To start a 'practical warmth tips' thread for the fuel-squeezed

[TirisfalPumpkin]

Hello. Gas/electic/oil are horrendously expensive, and it looks like it's going to get worse. I make a normal junior management wage and live pretty frugally, but central heating is not something I can afford any more. There are many worse off than me, many in the same boat.

So, given this is the situation we're in, and that it's not likely to change before next winter, wondered if we could share practical tips. I know not all of these are cost-accessible to all (they weren't to me, all at once) but we've got the summer to plan for the winter, and doing something is better than doing nothing.

Things that have worked for me:

• Wool leggings. A lot of places have them reduced as loungewear pandemic chic isn't a thing any more. Was surprised at the difference these made.

• Uniqlo - I am not receiving any commission for shilling their products in this way, but layering a heattech turtleneck, wool jumper and down jacket - warm. And you don't really feel like you're wearing a coat indoors, even though you are. You can often get the down items second hand on eBay and they regularly have sales.

• Insulated mug for my tea, I use the Stanley one, about twenty quid on Amazon.

• Hot water bottle. Make sure you get one with the British Standard mark and don't burn yourself. If you wrap it well it will hold heat for a long time.

• my expensive, particulate-polluting, middle-class affectation (log burner) - 3 loads of oak logs (about £350) would heat the room I use through winter. This used to be way more than my gas bill, but it's not any more!

I'm mostly focused on 'heat the people not the space', but for when it gets really cold, would be especially interested in any house insulation tips. I can't have cavity wall cos of brick ties and I can't afford proper loft treatment (was quoted 5k) - is there anything that can be DIY'd?

Martin Lewis has said that for people on old style prepay meters (not smart meters), you pay the price at the time of your last top up. So if you can afford to (and appreciate many can’t), put on as much credit as possible before the new higher prices take effect, then avoid topping up for as long as possible. Just check what the max you can be in credit is, the 2 companies I looked at were both around £250. The only energy company who said this won’t work is apparently Scottish Power. It also doesn’t work with smart meters.

Fingerless gloves. Even inside. I’ve started wearing them in the evenings, we can’t afford to have the heating on much. I’ve found that having warm hands makes me feel significantly warmer.

Also, draught excluders for the doors, especially exterior doors. The big sausage shaped cushion ones can be cheap.

• Electric throw blanket for the couch.
• Electric blanket for the bed & brushed cotton sheets.
• Door sweeps and foam insulating tape for gaps around doors and windows. Plus door snakes.
• Yes, definitely an insulated mug! I boil the kettle, fill my mug and put the rest into a thermos so I have a few cups worth ready.
• I do thermals, jumpers, slippers etc. Primark do amazing fleece lined leggings...

I have RA and Raynaud's and need to be warm. I use an electric throw and a heated coat. They are lifesavers.

-aldi version of an oodie
-m&s thermal vests, tops, leggings
-thinsulate socks
-mountains of blankets (some for beds, some for living room)
-brushed cotton bedding

I'm in the process of buying thermal blackout blinds for remaining windows. The rooms already with the blinds are noticeably warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

What's in your loft now? If there's nothing at all, unrolling some mineral fibre stuff is easy and costs £100 ish

We have a dehumidifier in the room we WFH in, damp air is colder and the dehumidifier releases a bit of heat so it feels much warmer with it on, but better than having a heater on. Prevents damp as well if your heating isn't on much. You can get them for less than £100

Warm the points where your blood is near the skin - head, neck, hands/wrists and feet/ankles. Then you don't need bulky clothing so much.

Get up and do star jumps or go for a walk now and then.

See if you're eligible for a home energy grant at www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/grants.

If you can, switch to using your microwave sometimes instead of your oven www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/microwave-recipes.

We’ve just been without heating for a week. Can’t say I came up with many ways of warming us up.
My best thing was my extra long hot water bottle, I put it in the bed with my pjs on top of it half hour before going to bed.
Kids also had hot water bottles and extra blankets and socks in bed but didn’t seem too bothered by the cold.
I mostly wore my dressing gown over my clothes which isn’t a good look!

