To want to restrict how much we have the heating on

[reallyagain]

After a winter working from home last year we were hit with a horrendous heating bill (several thousand on top of already paying quite a high amount per month). So this year with gas prices being so high I’m really conscious of being careful. DH wants it on much more than I do and it’s causing endless rows. He’s turned it on 4 separate times today and is sulking when I comment. We share heating bills - I suggested he pays more to have it on more but he refuses.

How much do you have the heating on if you work from home?

Agree @vickyp0llard is there anywhere else in the world they do this competitive coldness? Wandering around their houses wrapped in blankets carrying hot water bottles...

Other European countries must think we’re mad. And it’s unpleasant to be a guest in a cold home.

I think you misunderstand vicky, it’s not about being proud of being cold. It’s understanding there’s an energy crisis right now, why do you think prices are rising and suppliers are going out of business? Being able to afford the bills or not, or being cold to prove a point is not what’s happening.

Wandering around their houses wrapped in blankets carrying hot water bottles...

I don't think it's a stealth boast. It's just genuinely some people don't feel the cold as much, and if they do, they prefer to wrap up in cold air than to unwrap in warm air.

If the heating is too high indoors, that means it's too warm to wear my dressing-gown, or to snuggle up on the sofa in my throws and blankets... I want to do those things and I love hot water-bottles!!

Plus, it is simply better for the environment.

@Delatron

Agree *@vickyp0llard* is there anywhere else in the world they do this competitive coldness? Wandering around their houses wrapped in blankets carrying hot water bottles...

Other European countries must think we’re mad. And it’s unpleasant to be a guest in a cold home.

I don't think there's anywhere outside of MN that does the competitive coldness thing! It's not because of the energy crisis either, it's been the same for years!

@LeniLemoni love it when it’s cold enough for fluffy pyjamas and socks. I’d rather wrap up in a duvet than be too warm.

It’s definitely helped having this attitude with prices going the way they are. There are going to be huge consequences for food and other living costs. Anyone in the energy industry is rightly concerned right now and worried about winter.

Current energy crisis aside, you do get these competitive coldness threads every year - it's just bizarre. I guarantee a lot of people keeping their heating off "for the environment" will then wash each item of clothing after 1 wear and tumble dry it too (I've been called "disgusting" on here for wearing clothes multiple times before washing, lol).

I was born abroad where the heating is always on and that's just how I prefer to live, I have crap circulation and sitting on your freezing cold hands all day to try and warm them up is just miserable.

True @PinkSparklyPussyCat only seen it on Mumsnet, it’s so strange. I’m sure I get embroiled in these threads every year. Definitely been going on for years!

It’s true that we’re all different. I can’t stand wandering around in a dressing gown! That would make me feel as though I was ill. Ditto snuggling under many blankets. I’d feel claustrophobic. I love summer though so very much struggle at this time of year.

People are so ridiculous. For some reason my flat has been freezing for most of October. My room more so than my partner's as I'm in the living room which is massive and north-facing. Working in the same room all day, I'm loathe to put the heating on when there's still the option of localised heating with a hot water bottle and blanket. It's not competitive, it's more environmentally-friendly and more frugal.

I was born abroad where the heating is always on and that's just how I prefer to live, I have crap circulation and sitting on your freezing cold hands all day to try and warm them up is just miserable.

See, I don't get cold hands etc, if I feel a bit chilly it's usually my shoulders and then I just like to be all cosy in soft blankets, or I have like a big poncho with a hood that I will wear...it's just much more comforting and comfortable to me. But then, I don't much like to be "exposed", it's one reason I'm not too keen on warmer weather, I like to be wrapped up I can't explain it any more than that.

If you get cold hands etc then I can see why you would want the heating on.

t’s true that we’re all different. I can’t stand wandering around in a dressing gown! That would make me feel as though I was ill. Ditto snuggling under many blankets. I’d feel claustrophobic. I love summer though so very much struggle at this time of year.

We are very much completely opposites on this I just realised. Maybe it is my hatred of summer and feeling exposed in less clothes. I do love end of autumn/winter/start of spring. Anything past April and before October, I'm not that fond of. It was far too warm this October for my liking

@LeniLemon

t’s true that we’re all different. I can’t stand wandering around in a dressing gown! That would make me feel as though I was ill. Ditto snuggling under many blankets. I’d feel claustrophobic. I love summer though so very much struggle at this time of year.

