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?

South West - thermostat set at 18 for one hour in morning (I’m up very early) and 2 in evening - it has come on a few times but only downstairs as top part of house is warmer - wanted to resist until November but drying clothes and worries about static system/damp/lack of comfort after 12hr shifts have forced my hand - I send meter readings 3 times a week so I can keep a close eye.

Same here

Yes ours has been on first thing in the morning for maybe 30 mins and for 30 mins early evening, the house is just too cold to keep it off fully. We're limiting how long it's on for at the min but the house is just cold sbd miserable this last week x

Just heat one room OP and heat the person not the house. If you have one warm room the rest is bearable.

Heated blankets cost much less than the heating.

Cute cat and I'm glad you are treating him like a King 😊

Yes, it’s been on for an hour in the morning and for a couple of hours after 6.pm.
we’ve cut down on other things, reduced the hot water temp by a few degrees. Stopped using the tumble dryer as much, cut right down on that, use low energy light bulbs, batch cook to fill the oven, every little helps.

Nope. Still wear a Tshirt until late in the evening.

No, not yet although I've been tempted. We are ill with covid and are spending the day on the sofas under a duvet wit a hot water bottle until we go to bed with the same.

My direct debit has decreased from £150 this month to £85. That's with the government discount thing added on. I'm on a variable tariff with eon next. I have used the drier 3 times because nothing is drying outside or inside and I've had to re wash the inside stuff as it smelt awful. Only the dark washing though but then that's the thicker stuff.

I came home from a few days away on Sunday to find that DH had caved. I was just happy it wasn't me! I'd planned to hold out for a few more weeks but it was so nice to come home to a cosy house.

I’m in scotland, and it’s not actually that cold yet (apparently our house is colder inside than it is outside). So, heating not been put on yet. Do wear an oodie when I’m sitting watching telly though. Shell energy are telling me that my estimated bill is £650 for October! For reference it was £150 in sept.

No...but I'm struggling and it isn't even winter yet!

We don't have central heating so this is business as usual for us. Every year we wait to put the heating on and manage with as little as possible.

I have had a hot water bottle while sitting at my desk for the last week, but no heating or heaters and I'm not in full thermals in the evening yet either.

You acclimatise, I can't sleep when I visit my parents now as the house is too bloody hot with the central heating on.

Had it on at a couple of days a week for a hour or so since end of Sept.

I've had it on a couple of times, I'm in a fairly new build small flat so it warms up quickly.

I haven’t “caved” because I’m not trying not to use heating. If I’m cold it goes on. But then I don’t have an extortionate direct debt. I have a prepayment meter and unless/until I can’t afford to top it up, the heating will be used.

i built up over £100 on credit on there in the summer and currently I still have most of that left by regularly topping up a small amount. I expect to have to put in more when it’s properly cold but I won’t be sitting here freezing.

Got Covid here too. My heating in on this morning because I can’t stop shivering. Normally I’d make do with a hot water bottle/my heated throw but not today.

We have, been rather cold lately so we've been putting it on for an hour or so in the evenings

You're wrong to stay on fixed now the variable price is capped for two years, you are probably paying near double what you should be.
We haven't had the heating on yet, our house is over 100 years old and too open plan Tuesdays for its age, so it takes some heating to warm it.
We do have an electric blanket on our bed and DS has over of those fluffy duvet covers and sheet, he has a hot water bottle but hasn't needed it so far. When I came up to bed last night and checked on him about 10:30 he was sweating and had thrown the duvet off. We have had the log burner on in the living room some evenings. I'm still accruing credit on our energy account, so we can put the heating on for a good while when it gets really cold

@ClaudineClare Thank you! That is cheaper than central heating, which I read costs around £2 an hour. 😬

As our predicted annual bill from our dual-fuel supplier is over £7,000 I am keen to cut down consumption. (plus £249 just spent on wood and smokeless coal for the sitting room fire)
Three storey Victorian house; we have turned off rads in top floor and other rooms which are rarely used , and have placed bubble wrap on all windows with no nice view. (Cheap, easy and very effective)
Heating off all day - except for 5.30-6.30 am. DH gets up early and says he does not want to freeze while he is feeding the cat and bringing me my tea and marmite pikelet to enjoy in bed. He then goes off to the gym or pool, I get up later but do not feel the need for hot radiators and am irrationally resentful about his hour of warmth.
Probably won’t LTB though.

I am wondering if it is a colder than normal October so far or is it just me? We are up North and put it on this morning as our bedroom was 14c. Not great with a baby in the bedroom.

So you have put heating on then. I don't blame you but I don't know why people say they aren't putting the heating on and then say they are using the wood burner or something else on.

Yes, mine's gone down to £23 for six months.

First thing in the morning for an hour but with the sunny days in the SE and a south facing flat not coming on yet in the evening. If I'm chilly I have a halogen heater I switch on for a bit.