I wfh - How to cheaply stay warm this winter?

[User5512]

I work from home. With the energy price so high, and cost of living going up rapidly, how can I cheaply stay warm during the day? Ideally, I don’t want to use central heating until 4pm. It’s already costing a bomb to keep the house heated between 4pm and 8pm (when kids are at home).

Im wearing a jumper, but can’t layer up more as I have to attend meetings on zoom.

Thermal top and bottom

Warm socks and slippers

Room with door closed

Hot water bottle

Hot drinks (I boil a kettle and fill a large flask so have hot water handy)

Heated throw

Tiny oil filled radiator to go under desk when super cold

I was bought a foot warmer thing but my feet don't get that cold with socks and slippers

I also find going for a brisk walk or a workout in the middle of the day warms me up.

Saw a tip on internet - insert your mouse mat inside a bobble hat so your mouse hand can operate in a little woolly cave.
am trying this tomorrow.

Slippers.. I have fake Uggs. Plus I wrap a fleece blanket around my lower half before sitting down. Add a hot water bottle if it gets really cold

Layer up, buy a fleece neck gaiter or use a scarf, socks, slippers, blanket over your lap and tuck it round your back, fleecy dressing gown over your shoulders and a woolly or fleece hat.

We have the Cosihome heated throws too. They're brilliant.

Pile lined joggers from Uniqlo or Serious Sweats thermal joggers from Lands End.

Uniqlo fleece mock turtle neck long-sleeved t-shirt in black during meetings. Once meeting is over, oversized black oodie/hoodie that comes down to my ankles.

Thick fleece socks.

Electric footwarmer for feet.

I work in bed unless I’m on a zoom call.

I wear a thin merino LS top, a smart wool cardigan that looks more like a jacket and a stylish thin wool scarf on zoom calls and it looks fine. Lots of thin wool layers work better and look more work appropriate than one big thick woolly jumper.

I had an electric blanket but one of my kids stole it so now I have two hot water bottles .

I wear Merino thermal underwear ( bought from Aldi and Lidl as cycling and skiing base layers ) and merlno socks. And a thin down gilet from Uniqlo.

These items are not cheap but you only buy them once and they last for years . That’s assuming you look after them and hand wash the wool ( very infrequently) , wear natural deodorant and spot clean when required. You can’t treat then like polyester and throw in the washing machine after one ot two wears.

it was 11 degrees inside my house today and I was fine.

I also only heat the house from 4-9 when my kids are home.

You can layer up then fling the top layer off on zoom. Fleece lined leggings are great too.

I sit all day bundles in a heated throw and lots of layers. Big fluffy slippers.

I did have to put the heating on today - it was freezing!

I also find going for a brisk walk or a workout in the middle of the day warms me up

Me too. I've perfected an indoor running routine that I do while I listen to last night's episode of The Archers.

Floors are cold so you need to consider that. Do you have carpets and if not, put a a mat or rug under your feet. Thick soled shoes and thick woolly socks. Some slippers may not be all that warm, though sheepskin would. Go for a half hour walk or do some exercise, say, dancing to music, to get your circulation going rather than sit for three or four hours at a stretch.

Why don't you take your laptop to a local library and work from there in glorious heat for free, and you can take a flask with you for tea-break. There are often side rooms or desks that you can use to have meetings on. My local library is busy with students and workers, and retired folk using the free WIFI. At home, I have been adding draft excluders to all the doors, hanging curtains around doors that are not UPVC and taping up any draughty windows with draft excluder tape. It seems to take a little bit of a difference.

Socks and slippers
hot water bottle
heated throw on lap
keep windows and doors shut to trap the heat
lots of warm drinks

Drink boiling water through the day healthier than lots of caffeine but wil warm you up rather than tap water. Wheat bag/hot water bottle. Tuck your top into your trousers . Warm jumpers

You can get a plug in oil heater that if you have it on for 2 hours it costs about 60p. Once you switch it off it retains heat for about 30 minutes. If you are in a room with the door shut it will be one warm then you can switch it off for 30 mins. My adult son uses one in his bedroom.

Look for lined sweatpants on Amazon. I got a pair for myself and my daughter, we live in them at home! It's not fleece, it's a longer furry material, very fluffy. You can wear a thin cashmere type top underneath your work top. When not on Zoom, wear a hat to keep your body heat in. I also use an electric blanket, it's cheaper than heating. And of course fluffy socks and fingerless gloves. This is my WFH winter outfit ;)

Wrist warmers, I have cashmere ones from turtle doves. Electric throw. Comfy slippers, hot water bottle on feet if needed.

I wear a thermal turtleneck with a big chunky wool turtleneck on top. Tights and thick walking socks and slippers. Plus a big wool scarf wrap thing which is almost like a blanket. And lots of cups of tea and coffee!

Heated blanket
Heated Gilet
Hot water bottle
Oil filled radiator (portable so handy to have in the house - we move ours around as needed)
Big fluffy socks /slippers
Thick fleecy trousers

I feel the cold really badly and am often sat at my desk all day but can't face heating even the whole room never mind the house!

Hot water bottle at your back and a cosy blanket over your knees. And proper sleeves that don't roll up your arms.

Last year I used a combination of -

Sat in an old (bright green) sleeping bag up to my waist like a huge caterpillar!
High Slippers. Thermal socks.
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers.
Poncho.
Warm Scarf.
Move about between calls (or even during with wireless headset)

I am actually warmer at home than I am in work because they havent put the heating up yet and i dont want to carry a wardrobe of changeable warm accessories in and out of work everyday (we dont have storage in office)

Ski socks are fairly cheap warm socks.

All those people saying heated blanket - that’s fine for your bottom half but when on Teams calls/meetings etc you can’t be all huddled up in a blanket, just not professional

These little ceramic heaters are great.

They genuinely warm the room which I find much more convenient than having to keep my feet on a hot water bottle or sitting under blankets.

We have two and they’re on their third winter. Keeps the dog happy too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreo-Oscillation-Efficient-Overheating-Tip-Over-Protection/dp/B097RG67QB

Depends on your work, surely? I angle my camera upwards so you can’t see the blanket wrapped around me waist down. But equally if my team come into meetings with layers and blankets etc I don’t care, I’d rather they were comfortable and warm while working