So sick of being cold

[jellybelly22]

We bought a house over the odds due to its location. There have been loads of unexpected works and repairs which coupled with the energy increase is really crippling us. It's a very old, cold, inefficient house and our first winter here has been tough. We've gone from spending £160 a month and always being warm in our previous home to sometimes over £600 and still being freezing. I hate it. My 1 year olds bedroom was 12 degrees the other night. She has a sleeping bag and a blanket (I know I know) but her hands were still freezing. I find excuses to go out all the time because it's so miserable being cold. It's causing rows with dh as he doesn't feel the cold like me and is very much a 'just get another blanket' type. I've done blankets and hot water bottles and jumpers.
I love the house and it's probably just unlucky that our move coincided with the massive energy rises but I can only associate it with being cold at the moment :-(
I know it's the same for everyone. I have no idea how this has been allowed to happen. Does anyone have any tips? We are looking into insulating the house and making it more efficient but money is tight at the minute.

I have no heating on overnight and my house often gets down to 12 degrees. The heating comes on about 30minutes before I get up but I'm never cold overnight with a 10 tog duvet.

I do sympathise with you, and think you’ve had loads of good advice here. Your DH sound a bit unkind if he’s wound up by your ds lying in front of the heater to read, unless it’s a danger concern.

21 degrees all day is pretty extreme though! I think that would make me feel quite stifled and unwell

Insulation, insulation, insulation. And in the meantime, thermal underwear and layers. Your husband is a dick by the way. Your perception is just as valid as his.

We left a Victorian house for this reason the bills were crippling us. Now live I a modern house, unfortunately it seemed like a good idea at the time to have lots of windows, we have invested in thermal curtains for windows and doors, has made such a difference.

This is also us rn. Found wonderful everything old house couple of years ago and finally moved in after those years of working on it for everything to break and spending so much on gas and electric and still seeing our breath. Had no boiler for last 6 weeks after being condemned and bill is still ridiculous.

We were in the same position OP having bought an old cottage in 2022 when prices were rocketing and houses were gone before you could blink. Spent a fortune replacing windows, changing radiators and improve roof insulation. It made a difference but still struggled with the winter extremes of -7 outside; my kids room was really chilly if heating wasn’t on. Electric heater (not fan) works a treat and their beds are layered up with wool duvet, soft fleece sheets and bedspread. On really cold nights they will wear their onesies to bed but wake up too hot!
However last autumn we invested in an air to air heat pump for the open plan kitchen/diner/living room and it has been incredible. Instant heat which can be timed too, I keep it on low all day when WFH and it is incredibly efficient. Will invest in more of them when we do the next phase of works including solar panels. You just need to find what works for your house. Insulation and ASHP just not an option for our house for many factors. Try to make winters as comfortable as possible get to know your house; ours is warmest on a low and slow schedule of heating (not all day mind). The flip side is the summers are absolutely glorious and while people I know are literally melting in their bedrooms in new builds our stone built house maintains a cool temp all day. Bonus being the heat pump cools if we need it to (in Scotland so unlikely!).

We also live in a cold Victorian house (also bought for the area). I live in my oodie in the winter and my 18 mo. Is always in plenty of layers! We bought an oil-filled radiator with a thermostat for the little one’s room and it’s great, would highly recommend. Barely adds to the heating cost but keeps him toasty at night and eases the Mum guilt!