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.

I WFH and I have a small oil filled electric radiator, pretty cheap to buy and not very expensive to run, would recommend

I wear vest,long sleeved t shirt then large blouse then cardigan. No meetings I wear my dressing gown on top of that, or if defo no meetings instead of blouse and cardigan I wear my oodie

Ok, so I really suffer in the cold with Reynaurds and chilblains to die for.

3.30am alarm every morning to work outside, I often dash in and out of an office and very cold office based in afternoon. Some of the below may give ideas. Last year out in minus 10 and most of time not moving about much.

2 layers M & S Heatgen, one of which must be a polar neck
1 x long sleeve t shirt, thick
1 x short sleeve polo shirt
1 x wool jumper old school uniform type, can double up if needed.
1 x expensive Norwegian jumper thick wool with polyester inside for wind stop. Last for years so worth investment. Old fisherman Gurnsey in oiled wool also work.
1 x heated gilet from Amazon for 20 quid. I throw out at end of winter as knackered but keep batteries for future years.
1 x waterproof coat.
1 x storm chaser snood.
start off about size 10 end up size 16 for coat. But being layers all easy to move in.
Then:
thin anti arthritis fingerless gloves at all times from Amazon, cheap, multiple pairs used a day, in case get damp. Seal skin merino glove liners over the top. Ski gloves when in dire need over that lot if dexterity not important.
Teabag heat warmers can be stuffed in gloves when lost will to live, Amazon 10 quid for 40 pairs.

game changer has been storm chaser neck snoods for me. For some reason if I can snuggle in to them I’m ok. And the fingerless gloves all day everyday, then proper gloves overtop.

bottom half, two layers of long johns and jeans/ trousers, plus two socks and work boots.

beanie on head

layering is key! Although endurance sport to get dressed every morning.

• understanding bloke, often go to bed in two layers of thermals, a beanie and gloves. Apparently it’s a strong look.

Can I add a vote for thermals? Honestly the best thing ever. Get them from Uniqlo.

some of them are really thin, so you can wear under smart office clothes without looking like the Michelin man

Thermals are a god send. I wore thermal leggings under my joggers today, wore socks and slipper socks on my feet. Top half was thermal vest top, thin long sleeve t shirt, thick long sleeve top, cardigan and hoodie. I had a hot water bottle on my lap and a blanket on top of that, over my legs.

Primark do fleece lined tights and also some thick, fake fur lined leggings. I bought mine last year and they were about £7 a pair. They're insanely warm, like a quilt for each leg. The inners do shed though so I usually wear a normal pair of tights or normal thermal leggings underneath.

M&S do some thermal tops that look like normal tops and their thermal leggings are good too. Primark do normal thin thermal vests and long sleeve tops which look like thermals or at least they look like the ones I had under my school uniform in the 90s. They're great for wearing underneath layers but the M&S ones just look like regular clothes, so good for a top layer.

That’s really good value! I wonder if the convector heaters are as cheap… I use one when working from home and it makes the room lovely and cosy.

Go for a walk, exercise. Move. Get up and do star jumps. Sitting there wrapped in a throw for hours is so bad for you.

Work in the smallest room you can and get an electric fan heater. Cheap to run and effective at warming the room. Also use fleece clothing or big Oodie type things to keep cold air off, then you won’t need to even use the heater much at all.

I find occasionally just the Oodie isn’t enough as the air is cold enough for my nose and hands to feel it. Fan heater will take the chill off then the Oodie/fleecy jumpers will do the rest!

Honestly, I am so much warmer now I wear a bobble hat and fingerless gloves ( so I can still type) , looks a little weird when indoors but definitely works.

I don’t mean don’t wrap up, just make sure you move. Some don’t. Work colleague took to her bed to work, fridge in bedroom, microwave, kettle and she passed away in her fifties.

I sometimes have to work from bed because I am ill. I used to beat myself up about needing to until I discovered I had a hard to diagnose condition.

If I die young it will be because of the condition that requires me to rest lots not because I rest lots.

I expect a lot of people live with my condition or similar ones without ever getting a diagnosis

No, not at all. I did buy another pair from online and they were more furry inside and bulkier but the Next ones aren’t.

I stand to wfh so blankets are no longer my answer! I have a fleecy pair of slippers just for office use, wrist warmers or fingerless gloves, a variety of jumpers and ponchos, pashminas whilst hated on mumsnet also work well. When only speaking to colleagues on teams I also have a fleecy hooded jacket thing which is amazing, a bit like an oodie but less overwhelming and restrictive

I love my heated throw . I just use that in the daytime . Only trouble is you get so cosy it discourages movement !

Cashmere wrist warmers.

I work in the spare room, which we also dry washing in on the heated airer. I find that’s enough to keep me warm during the winter. I do have a mini electric heater that I put in for a few mins if it’s particularly cold. Oooh and my two dogs sleep on their bed which is under the desk and thus by my feet all day. So I have toasty feet!

I have a faux oodie, fingerless gloves and sheepskin slipper boots.
The one thing that makes the biggest difference is an electric heated pad that I sit on which is so cosy.

Normal clothes and then a dressing gown on top or thermal underlayers then normal clothes then the dressing gown,

Then cuppa tea's

Close the door to the room so the hear stays in. I wrap a blanket around my bottom half like a sarong. Vest, long sleeve t shirt and then another layer on top. Hot water bottle up my top, and my oodie or dressing gown if it really cold. We are a very casual office and if I’m just having meetings with my team I’ll keep my oodie what ever on, if it’s meetings with others I’ll wear a thick jumper for that and then go back to my oodie.

I do a variation on all the tips mentioned.

However, I don’t understand why anyone is concerned about people seeing what they’re wearing on TEAMS. I just position myself so you can only see me down to shoulder level and always wear a scarf. I can be wrapped up in a giant blanket from the shoulders down…

Oodies are amazing. I bought one for my daughter but I use it all the time when working from home.

Yup! Or hang out in a coffee shop.

Also, don't forget tax relief for WFH if applicable, could help with hearting costs.

Proper thermals, alpaca socks, slippers. Thick woollen jumper, warm blanket over lap. Down jacket for when desperate and in between calls.

Love my heated throw. £45 on Amazon, but it’s been my saviour wfh in winter.

OK this isn't day time - but had to flag it.

Have changed my cotton sheets and duvet to brushed cotton ( also called flannel ) duvet and sheets and pillowcase.

The absolute cosy joy of it. Makes such a difference .