How to keep warm? Can't afford heating

[MandiY]

Other than wearing ridiculous numbers of layers. I cannot afford to put my heating on. It's just so expensive and I am already struggling to pay council tax. This never used to be an issue but the cost of living is killing me financially. What are some ways I can warm up? Any heaters that are cheaper than central heating? It's 7 degrees outside and 14 degrees in my house. I have a 3 year old so can't just suffer the cold like I would of it were just me. Thanks

The cheapest heating is just burning stuff, even if you live in town there are usually trees where branches have fallen off or scraps of wood near building sites. Unfortunately if you're like me and don't have a proper fireplace it's not really a good idea to burn stuff indoors, there can be toxic fumes and carbon monoxide which is dangerous.

Could you spend your days in a library? Councils have to keep these at a minimum temperature so if you just hang around there each day it'll save on heating at least.

You poor woman.

When sitting down make sure you both have a hot water bottle on your lap, they are hugely effective in keep a body warm.

I used one for watching matches.

Try and do as much as possible in one room and use old towels to block out obvious drafts.

Light fleece Hats worn inside are surprisingly cosy and effective.

Keep exercise to outside and spend inside time snuggled up on the sofa under blankets.

Hot drinks made into a flask to drink through the evening.

I am so sorry life is so hard for so many.

This week I trialed something I saw online.

A terracotta pot (mine was £8) with tealights, similar to the picture here, but I propped the pot up with a couple of bricks I had in the garden (you could use anything non flammable).

It won't heat a whole house, but it definitely works for the room, takes about 45 mins - 1 hour to feel it getting warmer. I definitely wouldn't have it on in a room I wasn't sitting in, but that's what I'll be doing this winter.

I also have a ton of water bottles. If it gets really bad I have a camping kettle and will boil it over a fire in the garden to fill the bottles (hoping it won't get to that point though).

My heart goes out to you, its a really shitty state of affairs when people can't afford heating.
As strange as it sounds try getting out for a walk. It will warm you up by getting the body moving.
Inside your home keep layers on, long sleeves under jumpers and your head covered. Hot water bottles and cups of tea. Build a tent under a duvet with your dc and have indoor camping.

What kind of central heating do you have? If gas, then an electric heater may be cheaper to run (but won't have the same coverage).

Have you looked at heated blankets?

Insulate your windows with insulation film and heavy curtains. Draught excluders and curtains on doors too.

Make sure your fireplace is fully covered over if you dont/can't use it.

Heated throws/ hot water bottles. Sheepskins are also extremely warm.

Thermal underwear and socks.

And I think - but check this - they are not allowed to cut you off if you have a child.

Seconding hats and fingerless gloves worn inside the house , and thick socks.Likewise a gilet helps whilst leaving your arms free.
Put a cheap ski suit on your little one if they are cold, hot water bottle in the bed, and if they’re sleeping in an adult-sized bed, put a pillow across the bottom, under the duvet to reduce the space.
Work on heating one room well. Use duvets on the sofa to snuggle into.
Make sure you’ve got thick curtains, check doors for droughts and use a draught excluder.
Sleep between two duvets if you can, I used to put my sleeping bag on the bed and duvet on top.
Think about what you’re eating. Soup is good, add potato and dumplings and it’s carb-rich.

Have you contacted your provider? I'm sure they must have safeguarding in place for babies.

You can insulate windows with cling film or bubble wrap.
Keep your 3year old moving, or cuddled up in a blanket with you (for reading stories, watching a bit of tv etc).
Warm drinks helps
wooly/fleecy hats will help immediately without adding much bulk.
Sorry OP, it’s a shit situation.

We haven't turned our heating on yet. I wanted to last night but dh said, let's hold out as long as possible. What I did try was closing internal doors and that really helped. If you've got hard floors, try getting some rugs as that can help.

We also said we'd make the most of being in the car with the heaters on. When we're out in the car that is, not just for the sake of it.

What a crazy, worrying situation this is for people.

Is any side of your house warmer as it gets the sun? We’ve changed the room we sit in at home if we’re here with the dc as it has the sun streaming through the window and is noticeably warmer than the room on the opposite side. Second the advice to block any chimneys that aren’t used. It’s miserable being cold so I have every sympathy, DH is a shorts all year round man and just doesn’t understand the misery of being cold. Poor little dds hands were like ice when I put her to bed last night. The terracotta pot idea upthread looks good but I’d be wary of using it with one so little running around, dd is also 3 and is like a whirling dervish so I don’t even have candles on high shelves when she’s awake. Charity shops are great places to find really warm blankets and jumpers, I’ve found cashmere for less than a nylon jumper would cost me in primark.