Used to work in an auctioneer old mahogany furniture goes for nothing think 1970s wardrobes for £2. People would buy them and kindling for the fire

Here's my 2p's worth:

• get fleece and wool blankets from charity shops or relatives
• also fleece jumpers
• look out for cold air coming in under exterior doors (get an excluder)
• close doors to rooms you aren't using
• oil filled radiator with timer to come on for 20 mins to take the chill off a room you'll be in, these can be wheeled about the house and cost less than fan ones
• keep a large flask filled with hot water so you won't have to do the kettle as much
• if wfh step into a sleeping bag before sitting down to keep your lower half warm (can be done on the couch too when watching tv)
• electric blanket

Last year I bought a cheap load of thick batting ( about £8 for 3m) and used it to line curtains. It does make a difference.

And I second the electric throw.

Can't help on the DIY but a decent quilted/padded gilet is a really useful piece of clothing for keeping warm inside, you get the warmth of a coat but doesn't restrict your arms in the same way. Mine is fleece lined as well and has a hood and I wear it any time I am working from home and along with fingerless gloves it saves me wanting to put the heating on.

I've got one of the microwave wheat bag thingys - not sure what the electricity usage is heating that vs boiling a kettle to fill a normal hot water bottle though!

Uniqlo have refused to pull out of Russia. Which is a shame as I agree, their stuff is great.

M&S thermal vests are great for keeping you warm without making you feel like the michelin man.

If you don’t care what it looks like you can double / triple glaze windows with bubble wrap or clear plastic sheeting.

Thick door curtains on external
Doors.

Draft excluders.

Hot water bottles

Blankets.

There already is one, in classics

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

For snake draft excluders can easily be made from a leg of an old pair of tights stuffed with tags / old clothes or even scrunched up newspapers. You can just tie the end off so don't even need to sew.

Fleece lined tights and leggings are great, they look like normal black thick denier ones. I bought my last ones from the British heart foundation charity shop (they sell them new) for about £5.

Also if you have an open fire that isn't being used make sure you put a sheet of cardboard or board up the chimney to stop drafts.

My tips are:

Insulated curtain in front of any external doors. Mine came from Dunelm.

Dunelm also do a lining layer that you can attach to curtains.

Check your dishwasher and washing machine blurb to see which setting is actually the most economical one to have it on because it may not tally with what the machine displays. My dishwasher 'eco cycle' takes twice as much electricity than using the quick wash.

Another shout-out for the electric throw, it's a game changer. We sit under the electric blanket on the sofa, and then put it on the bed with a timer for an hour - any longer and it's too hot.

And dressing appropriately for the weather! There was a thread a few months ago where the OP's husband refused to layer up and insisted it was his right to sit at home in a t-shirt all day with the heating on full blast. I read the thread in amazement at the number of posters telling her she was being unreasonable, life's too short to have a cold house, you should be able to wear what you want at home even if that's a t-shirt and shorts in the winter, wanting to sleep naked with the heat on all night, they have a medical condition which means they must keep warm with central heating (warm clothes apparently not an option), etc etc.

I think some people are already doing absolutely everything they can, but for others, there's a lot of low-hanging fruit to save energy.

• Draft excluders for doors, especially external ones.

• Heavy curtains will keep warmth in, again on external doors too.

• I live in a cold country and layers are my friend. I second Uniqlo but, you know, Russia but there are other brands out there if you look around. Now's probably the time to buy because shops will have their end-of-winter sales.

• Keep your extremities warm so double up socks, fingerless gloves, hoodies or a snood to cover your neck, hats too.

• Hot water bottles

• Blankets everywhere

• Learn to knit or crochet - the movement will keep you warm and you can make blankets.

• Live in one room as much as possible and keep that one warm - keep the doors shut and close curtains as soon as it gets dark.

• Try to keep damp out and buy a dehumidifier.

• Not necessarily a way to keep warm but get a slow cooker, they use less energy than a lightbulb so are inexpensive to run, need less time in a cold kitchen and will cook cheaper cuts of meat really nicely. Pinterest is a great place to find recipes and if you find one that contains protein, carb and veg you won't need to do any more work or use more energy.

• Try not to sit still for long periods of time, if you find yourself getting too cold get up and move around. Go up and down the stairs a few times, some jumping jacks, jog some laps of your sitting room.

• You can insulate your attic yourself, buy some rolls of insulation from a DIY shop and just make sure you cover your entire body so you don't get the horrendously itchy fibres on your body.

@LetsGoCrazyPurpleBanana

I have RA and Raynaud's and need to be warm. I use an electric throw and a heated coat. They are lifesavers.

Where can you buy a heated coat please?

Switch to bean-based veggie diet.

Light your farts!

Which electric throw/blanket does everyone recommend?