We are very much completely opposites on this I just realised. Maybe it is my hatred of summer and feeling exposed in less clothes. I do love end of autumn/winter/start of spring. Anything past April and before October, I'm not that fond of. It was far too warm this October for my liking

I love Autumn/ Winter and all the cosiness that goes with it.🍁🍂☕ Hot soup, cosy blankets, warm wool jumpers and socks.

Ive come to the conclusion that we all like being warm but different people go about it in different ways.
Im dressed in cosy pjs, warm socks and a heated throw over me and the cat
Im toasty warm and not remotely miserable.
As is my neighbour who probably just got up and put the heating on.🤷‍♀️

Ive lived in Europe and they are experts at keeping warm .
Pp -hmmm not true really.
They are extremely outdoorsy and obsessed with thermal/ warm clothes, hot food and Hygge.
Houses warm but not hot.
I have 3 thermal skirts and find myself goggling at the underdressed UK in Winter!

" And it’s unpleasant to be a guest in a cold home."

It's very rude to invite people over in the winter and refuse to put the heating on.

"A middle ground would need to be found, but at some point one will be too cold and one will be too hot."

Well, no, they don't have to have a temperature in the middle. They can have their preferred temperature in the room they're in as they're both wfh in different rooms.

"It's really interesting how divisive this is and how different people are. Walking around in big fluffy dressing gown or blanket while the air in the house is cold, is such a nice relaxing feeling."

Oh no. It's awful. Fine when you're just getting up, but not all day. A warm dressing gown won't do anything for your cold nose and a blanket is totally impractical if you need to move around.

"Op isnt suggesting never having the heating on just that her DH wears appropriate clothing first."

She's against having it on all day though, including having it on before bed, which for me would likely mean no sleep. Nothing worse than being cold at 10pm just before bed.

@Obecalp

blanket and hot water bottle rather than turn up the heating!

I think the answer to that is people are conscious of using too much. It's better for the environment if people don't use the heating as readily, so some people are more willing to wrap up better to see if they can get comfortable before resorting to the heating.

Oh come on, they're not doing it for the environment. They're doing it because they're mean or martyrs.

Yeah, I love letting in the hot air in the summer!

We don’t get any of that in Scotland 😆

Seriously though, even one the warmest days there is usually a bit of a breeze. I open a front window and a back one to get a through breeze, but even with them closed, new builds aren’t usually stifling.

Oh come on, they're not doing it for the environment. They're doing it because they're mean or martyrs.

Some people do genuinely give a shit about the environment and try to reduce their energy consumption. Some people genuinely don’t like being too warm and stuffed up in an overheated house and would prefer a lower ambient temperature and more layers of clothing. And some people genuinely don’t like handing over unnecessary wodges of cash on big energy bills.

She's against having it on all day though, including having it on before bed, which for me would likely mean no sleep. Nothing worse than being cold at 10pm just before bed.

I cant stand hot, stuffy air or sleep in a heated room.
Ive got my electric blanket on pre heating my bed as we speak.
Window is open

Not mean or a martyr

I forgot to add that in europe, germany particularly, houses are aired.
All the windows wide open whatever the weather.
Its taken very seriously !

mean or martyrs

Or they are more comfortable with blankets and heating up under layers than wearing less clothes in warmer air. Like me. I'm not mean, or a martyr, but I don't like warm air. I hate it. I love winter, I love the cold breeze on my face. I hate summer. I hate even mildly warm weather. just how I am

Do you save on fuel by not travelling to work?

Nothing worse than being cold at 10pm just before bed.

See, I love this. I like to leave the bedroom windows open at night as it cools the duvet and the pillows and then I get into a nice cool bed and get just warm enough. I keep turning the duvet and pillows over all night to keep the cool side.

A warm dressing gown won't do anything for your cold nose and a blanket is totally impractical if you need to move around.

I don't get cold nose and hands though, even without the heating on. Blanket is impractical, I have a few capes I like to wear if I get cold shoulders, and some nice chunky cardigans.

I just feel ill when it's too stuffy indoors, and it gets stuffy really quickly without opening a window.