Invest in an electric blanket. So cozy.

So glad they've given the wealthy tax breaks so their money can warm us through the winter

"And I think - but check this - they are not allowed to cut you off if you have a child."

They can't cut anyone off regardless of their situation. The very worst they can do is install a prepayment meter.

You'll have to have the heating on at some point OP but invest in oversized Sherpa hoodies for both of you. Primark ones are good

Where abouts are you? There's local restaurants rejects, community centres, libraries etc that are great to go to during the day. It's warming up to around 15 outside by lunchtime so mornings are a good time to go out somewhere, your house will be warmer by afternoon. I've got lists of projects all over my region at work if you happen to be my way.

We haven't got the heating on yet, never have this early, certainly it's cooler but not enough to be a problem in the SW.

Generally an hour of gas central heating first thing is better value as it heats the house, then just ensure you have jumpers and thick socks on to keep that warm feeling (it's hard to get warm once you are cold). Last winter mine was on for 3 hours a day, unless it's very cold (below zero) this is plenty in most houses.

Sorry not restaurants ... community centres!

I’d also try and get out as much as you can to the library/ warm spaces. Museum if it’s free etc.

Ive put in an infra red heater in the bathroom. It heats objects not air, it’s like standing in the sunshine feels lovely even on an otherwise cold day. Try and get a cheap stand alone one. Really good for a blast of penetrating warmth.

If you don't put the heating on at all then you may end up with a serious damp/ condensation problem and your house is just going to get colder and colder as the fabric of the house will lose residual heat. By the winter it will be close to the same temp inside your house as out which isn't going to be healthy for you and your little one. Could you manage to have your heating on for one/two short periods each day? Even an hour on at the coldest time will keep the house warmer than not having it on at all. I do appreciate this may be a struggle though.

Get yourself one of these https://direct.asda.com/george/home/bedding/duvets/basic-duvet-135-tog/050421906,default,pd.html?utmcampaign=pla::Home--AllRangessBAU--SmartShopping&utmmsource=google&utmmedium=cpc&dssrl=1238816&gbraid=0AAAAADwhMoAMaw1Zr3iiF80USd2DLEZgD&gbraid=0AAAAADwhMoAMaw1Zr3iiF80USd2DLEZgD&gclid=CjwKCAjwm8WZBhBUEiwA178UnEi41Lvpx8jp0Gwtz09nKkTvtdfpnO2tD26fYE0QsVPkBLRrohQEBoCOQsQAvDD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hot water bottles and hot drinks if you're sitting around, but it's good to keep moving and get outside if you're physically able to. Is there a library in walking distance? You could walk there, enjoy their heating for a few hours, walk back and be lovely and toasty from the exercise when you get in.

We've also got pretty good at making sure curtains are open on the sunny side of our flat at the right times of day as it makes a surprising amount of difference.

Your local Citizens Advice office may be able to do a benefits check to make sure you're claiming everything you can be (are you entitled to single person discount on your council tax for example?) and they will know about any local groups which offer help and/or daytime activities to get you both out of the house and into somewhere warm.

I'm in the same boat, I don't think we'll be able to switch on the heating at all this winter. There are ways to create heat but they aren't always safe to manage with a 3 year old. I've bought candles, hurricane lamps and paraffin.

Look for local food and fuel banks and see if you will qualify for any help there. Its not a long term solution but try not to leave it til the worst of the January weather, they will be inundated.

Can you not put it on a bit and accept it won't be as warm as before but if you use a small amount of fuel at key times and try to keep it on par with last year cost wise?

Depending where you are not having it on at all is going to cause issues with damp, potential frozen pipes

Agree with the suggestions above strangely if you go out for a while and come back in it will feel warmer. Duvet dens are great for little ones - if you do have the ability to burn wood when you go out with your 3 year old have a wood scavenger hunt I do that with my DS he loves it. So sorry you are going through this OP.

If you can afford the initial outlay, get a heated throw. Life changing. Can't believe I haven't had one before now.