Aibu to ask seriously… how to keep warm!

[Biscuits1011]

we all know the cost of living is hitting people hard. We’re on prepayment metres, landlord insists on them. Rent privately through an agent so can’t make any major improvements to the house. It’s badly insulated but landlord won’t do anything about it, it’s rated E so legal. Got 2 very young children. We can’t afford what it’s costing to heat our home. £60 a week on gas alone! Have heating on an hour morning; 2 in evening and an hour in the day. I’m on maternity, so home with the baby all day long. It’s so cold. I could go back to work early but Im off on full pay so wouldn’t make a financial difference! People suggest hot water bottles… blankets heated throws ect but that’s ok when I can just sit on the sofa… not when I have to run around after a toddler and have a baby to look after. We have layers on.. but it’s so cold unless the heating is actually on!

its all open plan downstairs also, so can’t contain heat in one room either. Honestly I’m so worried about the cost, but also it’s so so cold right now 😞

Wool jumper from eBay. Anything with a natural fibre in it. And hear yourself from the inside. Porridge, tea etc.

Local councils are doing 'warm places' you could see what's child friendly. Our library is one and they have a toddler group

That’s not a bad idea I’ll try that lol

Don't get wool. It doesn't keep you as warm as technical gear and costs a fortune to dry when washed.

Get a couple of microfibre fleeces and layer those. They are cheaper and will keep you warmer. If you don't like microfibre next to your skin wear a cotton t-shirt underneath.

Don't tie a water bottle to yourself and walk round with it. All the bumping around will make it much more likely to leak or break. And if it does you'll be strapped to a leaking water bottle leaking boiling hot water that you can't untie or get rid of.

Is there a bedroom that’s big enough to play on the floor of? If so could you get a halogen heater and get just one room warm? If you shut the door it might stay warm for a while.

£60 a week for gas alone is extortionate!

There are some grants etc but may be a pita.

Mine is about 13 years as well and all in all with similar heating pattern you have, we spend about half. But some of that difference is 1 less person-child bath.

I would look into whether flat heaters could be used instead. I have one small power one in small room and it's great, would need bigger power for bigger room, but still may workout similar or cheaper

But then with what you spend on them... It may just be extra expense for not much

Is there no room that faces the sun that gets warm during the day

Can you cut costs elsewhere to spend more on heat? Sell anything you have spare to get together some cash to pay for more heating.

Pick an upstairs room with a door eg toddlers bedroom and spend time playing in there with a fan heater on?

I moved our house around so that our living room is upstairs in the warmest room in the house.

i appreciate you can’t do this as it’s open plan your downstairs but if you’re going to be sitting still watching TV or playing, you’d be better off upstairs. My house is a good 3-4 degrees warmer upstairs.

Wool jumper from eBay. Anything with a natural fibre in it.

Except wool holds a lot of moisture and with a newborn and a toddler OPs clothes will likely get grubby a lot, wool is a nightmare to get dry in a cold house in winter.

I was going to say a bedroom as well. I don’t see why you can’t lie an electric blanket out on the floor and use it to play on, just on a very low setting.

I agree. Honestly that is only heating on 3 hours a day! It’s used for hot water also for the dishes but we have an electric shower!

“Keep moving about - a 4 minute HIIT workout can keep you warm for a couple of hours.”

That’s not my experience.

Can you buy an oil filled electric heater? I bought one when the heating was broken and was surprised how much it warmed a room. Appreciate that it's open planned but how about in a bedroom? Bring some toys in for toddler, put a favourite programme on?

Yea we can’t do that… also don’t even have a tv upstairs so would be pretty crap sat up there all day if I’m honest. Although this could be done some of the time so could help a little

Couple of our houses when kids were young were bloody freezing - and toddler groups and museums and libraries were great.

Afternoons were quieter - in bedrooms often as smaller and warmer - also had duvets and covers for sofa.

Beyond that layers - more layers are better than thick ones and hot drinks.

There are these days items like heated shawls - heated shawls or heated jackets - with Christmas coming up those might be options.

You do need to be very aware of damp and how cold the air is - I do suspect the cold houses we had may have contributed to 3 out f 5 of us developing asthma.

Other options - door draught excluders - insulating tape around windows - thick lined curtains or additional linings or the old style shrink wrap window film.

Hats and socks and slippers will help. You lose heat from your extremities.

Not fun though :( you can get hot water bottles that you can strap to yourself

You need the right type of layers as well.

I know these are granny style to the max, but I'm a cold person and one of these under a sweatshirt makes a huge difference, they really do keep me toasty.

www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-SnowdropThermal-Sleeve-White-14-16/dp/B00V6HM0WC/ref=zg_bs_1731403031_sccl_2/260-1937363-2907744?psc=1

We’ve cut down on everything we can really, last thing would be to sell the car but that’s not practical as I’ll need it when I go back to work, can’t do public transport as I work shifts and there is none in the evenings.

you can put foil on widows for a little extra insulation.

assuming you have central heating - can you experient with putting the thermostat on all day at a low temp (16-18) in the room you are in? turn off all other radiators.

do you have a softplay/tumble class you can get to?

I was using the tumble dryer once a day as we have no space to dry anything but I’ve actually stopped using it and am hanging it up in the bedroom but it’s making it damp now. Can’t win.

My teens scoffed at thermal underwear - but last winter two one them were in very clod classrooms with windows open all day - had to ware thin school uniform so only options underlayers - they rapidly fell in love with soft cheap off amazon thermal underwear that doesn't have frilly bits and is fun colours.

Eldest who had more options clothing wise as she was at college slowly came to trying then loving them.

top and bottoms - though they do seem to have crept up in price since I last bought.

Oil filled electric radiator? They churn out a fair amount of heat.
Keep the curtains closed.

Otherwise trying to find libraries etc that are warm.

Sorry, it's hideous that it's like this.