room but paying for that to be lit everyday will soon add up

yeOldeTrout · 27/08/2020 10:18

If you are saving money by not commuting ...

adjusted for one's hours being sharply cut because of the-you-know crisis. I've been casting around for a 2 day/week job to make up the hours.

ScammedOrWhat · 27/08/2020 10:18

I'm always cold and I've always WFH... I swear by my hot water bottle. Just a traditional water one, i put it on my lap and it warms all of me.

SciFiScream · 27/08/2020 10:47

I've been working from home since July 2019. I didn't want the cost of WFH to increase our DD for electricity and gas! (Cost reasons and green reasons).

In Scotland - 1989 insulated small modern house but exposed. Even on warm sunny days our garden has a hurricane in it!

Layers, fingerless gloves, blankets, socks, slippers, hot drinks, hot food and a hot water bottle. There's one online that is super long and you can tie around yourself. I'm hoping to get that for my birthday soon. Occasionally I would treat myself to the heating! If it got really cold I'd put my superhero onesie on over my clothes.

If I used the oven I'd let the heat into the kitchen after.

I also just adjusted to a colder temp. My DH is working from home now and he'll want the heating on more than me.

Sexnotgender · 27/08/2020 10:48

@fartyface

Heated throw. Game changer :)
Ooh, off to google! Though I think the cats might claim it.
BashfulClam · 27/08/2020 11:13

@blackteaplease

OMG heated throws! I need one of these. I've been wfh at least 2 days a week for 2 years in a freezing house. That's going on my birthday list.
They are awesome, mine can be washed in the machine too. I put it on when I come home at night in the winter while waiting for the heating to kick in. If it gets chilly whilst watching tv it’s on with the throw. Last year before Christmas I wasn’t well. DH was out and I was on the sofa with my throw, kindle and tree lights flickering away. Eating a big bar of Medicinal galaxy watching nonsense in the background in the telly....it was bliss.
Kiire · 27/08/2020 11:24

I have worked from home past couple of years, essentials for me have been a thick onesie, wolly hat and a small oil filler radiator near my desk!

StoneFacedCrone · 27/08/2020 11:50

Something to bear in mind is that we could have irregular power supplies in the new year. Combine a no-deal brexit and another CV19 wave and it's inevitable. You can get shawls, smaller than full body throws, that work from a usb connection, so you could power them from a previously charged power bank.

DrCoconut · 27/08/2020 12:08

Unless money is an issue in general I would spend the money saved by not commuting on heating. All this wearing fleeces and hats and needing hot water bottles in your own home during the day sounds miserable and unhealthy. If heating is not affordable obviously that's different and an indication of what's wrong with our country that people go without basics.

HaudMaDug · 27/08/2020 12:12

Agree about Dyson Hot/Cold. Hot is hot and heats a room quickly, (love it for that) but cold does not feel much cooler than body temp.
I use my hot water bottle and dog to keep my feet warm while sitting but spend most of my WFH days standing in front of the fire using my ironing board as a standing desk. Tartan legs 🔥.

Gazelda · 27/08/2020 12:14

I've just bought some turtle doves. They've got some on offer at the mo - I got a bright red pair for £19.50 with free delivery.
They've got other, beautiful colours.

DonLewis · 27/08/2020 12:25

Is someone actually suggesting that paying by direct debit for your gas and electric means if you use more gas and electric your bills won't go up? I mean, I see the point that you'll pay the same year round, but if you already do that and it's based on your heating not being on for 40 hours a week and then suddenly for 5 months of the year, your heating is on for those extra 40 hours a week, of course your bills will increase! Am I missing something?

For me, I like warm feet. So get some socks with a tog rating. And wear them over your normal socks. And I love a trad hot water bottle. I wear a vest, a long sleeve t shirt and a jumper. If its still cold, a blanket too.

CrepuscularCritter · 27/08/2020 12:26

Layers with thermal leggings and long sleeved top are the key for me. Plus a hot water bottle wedged down the back of my leggings on a truly bracing day. Working from home since 2009 in a chilly Victorian house...albeit not always comfortably.

Lightningrain · 27/08/2020 12:29

The amount of money I’ll save by not commuting will more than cover the cost of increased energy bills in the winter.

I’m all for cutting costs where I can but I’m not prepared to be uncomfortable all day every day layered up and hugging hot water bottles. My hands and feet are the main issue and I can’t see how I could warm my hands while needing them free to type.

SpliffingOramorphedOut · 27/08/2020 12:38

@UnfinishedSymphon

We pay for gas/electric on monthly direct debit, the amount doesn't go up or down dependant on what season it is, not having the heating on in the summer months balances out the winter months - is that not how it is for you?
That is very simplistic and doesn't take into account that if someone is WFH home 10 hours longer each working day during the winter day there are (estimated} 50 hours where you're likely to feel colder! Then you put the heating on. If you can't afford an extra 50 hours heating direct debits don't solve the issue. I've now had four Winters when I can't afford to heat my home and believe me me a direct debit does not help. If you can't afford it you can't afford it!
SpliffingOramorphedOut · 27/08/2020 12:48

OP it's miserable when you can't afford winter heating. I've had 3 winters with no heating or hot water (couldn't afford a new boiler and it was too expensive to keep throwing money at it) and last winter I couldn't afford to turn the heating on.

I think I've got used to it now but I have so many layers of clothes and on the worst days keep my coat on.. I wear fingerless gloves and treat myself to a hot water bottle if it feels too bad. I go to bed in my clothes. I have started doing online surveys (MOBROG) and earn £3-4 a day. I'm paying this into a new bank account just for my heating. Perhaps a couple of quid a day could help pay the heating?

I really feel for you, it's awful feeling cold all the time.

unicornsarereal72 · 27/08/2020 12:57

I don't know if this has already been mentioned but you can get £280 I think a year from The tax man if you work from home.

I rarely have the heating on in the day. But have a small oil filled radiator that I use if I get chilly in the day.

Warm socks, slippers and fleece tops. I also sometime have a blanket in my lap. I refuse to have the heating on just for me

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 27/08/2020 13:03

I am also concerned about this - live in Scotland and in a granite house which can get very chilly/is hard to heat.

I have a heated throw I use on the couch (when the cat doesn't steal it) but am working in the kitchen and can't see how I will be able to plug it in here. I will be doing live lecturing so can't be in a onesie! I definitely need more Unqlo base layer stuff.

The claiming £6 a week thing seems to only work retrospectively if you do it yourself, which my work have said you have to do. Our energy direct debits have already gone up since lockdown, but we have switched to a different tariff which hopefully help a bit.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 27/08/2020 13:05

Oh, and I walk to and from work so no saving on commute there. DP has been made redundant but his work ran a free staff bus.

BashfulClam · 27/08/2020 14:42

@Judystilldreamsofhorses

I am also concerned about this - live in Scotland and in a granite house which can get very chilly/is hard to heat.

I have a heated throw I use on the couch (when the cat doesn't steal it) but am working in the kitchen and can't see how I will be able to plug it in here. I will be doing live lecturing so can't be in a onesie! I definitely need more Unqlo base layer stuff.

The claiming £6 a week thing seems to only work retrospectively if you do it yourself, which my work have said you have to do. Our energy direct debits have already gone up since lockdown, but we have switched to a different tariff which hopefully help a bit.

I got a small extension cord to plug in all my gubbins. I Live in a new build though so there are sockets everywhere. The kitchen has 8 sockets.
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