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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To never ever put the heating on?

625 replies

Awayawaywe · 02/03/2020 09:30

In the last 2 years we have had the heating on a maximum of 10 days. We use hot water bottles at night and blankets and copius amounts of tea to keep warm. This means our electricity bill is the same in the summer as it is in winter (although we do bathe more in winter as in summer we mostly just have a wash)
We have 3dc all five and under and now when I visit other peoples houses I am sweltering! I end up in a vest sweating my head off!
Are we the only ones?!!!!

Ps this is saving us about £30 a month in the winter months.

OP posts:
Ninkanink · 02/03/2020 10:07

If you cannot afford to heat your house as well as eat/pay other bills/clothe your children, then obviously that’s a horrible position in which to be.

However as long as I can afford it I will be heating my home to a temperature that is comfortable for us. It’s worth whatever price I have to pay, tbh.

DrCoconut · 02/03/2020 10:08

Are you about to reveal that you live in Australia or something? Because it was 3 degrees C here yesterday. That's not warm in anyone's book and I can't imagine the rest of the UK was that much warmer, though obviously it varies a bit by region.

BillywilliamV · 02/03/2020 10:08

Ooh, abject misery for a £1 per day, I’m in!

Feelingpoorlysick · 02/03/2020 10:08

This is no way to live. Surely you need more than a wash in the summer!

TokenGinger · 02/03/2020 10:08

My mum was always on a tight budget when we were growing up, but one thing I can say is, our house was always warm and comfortable. She'd always have the heating on for us whenever it was needed.

DP and I have this same approach. We refuse to sit in a cold and uncomfortable home when we can put the heating on for what (to us) is an amount of money that wouldn't cause us any financial difficulties.

I hate waking up in the morning and stepping out of bed into the cold. We always have our heating on the timer for wake-up time.

Your poor DC. They must be so cold.

AuntieMarys · 02/03/2020 10:08

What a miserable existence.

PleaseSeeMeNow · 02/03/2020 10:09

I remember going to visit a friend with DH and she didn’t have the heating on (it was winter), and it was freezing. We sat there in our coats and I just remember thinking how cold I was rather than listening to her. Even DH was cold and he doesn’t get as cold as me. It was miserable.

sarahjconnor · 02/03/2020 10:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Deadringer · 02/03/2020 10:12

I like a warm (not hot) house. You drink hot tea to keep warm, but what about your DC? I will never forget the year I spent Christmas day at my sister's house. We were all freezing, huddled around a tiny electric heater, and she said don't worry the heating comes on at 5pm. It was only 2pm! Just put on the heating ffs.

midsummabreak · 02/03/2020 10:12

Would you consider a monthly direct debit and just keep heating off once children in bed?

TabbyMumz · 02/03/2020 10:12

"I’ve seen people on tv crying because they can’t afford to put the heating on and they want their home to be a comfortable temperature for their kids."
I always think this is a bit ott though, because nobody had central heating 40 years ago, and it was the norm. You put an extra jumper on and sat in the room where the fire was, extra blankets on the bed etc.

DDIJ · 02/03/2020 10:14

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Ninkanink · 02/03/2020 10:14

Yes...and many people were miserably cold and sickly children or elderly people probably really suffered for it. It’s not an existence to aspire to, is it. Just because things were shit for many people back then doesn’t mean it should be shit for people now, when it doesn’t need to be.

WorraLiberty · 02/03/2020 10:15

If you don't put the heating on, how do you manage to dry your laundry?

If you're banging it all out from the tumble dryer, that probably costs nearly as much as £30 per month anyway Confused

I have my heating every day and as a result, I can't remember the last time I had to tumble dry anything.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 02/03/2020 10:15

You live like this to save a pound a day? Unless you really are on the bones of your arse that sounds absolutely miserable to me.

Chillicheese123 · 02/03/2020 10:15

@TabbyMumz not all houses have fires now to bath the baby in front of ! And if they do, gas costs money. Therefore homes these days need central heating.

BeenThereDone · 02/03/2020 10:16

No just no... I couldn't do it. My mothers house was always fucking freezing, it was miserable. I Hate the cold.

Thisismytimetoshine · 02/03/2020 10:16

Some people hang outside? It’d take a while in winter, admittedly.

MerryDeath · 02/03/2020 10:16

sounds bloody miserable for £30 a month! its worth imo..

cptartapp · 02/03/2020 10:16

PIL (loaded) are like is. Their house smells.

Thisismytimetoshine · 02/03/2020 10:16

Sorry, washing, that is...

ginghamstarfish · 02/03/2020 10:16

Lucky for you living in a flat means you don't have the same exposure to outside temps as those in houses, esp old houses. If I could heat my (old, detached) house for £30 a month in winter I'd be thrilled. Seems you're going a bit overboard though and unless you are on the breadline I don't get it.

museumum · 02/03/2020 10:16

Where do you live?
You say I'm asking because it was a warm day yesterday and when I visited my parents they had the heating on and I was sweating in a vest.
here it snowed yesterday - this morning there's sheet ice on all the pavements...

If you are living in a house that's regularly below about 13deg then I think you're mad and wrong. If you live in some warm part of the south of england maybe you're just 'eccentric'

doadeer · 02/03/2020 10:16

What happens if your children want to have friends over? No child will want to play in a freezing house.

And you have the windows open all day. I think this sounds really cruel on your children they must be so cold.

Alsohuman · 02/03/2020 10:17

Bonkers. Both the lack of heating in winter and not showering or bathing in summer.

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