Has anyone caved and put the heating on?

[DetetectiveDouche]

I get that not everyone can - or should - try to manage without. But I’m among those who want- need really - to try to manage without as long as possible. We are middle aged and grown up kids have flown the nest now and it’s not going to kill us to be a bit chilly and sling on an extra jumper. Reason being of course, that our British Gas direct debit has QUADRUPLED from this month 😮.. I know we are not alone.

Had been doing ok but God tonight it’s so bloody cold! I’m having a bath rather than a shower just to warm up! (I know that costs more than a shower in itself).

I’m working from home some days and seeing my colleagues appear on Teams wrapped in their dressing gowns because they’re doing the same!

Goodness knows how we coped when I was a kid, in our house with one coal fire that used to heat the water too (if we were lucky) and had ice climbing up the insides of the window. I’ve definitely gone soft since then!

Am thinking of buying one of these oil filled radiators.. but doesn’t help that downstairs is so open plan. I’m laying in the bath now and it’s the first time I’ve felt warm all day. Am tempted to rip the HRT patch off my arse at bedtime in hopes of inciting a hot flush! Not really

I’ve dug put my reindeer onesie for when I get out of this bath!

How is everyone else fairing?

@DetetectiveDouche

Our house is not cold enough yet to put on the heating, it's set at 18 and it's still 19.

I would suggest checking why they have quadrupled your bill, ours actually dropped for October due to the subsidy. Look at your actual usage for the past 12 months and what they are predicting, you might find they have over increased your dd

Yep. Had mine on for 30 mins on 3 separate occasions and it cost £1 for each on those 30 minutes, so £2 a hour here. That's just fucking outrageous quite frankly. Thankfully I don't really feel the cold and a hot water bottle, a blanket and cosy clothes work a treat. It's not been that cold yet though in Cheshire. A bit fresh in the mornings but certainly not bone chillingly see-your-breath cold yet.

We have had it on for a while.
Live in the NW.

My kid has asthma so if the temp isnt right she'll be coughing despite wearing jumpers. And when its really bad she will vomit due to coughing so much.

We have it on in the morning when kids get ready for school. Then drop it down during the day until they come back around 3.30.

Then lower it again before bed.

Gosh some of you live in much colder areas than us. We're in N Wales the climate is mild, house hasn't dropped below 16. We've never had the heating on at night. Six years ago in a big draughty house the annual bill for oil heating and electricity was £3800. We moved to a dormer bungalow modernish. Well insulated. Annual bill £1200 last year. This year so far we've managed with the log burner. The bathroom is a bit chilly in the morning shower though

I put it on for a couple of hours earlier.
Now in bed with electric blanket :)

Not at home we haven't but I'm currently staying in a crappy hotel for two weeks through work. Its cold so I've got my portable heater on and currently toasty. Still doesn't make up for the fact the room is a dive!!

How many threads like this are there going to be? I feel like there have been about a billion since the middle of September.

No heating as of yet.

I have been boosting it every now and again. It has largely been fairly mild of late (even in the NE of England) so not overly cold. I have a massive credit on my account so may as well make the most of it.

Heating still off - last year it would have been on. I see this as a long term problem and so have spent money on things that we will use long term:

• layers - second hand cashmere which I know is expensive still, but I have been wearing them since I got them, and they'll not need washing and drying often
• Thermal leggings under trackies and heatholder socks for work
• Oodies - fugly but really warm for evenings. Will probably start wearing in the mornings too although I get dressed as soon as I'm up
• Heated throw - after WFH all day, I sit under that with a hot drink before dinner etc
• electric blanket on smart plug
• rechargeable hand warmer and fingerless gloves when working

We've been opening the windows when it's a bit breezy and/or sunny and monitoring humidity levels - so far keeping between 50-55%. Also have trickle extractor fans as damp has been a problem in the past.

I did put mine on for an hour or so this morning because I was feeling awful and a hairdresser was coming to my house to cut my hair because I can't walk at the moment.

It went off as soon as she'd finished and I've had two hot water bottles for sofa languishing (and pain relief).

I have an amazing Mongolian sheep waistcoat I bought at Top Shop about 15 years ago which keeps me warm as toast and having languished in the wardrobe for the last 10 years, it's now firmly welded to my body.

I reckon I can get through to December with a hot water bottle, the waistcoat, and fluffy bed socks anywhere in the house plus a huge fluffy blanket. I'm too hot if anything right now.

We put it on about 7 days ago for the main reason that its rained almost non stop for about 2 weeks here and nothing was drying.
I cant afford a heated airer and don't want to use the dryer so the heating on helps.
It's on a timer for 30 mins in the morning and 1 hour in the evening. Ive also been giving the washing an extra spin which seems to be helping.
Our thermostat is at 18/19

We have our heating on year round - just set the thermostat so that it comes on when it needs to.

Are you absolutely sure those figures are correct?
DH and I are with British Gas in a four bedroom detached. Based on our usage last year we have to pay £200 per month. We are reasonable careful but have put the heating on for about 45 minutes morning and evening.

Our house hasn’t gone below 19c yet but I’m really feeling the cold so I’ve had it on a few times to boost it up to 21c. I hate being cold and I hate wearing lots of layers. I just use a hot water bottle at night.

No. No need for it. Have windows open in bedroom and still have summer quilt on.

Oh BILLIONs more I’d imagine @tiredofthiisshit21 😄

Yes our heating has been on for a couple of weeks for an hour in the morning and 2/3 hours at night.

I'm in the NW and thermostat hasn't yet dropped below 18 and I've not put it on. Last year I would've put it on to take the chill away by now but I'm honestly fine with my dressing gown on. I'm planning on the first fire at weekend and I can't wait

Yep, just an hour this morning has done it but we had frost here this morning so it was necessary!

We now have oodies and slippers on so we are warm enough. Any more required it's who tempts the dog to sit on their lap first 😂

I’ve had it on for about an hour this evening, and everyone has a fleece blanket on top of their quilts. Had our first frost this morning on the cars which was unexpected.

No heating as such but we have lit the log burner in the lounge most nights the last week for a little while. We also have one in the dining room where I spend my evenings but have only lit that once. Will keep the oil central heating off as long as possible, just as we did last year. If we open the doors downstairs and upstairs the wood burner in the dining room will help to heat the bedrooms.

We've got such a cold house 😭 ive been putting the heating on for 15 minutes in the morning so my sons loft room warms up before he wakes, and his uniform is hanging on the radiator. And 15 minutes while he showers in the evening so towels and pyjamas are warm for him.

Have washing on 3 airers that just wont dry though 🙄

Not gone on yet although it was nippy this morning!

Is this after the £66pcm subsidy? Like a pp said, my actual monthly payment has gone significantly down.