To ask how I don’t freeze to death or bankrupt myself.

[Sexnotgender]

My house has single glazing and high ceilings, rooms are consistently 12-14 degrees. We try and only heat the rooms we use but it’s bloody miserable 😞

Rising energy prices are putting the fear of god into me!

Any genius ideas to keep warm?

I wear layers, blankets on the sofa etc.

Also have a young baby so it needs to be a reasonable temperature.

I always see clingfilm over the windows suggested but I’ve never tried it.

Film the windows, draft excluders, insulation.

Heated throw

There are warm home schemes where you can get someone to have a look at your house and sometimes grants for improvements like insulation and so on, would something like that be an option for you?

Heavy lined curtains v important over the windows and front and back doors.

Oil filled rad in the baby's room.

Heated throw

Never heard of filming the windows!

We have secondary glazing in 2 rooms, hopefully getting it in the lounge but not right now.

@itwasntaparty

Oil filled rad in the baby's room.

We do this in our baby's room. Works really well.

@SmellyOldOwls

There are warm home schemes where you can get someone to have a look at your house and sometimes grants for improvements like insulation and so on, would something like that be an option for you?

Heavy lined curtains v important over the windows and front and back doors.

Interesting, will look at that.

We spent a fortune on bespoke curtains with thermal lining and they definitely make a difference.

We have storm doors front and back which stops the worst of the cold.

Definitely heated throw, electric blanket for you, and I even have a heated foot muff.

@itwasntaparty

Oil filled rad in the baby's room.

That’s a good idea. We have her in the warmest bedroom, the heating keeps her room 16 overnight. Dread to think how expensive that is! She’s in layers and a 3.5 tog sleeping bag. I’ve just ordered her a sleeping bag with arms.

Heavy lined curtains, a black out blind if you can, and shut your curtains as soon as it starts to go dark.

@ISpyCobraKai

Definitely heated throw, electric blanket for you, and I even have a heated foot muff.

That sounds like Billy Connolly’s big slipper😂 I’d love one of those.

Have you read sites like this-

www.idealhome.co.uk/diy-and-decorating/how-to-keep-your-house-warm-in-winter-188040

You can buy glazing film:

Insulating Film for Windows, Transparent Glazing Film 4.5m2 (3m x 1.5m) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002TPQ5D0/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttiH86YBBKD6KCV7GJ267R4

Basically it gives you fake double glazing and traps the air between the glass and the film.

I'd definitely suggest you think about using this in key rooms and making sure curtains (thicker the better) are closed to keep the heat in for as long as possible (overnight and as soon as it gets dark).

My MIL told me when she was young she used to Velcro blankets to the windows to keep the heat in.

Do you own or rent?

Get the double glazing cling film for the windows. It's a bit fiddly but really good. Draft proofing is what you need, under doors etc. There is foam tape I bought on Amazon to wedge drafty windows shut. It was great. Do you have drafty floorboards?

If yes - get some rugs if you can. People are usually giving things away on local free cycle or cheaply on FB marketplace.

Do you have thick curtains? If not - you can buy curtain thermal lining fabric and the iron on tape to add it to existing ones or cheap ones that aren't lined. It makes a real difference.

It's a brutal time. Not easy or fun.

Bubble wrap on windows reduces heat loss by 20 to 50 %. To insulate with bubble wrap you’ll need a spray bottle full of water and some bubble wrap. Cut the bubble wrap to size, spritz the window thoroughly with water and stick the wrap bubble side up. The water makes it stick all winter long.

Do you own or rent?

Technically neither. Accommodation comes with job so moving isn’t an option unfortunately.

Money saving expert has a guide to heating/energy saving tips and mythbusting which I found really helpful, as I could never be sure whether it was cheaper to heat whole house or just one room. The answer is central thermostat as hot as the warmest temperature you want, and turn all radiator thermostats down in rooms you aren't using.

We have a portable gas heater in sitting room that runs off gas bottle. Means we dont have to have heating on in the the rest of the house and gas bottle is easy to budget. You just need a carbon monoxide monitor too.

You need really heavy thermal curtains (Try places like Dunelm) or alternatively buy some cheap fleece blankets (or a roll of fleece from e.g a fabric wholesaler) and back your current curtains with it using safety pins if you aren't able to sew it on yourself. Also cover any doors.

Try and keep the air as dry as possible. Damp air is much harder to warm. If you are drying clothes inside invest in a dehumidifier.

On any windows you don't need to see out of stick bubble wrap up covering the windows and frames.

Get draught excluders at the bottom of doors.

Carpets and rugs.

Go out during the day. Cafes, libraries, playgroup, friends houses.

See if you might be eligible for grants to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

What type of heating are you using at the moment?

Draft excluder in windows. We put this in our tartly single glazed sashes in old house and made a huge difference to warmth despite still being single glazed original Victorian windows.

Curtains over doors like these:

The Linenmouse Period style Heavy weight Thermal Traditional Tapestry Single Door Curtain, Light Gold, Pencil Pleat Heading - 66x90 drop (168x229cm).ONLY ONE WILL BE SENT. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C9A9J1O/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttiSZ4PKY216J2MJHXM59T8??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They are an amazing price for the quality and doors in old houses always seem to be really drafty

Oil filled electric radiator are amazingly efficient compared to convection. Take a while to heat up but I've been really impressed by ours - it's a bambino

In previous years we have hung a curtain behind front door, draught excluders at all doors, cling film on windows, silver foil behind radiators, hot water bottles.

We now have heated throws, lined curtains and finally, after 20 bloody years, replaced the radiators with new ones. ( cost about 1.5K). Its hard to be skint and cold!

I bought a knock off Oody from Amazon for £20

Whenever I moan it's chilly dh runs off to get my 'giant jumper' for me!

Heated throw. I have one. Now would never be without. Only cost a few pence to run as well.

De'Longhi TRNS0505M Oil Filled Radiator - White https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000BVBHJ/ref=cmswwrcppapigltti76FP9CAK9T9XSMKKX4WF

Had mine for years. Only 500 watts so much lower cost to run. Take a while to heat up but then a lovely gentle heat that is fairly cheap to run for several hours. My office is freezing without it!