Gas bill when WFH

[Leobynature]

I am sat in my house absolutely freezing (to be fair I am always cold). I have a jumper, dressing gown and hot water bottle. I don’t want to put the central heating on as I am concerned how much the bill will be, the electric bill has increased considerably since working from home. I am currently pregnant so I am also trying to save. I have saved money in petrol but not enough to offset the gas prices. I’m pleased DD is being kept warm in her nursery.

How will I cope in the winter? Is anyone else
also worried about this?

[Horsemad]

What about a heated foot warmer? They're brilliant!

[Floralnomad]

Put a woolly hat on , you retain heat much better wearing a hat .

[BackforGood]

I worked at home on and off (around some other appts) for several years. i never have the heating on in the day though.
I dress for the weather, and I have a small heater under my desk which is very cheap to run (it was advertised as being 4p per hour when we bought it when my now adult ds was born). I keep the door shut and the room warms up well. No need to heat other rooms. Like others, I've saved a fair bit on petrol. Obviously everyone's circumstances are different, but it isn't only a saving on the commute - I used to use most of my petrol on "SDP" but most of us have had our social lives, hobbies, and family visiting severely curtailed too.

[BikeTyson]

You're assuming OP lives far enough from her work to make a difference. Not all of us commute for two hours a day, some people deliberately choose to live near their workplace

Yep same, it’s annoying the assumption that we’re all saving a fortune on petrol or train season tickets.

I’m also a bit concerned about this, I remember our gas bill rocketing when I was on maternity leave a few years ago. And I had more places to go then, all day every day in the house is going to get expensive.

[fucknuckle]

heated throw from amazon - the best £50 i’ve ever spent, costs peanuts to run and is amazingly warm.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FF6B5F9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?psc=1&ie=UTF8&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[dingdang]

Also recommended the heated throw blanket, so cosy. I have a small fan heater I chuck on for ten mins ever now and then but it's noisy. Otherwise lots of coffee, tea helps as does layering clothes, (vest /T-shirt/jumper) warm socks and slippers. I will admit defeat soon and stick the heating on but I'm Scottish and it doesn't go on until November usually 😀😀

[RainbowMum11]

I have blankets and a spare duvet in my lounge/work room and lovely wrist warmers to keep my hands warm. I don't have central heating though and the heating that I have is really inefficient and expensive.

[OllysArmy]

This weekend is the first time I have felt the chill in our house and I have finally closed all of the windows. Heating not on yet as the house is still 18c I prefer 20 but with a jumper on and some sun coming in this will do. I am enjoying feeling cool not overheating for the first time in ages.

Our heating is quite efficient but my office is in the cool corner, I am not going to work wrapped in a multitude of blankets and a hat but I am happy to wear socks, slippers a vest and a jumper. Anyway it is always my hands that suffer and I am not typing in gloves.

I may have to create a second space upstairs where it is warmer, I also find it quite easy to warm up by moving so will stagger the chores through the day (run up stairs for a basket of washing), hoover or sweep whilst dancing etc.

My aim is to have the heating off during daylight hours, failing that I may look for a basic heater.

Currently still 18.5c in my office so OK today

[Wildernesstips]

Just bought a heated throw for £50 which allegedly cost from 1p to run for 7 hours. It’s lovely, and I have specifically bought it for WFH.

[HeronLanyon]

By the end of this you won’t be able to fit behind your desk/table wherever you’re working !!

[molifly14]

Hot water bottles and those wheaties. Also what about a nice warm pair of slippers?

[missbipolar]

You've probably already done this but have you applied for a tax rebate for working from home?

[PerkingFaintly]

Microwaveable slippers have made a big difference for me.

[HeronLanyon]

And a hot water bottle. ?! You can get long ones which you can wrap around you (and then maybe take off for zoom meetings)? Hang looking good - a fleece or quilted gillet over other warm things makes a big difference too.

[MrsGrindah]

I sympathise OP and there will be many in this situation. I’ve never understood it when people say just put another jumper on etc..when the air around you is cold it’s impossible to feel comfortable. Your nose, ears etc. get freezing. And I don’t think many employers would encourage you doing your Zoom calls with a balaclava on!

I think the electric blanket is a great idea though as they can be v cheap to run.And definitely thermals.

[poshme]

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2020/04/martin-lewis--working-from-home-due-to-coronavirus--claim-p6-wk-/
Explains the (small) amount you can claim in tax relief.

[Mindymomo]

I have said this recently to my son. Our heating system is old and the radiator valves no longer work, so the heating is either on or off. Oil filled radiators are quite cheap to run.

[SkyeIsPink]

I’ve been working from home for a year and our bill barely increased as I:

Only put on the heating if 3 layers and constant cups of coffee were not enough (but I am a caffeine addict)
Only heated up the room I was in with an oil heater. If that wasn’t enough, I put the heating on for a couple of hours
Stood up and regularly moved around. Sometimes, I put on Spotify and dance around 😄

[eeyore228]

Sadly coronavirus is going to cause a lot more financial strain. I’ve worked throughout the pandemic. I had to alter my method of transport because of restrictions and now I’ve lost £100 a month because my costings have jumped through the roof. It has changed many people’s finances and with the threatened tax hikes I can only see it getting worse for some of us.

[thevassal]

@DrinkFeckArseGirls

You don't pay for getting to work though now - no petrol or public transport costs. That‘s the money that should go towards your heating bill surely.

You're assuming OP lives far enough from her work to make a difference. Not all of us commute for two hours a day, some people deliberately choose to live near their workplace.

My work are making the same, very annoying, assumption as you and keep chirping on about all the time and money we must be saving from not commuting to the office. I used to bike to work so haven't saved a penny in the last six months. Yet my bills have gone up by a third and that's in the summer without the heating ever being on.

[Leobynature]

Thanks @ ncd5785

I always leave the oven door open after cooking. I will also need to get more savvy by batch cooking to keep the use of gas down. I will also look to reduce food budget.
I hope you feel better soon.

[Leobynature]

My fuel for work is pretty low to be honest, so I will still be out of pocket if I left the radiator on all day and I am paying for electric for the computer and laptop.

I think I will heat one room and dress in warm clothes and blankets. I will have to throw them off in a hurry if someone calls via teams

This is a third world problem but I really hope the government will look at this as it will be really difficult for a lot of families.

[M0nstermunch]

Electric blanket is how I am keeping warm. They are about £50 on Amazon, work really well and don't cost a lot to run

[BashfulClam]

I have a heated throw so I wrap that around my legs, massive fluffy socks on and another blanket round my top half with a thermal vest, t shirt and cardigan. Thermal layers really help

[NotMeNoNo]

We have bought small electric radiators /heaters and using those in the working rooms only. Supplemented by jumpers, thermals, fingerless gloves and hot drinks. That was in March, if we have a proper cold winter it will be interesting.